Guilford College "Yell"

The "Guilford College Yell" dates from 1892, coinciding with the formation of the football program. It's a nonsensical, interesting tongue-twister and one can imagine a sweater-clad group of cheerleaders roaming the sidelines with megaphones, urging students and spectators to chime in. The old "yell" is definitely not part of the current cheerleading squad's repertoire. (Some modern cheers use the last stanza, spelling out the school name, followed by three final shouts of "Guilford!")

Cheerleaders, circa 1927. Photo by Guilford College.

Guilford Yell

Icky-icky-I-ky!

Micky-micky-me-my!

Hory, gory, allegory,

Guilford.

Polly-go-wax-go-wax-go-wax!

Polly-go-wax-go-wax-go-wee!

Rah! rah! rah!

Quack! quack! quack!

Who are we? Guilford!

Cheerleaders, circa 1935. Photo courtesy of Guilford College.

Rah! Rah! Quaker!

G.C. Taker!

Quaker! Taker!

Quaker! Taker!

Whoo-rah! Whoo-rah!

Quaker! Taker!

Thee, Thou, Rah!

Boom la yo!

Boom la yo!

Guilford! Guilford!

Ho! ho! ho!

Os-che-wow-wow!

Scitie-wow-wow! wow-wow!
Guilford!

G-U-I-L-F-O-R-D!

Guilford! Guilford! Guilford!

There's also a shorter version of the "yell," which was less of a mouth-full and easier to remember...and get others to join in.

Cheerleaders, circa 1937. Photo by Guilford College.

(*) They're the men!

They're the men!

Who make a touchdown 

now and then!

Polly-go wax, 
go wax, go wax, 
Polly-go wax, 
go wax, go wee!

Rah, Rah, Rah,

Quack! Quack! Quack!

                                  Who are we?

                                       Who are we?

                                       Guilford!

(* From the Guilford Yells 1895-1896, courtesy of Guilford College.)

Guilford College Fight Song

There have been many Guilford College fight songs over the years, such as "Come on You Quaker, Go!" and "Roll 'em Down, Guilford! (Aye, Zigga Zoomba)," but the one that survives and is occasionally chanted is "Brave Ole' Guilford Team!"  It's short, simple and sweet...

Guilford College Fight Song (Brave Ole' Guilford Team!)

On, brave ole' Guilford team,

On, Crimson and Gray.

Fight on to victory,

'Cause that's the fighting Quaker way!

Rah! Rah! Rah!

(Repeat once. End.)

The fight song is always sung, led by the team itself, after (and usually only after) a victory. The same stanza is sung twice, followed by loud cheering. Sometimes the letters of the school name are spelled out at the end, followed by two chants of the name and a final cheer:

G - U - I - L - F - O - R - D! GUILFORD! GUILFORD! GO GUILFORD! 

Musically, it's a very similar (but shorter) version of "On, Brave Old Army Team," the fight song of the United States Military Academy. (Most college fight songs are pretty similar...) This makes sense, as that song was widely sung by troops during WW ll and could have arrived at Guilford with the enrollment of veterans on the G.I. Bill.

The current team (2013), has been using a slightly modified version of the song, similar to the "old" version but omitting the "Fighting Quaker" part, thus reflecting the administration's hesitance to anything "fight" related. The "newer" and official Guilford College Quakers Fight Song is posted on a plaque in the locker room:

Quaker Fight Song

Ole' brave, ole' Guilford team,

Ole' Crimson and Gray.

Fight on to victory,

That's the Quaker way!
Rah! Rah! Rah!

Ole' brave, ole' Guilford team,

Ole' Crimson and Gray.

Fight on to victory,

That's the Quaker way!

Rah! Rah! Rah!

Video highlights from the recent huge comeback win against Emory & Henry.
A locker room plaque embellished with the fight song is seen at the beginning of the video. Guilford College footballers sing the fight song at the very end.

(* Thanks to David Heggie '98 for jogging my memory with the tune!)