musichistory:

“On Wisconsin” (with intro) by William T. Purdy [1909] performed by the University of Wisconsin Marching Band [1990].

More UW-Madison music history!

100 years ago, William Purdy wrote a march to submit in a contest to select the official fight song for the University of Minnesota football team. An alumnus of the University of Wisconsin, Minnesota’s biggest rival then and now, convinced Purdy to instead offer the march to Wisconsin. Wisconsin recognized the sheer awesomeness of the song immediately and accepted the offer. The winner of the song contest at Minnesota was the very average “Minnesota Rouser,” which remains the school’s fight song.

“On Wisconsin” has since become one of the most ubiquitous fight songs mostly because hundreds of high schools have adapted it for their own use. One high school to do so was Hawthorne High School in Hawthorne, California. The Wilson brothers and Al Jardine, four-fifths (4/5) of The Beach Boys, attended Hawthorne High and included a few measures of “On Wisconsin” into “Be True to Your School,” a Top Ten hit from autumn 1963.

A version of “On Wiscosin” also appears in the 1973 Disney animated film Robin Hood in association with Friar Tuck, who appears as a badger. USC’s “Fight On” plays during a different fight scene, when the action mimics a football game.

In my (slightly biased) opinion, “On Wisconsin” stands among the best college fight songs. My Top 5, in no particular order, are “On Wisconsin,” “Fight On” (USC), “Hail to the Victors” (Michigan), “Notre Dame Victory March,” and “Fight for LSU.” If we need to choose one, though, we can simply look to the March King, John Philip Sousa, who declared that “On Wisconsin” is “the finest of college marching songs.” On Wisconsin for another century!

Well said.

whatson:

thedailywhat:

Cannot Be Unseen of the Day: Screw Hitler — if I ever get hold of a time machine I’m going back to 1986 and making damn sure this movie gets produced.

[via.]

I just got an email from a guy commending me on my “Song of the South” article, saying he grew up with the song. He’s 68 years old. And his email address features the phrase “kitandkaboodle.” This is the greatest thing to ever happen to me.

bertwins:

nlinde:

(via sydneyisawkward)

Ladies and Gentlemen….why the internet was created.

I don’t know why I laughed so much at this.

applearts:

Unearthed Caravan

A must-watch in HD.

AT BARELY the height of a tea cup, Maltese terrier pup Scooter could well be the smallest dog in world.

The tiny ball of white fluff is just 8cm tall and measures just over 20cm from his nose to his tail.

While Scooter is still young, he appears to have stopped growing.

The Guinness Book of World Records title holder - a long-haired chihuahua in America named Boo Boo - is bigger at just over 10cm tall.

Scooter’s size is also evident in his weight, or lack of it. He weighs less than a block of butter at 400 grams - and that is while he is wearing clothes.

The full article about Scooter can be read here.

This is literally the most adorable thing ever created.