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Buckeye Battle Cry, composed by vaudeville performer and songwriter Frank Crumit, is one of two fight songs of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Every football game in Ohio Stadium begins with Ramp entrance by The Ohio State University Marching Band, performed to Buckeye Battle Cry. The tradition of Script Ohio ends with the singing of one chorus of the fight song by band members. The song is also played after every Buckeye score.

Planning for the construction of Ohio Stadium resulted in a contest in 1919 to create new school fight songs. Frank Crumit, an alumnus of Ohio University but a Buckeye fan, wrote Buckeye Battle Cry and submitted it to the contest.

Some older versions of the lyrics show not COME ON OHIO!, but rather O-HI-O. While some fans opt to sing the latter (complete with arm motions), the former is much more common. The Ohio State University Marching Band sings "Come On Ohio" in their rendition.

[edit] Lyrics

In old Ohio (Columbus) there's a team

That's known throughout the land

Eleven warriors brave and bold

Whose fame will ever stand

And when the ball goes over,

Our cheers will reach the sky

Ohio Field will hear again

The Buckeye Battle Cry!

Chorus:

Drive, drive on down the field

Men of the Scarlet and Gray

Don't let them through that line

We've got to win this game today

COME ON OHIO!

Smash through to victory

We cheer you as you go

Our honor defend

So we'll (We will) fight to the end

for O-HI-O!

[edit] Second Verse

Crumit penned a second verse which was apparently lost until Nick Metrowsky recovered it from a 1924 recording:

We'll scatter to the east and west

When college days are done,

And memories will cling around

The dreams of everyone;

We'll play the game of living,

With head and shoulders high!

And where in wear the spirit of

The Buckeye Battle Cry!

(Repeat Chorus)

[edit] Sources