Walk into Spartan Stadium on a crisp Saturday in October. You’ll feel it before you hear it. It’s a low rumble in the bleachers that sharpens into a brassy, unmistakable wall of sound. That’s "Victory for MSU." Most people just call it the Michigan State fight song, but for those who’ve spent four years (or forty) in East Lansing, it’s basically a liturgical chant.
It’s loud. It’s aggressive. Honestly, it’s one of the few pieces of college lore that hasn’t lost its edge in an era of flashy jumbotron graphics and piped-in stadium rock.
The 1915 Origins of Victory for MSU
Back in 1915, things looked a lot different. The school wasn't even "Michigan State University" yet; it was the Michigan Agricultural College (M.A.C.). We’re talking about a time when the campus was mostly farms and the football team was trying to find its identity.
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Francis Irving Lankey, an undergraduate cheerleader and engineering student, teamed up with Arthur Sayles to write the lyrics and music. Lankey was a bit of a campus legend, the kind of guy who just embodied the "Aggie" spirit of the time. Tragically, he died in a plane crash during World War I shortly after graduating, never getting to see his song become a permanent fixture of Big Ten culture.
The original lyrics weren't quite what you hear today. Instead of "See their team is weakening," the old-school version referenced "Aggie" pride. When the school transitioned to Michigan State College and eventually MSU, the lyrics had to evolve. If you ever find a dusty 1920s yearbook, you’ll see the subtle shifts in phrasing that reflect a school trying to move away from its purely agricultural roots while keeping that underdog chip on its shoulder.
Why the "Fight!" at the End Matters
You’ve probably seen fans from other schools try to mimic it. They fail.
The cadence of the Michigan State fight song is intentionally rhythmic, built for a marching band to stomp to. The Spartan Marching Band (SMB) treats this piece of music with a level of reverence that borders on the obsessive. When they high-step onto the field and the percussion hits that opening sequence, the energy shift is physical.
"The fight song isn't just a melody; it's a 45-second adrenaline shot that connects a freshman in the nosebleeds to a donor in the suites."
What makes it unique compared to, say, "The Victors" down the road in Ann Arbor? It’s the tempo. "Victory for MSU" feels like a sprint. It doesn't meander. It gets straight to the point: winning.
Breaking Down the Lyrics
- "On the banks of the Red Cedar..." This isn't just poetic filler. The Red Cedar River literally cuts through the heart of campus. It’s where students walk to class and where, unfortunately, many a couch has met a watery grave during a post-game celebration.
- "Its praises we will sing..." A bit formal, sure, but it sets the stage.
- "They'll fight for the only colors, Green and White." Note the emphasis on "only." Spartan fans are notoriously protective of their specific shades. Don't show up in lime.
- "Go right thru for MSU." This is the part where the stadium usually explodes. It’s simple. It’s direct. It’s a command.
The Evolution of the Arrangement
Musically, the song is a march in 2/4 time. It’s designed to be played at a clip that keeps your heart rate up. Over the decades, the arrangement has been tweaked to sound "bigger." In the mid-20th century, the instrumentation was a bit thinner, more reminiscent of a standard military march. Today, the SMB uses a massive brass section to create a sound that can be heard all the way over at the Dairy Store.
Falcone. That’s a name you have to know if you’re talking about MSU music. Leonard Falcone, the legendary director of bands for over 40 years, is largely responsible for the "sound" of the modern Michigan State fight song. He demanded a level of precision that made the SMB one of the most respected units in the country. He understood that a fight song is a weapon of psychological warfare on the field.
Common Misconceptions and Rivalry Salt
People often get confused about when to sing it. In East Lansing, you sing it after a touchdown. You sing it after a big defensive stop. You sing it at 2:00 AM at a bar on M.A.C. Avenue because why not?
There’s also this weird myth that the song was "stolen" from another university. It wasn't. While many early 20th-century fight songs share similar march structures—it was the "pop" music of the era, after all—Lankey’s composition is an MSU original.
Then there’s the "U of M" factor. Spartan fans have a long memory. The song mentions "weakening" opponents, and in the minds of every person wearing green, that opponent is almost always wearing maize and blue. The rivalry isn't just about football; it's about a perceived cultural divide between the "land-grant" grit of State and the "Wal-Mart" arrogance they attribute to Ann Arbor. The fight song is the anthem of that grit.
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How to Experience the Song Like a Local
If you want the real experience, don't just watch it on TV. Television audio never captures the low-end frequency of the tubas.
- The Series: Go to the "Series" at Adams Field before kickoff. The band warms up here, and when they play the fight song in that natural amphitheater, it’ll rattle your teeth.
- The Kickoff: Watch the drum major. The back-bend is iconic. When that plume hits the turf and the first notes of "Victory for MSU" ring out, that’s the peak of the experience.
- The Hockey Version: Head to Munn Ice Arena. The acoustics of an ice rink make the brass sound like a thunderclap.
Beyond the Football Field
It’s easy to think of the Michigan State fight song as a sports-only thing. It isn't. It’s played at graduation. It’s played at weddings of alumni. It’s played when Spartans meet each other in random airports across the globe.
There’s a specific kind of "Spartan Handshake" that happens when two strangers recognize a logo, and usually, someone starts humming the first few bars. It’s a shorthand for a shared history of cold winters, beautiful springs, and a collective chip on the shoulder that never quite goes away.
Practical Steps for New Fans or Students
If you’re new to the Spartan family, don't be the person mumbling the words. It’s embarrassing. Here is exactly what you need to do to master the Michigan State fight song before you step foot on campus.
- Memorize the "Red Cedar" line first. It’s the anchor of the whole song.
- Listen to the 1950s recordings. It helps you understand the phrasing and why certain syllables are elongated.
- Watch the Drum Major. Their movements are the visual cues for the "Go!" and "Fight!" shouts. If you follow them, you’ll never be off-beat.
- Practice the "SPARTANS WILL" cadence. While not technically part of the 1915 song, it’s the modern preamble that everyone uses now.
The song is over a hundred years old, but it doesn't feel like a museum piece. It feels like a living, breathing part of the Michigan State identity. It’s a reminder that no matter how much the campus changes—new buildings, new coaches, new turf—the banks of the Red Cedar stay the same.
To truly understand the song, you have to stand in the student section during a blizzard, down by three points in the fourth quarter, and hear thirty thousand people screaming "Fight!" at the top of their lungs. Only then does it actually make sense.
For those looking to dive deeper into the history of MSU's musical traditions, the University Archives and Historical Collections offer digitized versions of early sheet music and recordings that show the evolution of "Victory for MSU" from a student's project to a collegiate anthem. Checking out the Spartan Marching Band's official schedule for their "Morning Rehearsals" at Forest Akers is also a great way to see the technical work that goes into making the song sound so powerful. Go Green.