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UT History > Songs of the University of TexasTo all UT Heritage Society members:A few weeks ago, I was contacted by John Wheat at the Center for American History. He had received a special request from a Carol Young Blair. Her father, John Young (BFA 1940), wrote a UT-related song in the late 1930s titled The Clock on the Varsity Tower. Mr. Young now lives in Oregon and will celebrate his 90th birthday in July. His daughter wanted to surprise him with a recording of the song. Does one still exist? Just by accident, I had a collection of five UT songs published in the early 1940s that included Clock on the Varsity Tower. The songs are on 78s, though, so I’d never been able to actually hear them. John Wheat was the “man with the plan” and knew someone in Austin who could record, clean-up and transfer the recordings to a CD. Just for fun, the songs are posted here in mp3 format. The album was produced by the Cecille Music Company in New York, and performed by the Republic Glee Club (also in New York). You won’t hear any Texas drawls! Two of the songs are familiar: The Eyes of Texas and Texas Taps, which is better known today as the "Texas Fight" song. Listen closely to this original version. There’s no "Give ’em Hell, Give ’em Hell, Go ’Horns Go!" which was substituted in the early 1950s. Instead, you’ll hear "Hail! Hail! The gang’s all here!" The Clock on the Varsity Tower is a slow, “romantic” ballad, and Hail to Thee Our Texas plays as a traditional university hymn that would be heard at commencement. The Texas Victory Song sounds like an alternate UT fight song. "On to victory! For Texas U., we’ll join the fray." The words to the songs are below. Hope you enjoy them, but don’t tell Mr. Young. It’s a surprise for his birthday…
Happy listening,
Texas Taps mp3 The Clock on the Varsity Tower mp3
“Moon on high,” the campus chimes are calling you and I,
“I love you,” the campus chimes are ringing “Love’s refrain.”
If you’ll first recall our meeting I don’t remember the hour.
“One, two, three,” the campus chimes keep calling you and me,
Hail to thee our Texas, Texas, evermore our Alma Mater!
Wisdom, duty, friendship, beauty, have we come through thee to know.
Hail to thee our Texas, Texas, mother of our youth.
On to victory! For Texas U., we’ll join the fray. |
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