Hail to the colors
float in the light … Hurrah for
the Yellow and Blue!
I am one of those weird alumni who knows the words to the schools’ Alma Mater or the anthem of the University of Michigan, The Yellow and the Blue.
It was written by Charles M. Gayley, an 1878 graduate, who composed the lyrics in 1886 while he was a professor of English and Latin at UM.
According to legend, he was motivated to write the song in hopes of winning a $20 prize from the student editors of the yearbook.
The song is played before every home football game and at commencements and most folks only know to hold out their fists and sing, “HAIL” at the end of the chorus.
But it was one of my family’s songs.
The University station would play it when it came to the end of the broadcast day and I remember one evening when my Dad had his radio on and my Mom yelled upstairs to the girls to ask if they were standing at attention.
She was kidding … I think.
We would often sing it at family gatherings and by general agreement we would let my Dad sing the HAIL part as a solo.
At my wedding, as warning to what she was getting into, my new Brothers-in-Law thought it would be funny if they would get to me by forcing me to sing the Michigan Fight Song.
I looked them cold in the eye and said, “The Fight Song? Everybody can sing that. I am singing the Alma Mater.”
And I grabbed my wife’s hand and stood on a chair and surrounded by wedding guests, I started the song, “Sing to the colors …”
Several of my family saw me, heard and hurried over to join in.
One of the brothers-in-law, caught off guard as he was a Michigan Grad, also joined in.
Sorry and sad to say, my Dad had passed before I got married.
But when we got to the “HAIL”, I felt it he was as much a part of party as if he had been there.
I thought of him last night.
I thought of all us, my family and friends, who have followed this stupid team and wonderful school over the years.
Can’t explain it, but it sure feels good.
BTW, notice the tie in the photograph.
It was my Dad’s tie.
It was the same tie he wore at his wedding.
It was also the tie he wore in his graduation photo from Michigan.
He bought it at store in the Arcade in Ann Arbor when he was a student.
Sing to the colors that float in the light;
Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!
Yellow the stars as they ride through the night
And reel in a rollicking crew;
Yellow the field where ripens the grain
And yellow the moon on the harvest wain;
-Hail!
Hail to the colors that float in the light
Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!
No Haiku For You 