Blue Band & Penn State Music
Penn State’s Blue Band—
The History
What we now know as the Blue Band dates to 1899 and was originally called the Cadet Bugle Corps (and sometimes the “State College Band”) since it then had only 4 buglers and 2 drummers… The Cadet Band was funded initially by Andrew Carnegie who provided the school the money for the first library and gave the band the money to buy instruments. The Cadet Band began to regularly perform at football games in fall 1901… It would be officially renamed the Blue Band in 1923…
Blue Band Historical Facts
The Blue Band was a “men-only” instrumental unit until September 29, 1973, when the first women musicians joined for the Homecoming game vs. Iowa… Note: Some women played instruments and participated in the Blue Band in 1944-45 due to the absence of men on campus due to WWII… But by 1946, the Band resumed men-only status, and it resumed marching at games which had not happened since fall 1942 due to “staffing” issues with the band itself (the sometimes-makeshift band played at games in 1943-45, but did not march on the field)…
Majorettes/Twirlers (now known as the Touch of Blue) had actually debuted with the Blue Band in 1972 and were featured on the cover of the 1972 PSU-Maryland Beaver Stadium Pictorial…
The first Blue Sapphire Featured Twirler was Lori Bowers (1978-82)—She replaced the first actual “featured” Twirler Lori Donaldson…
The first of the now familiar (and mandatory in auditions) forward flips by the Drum Major came in 1978 vs. Rutgers game from Ron Louder (although backflips had been seen as early as 1971 Homecoming game vs. TCU with drum major Jeff Robertson) per a 2023 Penn Stater article, Louder struggled with the backflip in 1977 and switched to the front flip for 78….
First woman Blue Band drum major announced July 31, 2025 for 2025-26 season—5th year senior Ellie Sheehan, former piccolo section leader from Hollidaysburg, PA… (see photos of her at very bottom)
Penn State Music / The True-Blue Classics
Penn State Alma Mater (For the glory of old State)—written by Fred Lewis Pattee in March 1901 (published in the student newspaper of the era, The Free Lance) and performed for the first time in June 1901 with the words set to the music of the hymn “Lead Me On” (Composer credit: Cauviere) which was reportedly published in the college hymnal—The original Pattee work included a total of 6 stanzas (two of which are seldom, if ever, performed)—Words used today include the 1975 Board of Trustees approved changes to the third stanza (of the 4 currently used) where “boyhood’s gate” becomes “childhood’s gate” and the repeated phrase “into men” becomes “dear old state” repeated—The University and others have suggested that Pattee (who died in 1950) would have preferred the newer words, but he is said to have felt compelled to use “men” in that era even though Penn State was technically a coed school by then
Victory (a Penn State Song) (reportedly written in Spring 1912 and debuted at Penn State in Fall 1913)—words & music written by James A. Leyden of the Penn State Class of 1914 (Victory will our slogan be…. Fight on to Victory!)—This was dedicated by Leyden to 1913 Nittany Lions quarterback and captain Shorty Miller—Leyden was a quarter-miler on the track team and supposedly wrote this tune in his room at Track House (the original varsity athlete housing near the site of Old Beaver Field)
Fight on, State (Penn State’s Official Fight Song)—written by Joe Saunders of the Penn State Class if 1915 (Fight on, State… Roar Lions Roar!)—This song is played frequently by the Blue Band in modified, shorter versions (which date to approximately 1968)—It is commonly played after each PSU touchdown
Nittany Lion (debuted October 4, 1919)—written by James A. Leyden of the Penn State Class of 1914 (Every College has a Legend… Hail to the Lion… Loyal and True)—Early published music sheets were dedicated to the memory of Penn State football players, Levi Lamb and Red Bebout, who had been killed in action in France (1918) during World War I—This song is most memorably played in pre-game as part of the “Floating Lions” sequence where the Blue Band transitions from its PSU monogram formation to spell out “LIONS” which is then followed by Fight on, State
Classic Penn State Music that has fallen into disuse—
Blue and White (Where the vale of old Mt. Nittany meets the eastern sky, proudly stands our alma mater, on her hilltop high)—The words to this song appeared in BSP programs into the 1970’s
HAIL! OH HAIL!—written by Ray Fortunato of the Penn State Class of 1947 (Hail, Oh Hail to Pennsylvania State… Hail, Oh Hail the Blue and white… Shout for Alma Mater’s Glory Mate… And show that we know that we can conquer because of our might… Victory will soon be won again)—This song had been popular in the 1950’s and 60’s
When the Blue Band Takes a Break—
Penn State fans are also familiar with a number of popular song recordings that have been introduced at Beaver Stadium over the years to create a certain “atmosphere” or just for a “good ole sing-along”…
Beaver Stadium “Atmosphere” Music (21st century)—
Rock & Roll Cheer—The Blue Band (with the fans shouting “P… S… U… Let’s Go… PSU”)—Initially played as team prepares to enter the field through the band
Seven Nation Army (2003) by alt-rock duo The White Stripes (Jack White & Meg White)—PSU football reportedly made this 7-note guitar riff with drum beat famous-”Dummm…dada da da…da… dum…dummm”
Kernkraft 400 (1999) by Zombie Nation (part of the staccato “We Are Penn State” chant “Ohhh oh oh… oh oh Ohhh”)
Zulu language opening chant from the Lion King Circle of Life (remix) (1994-Disney) written by Tim Rice and Elton John and performed by Lebohang Morake (aka Lebo M)-The beginning of the chant in Zulu translates roughly to “here comes a lion…” with the PSU student section standing and holding their white poms in two hands above their heads ala Simba from the animated Disney Lion King movie
Mo Bamba (2017) PSU uses the “barely clean lyrics” version of the song by the rapper Sheck Wes
Joker and the Thief (2006) by Wolfmother (Australian band)
In the Air Tonight (1981) by Phil Collins
Crazy Train (1980) by Ozzie Osbourne
The Beaver Stadium Sing-alongs—
Livin’ on a Prayer (1986) by Bon Jovi
Sweet Caroline (1969) by Neil Diamond (Sweet Caroline was first made famous as a gameday song by the Boston Red Sox starting in 1999 when the team was leading in late innings, and at every home game starting in 2002)—Typically played in the 4th quarter
Hey! Baby (2000) DJ Otzi cover version (remake of the 1961 Bruce Channel release)
Shut Up and Dance (2014) by Walk the Moon
I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) (1988) by the Scottish duo The Proclaimers
Mr. Brightside (2003) by the Killers
