The Trojan Marching Band (TMB), otherwise known as The Spirit of Troy and The Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe, is the marching band at the University of Southern California. The band plays for the university’s sports teams, especially involved in football games, promoting school spirit and acting as a source of entertainment. The TMB has a culture of its own, teeming with tradition. Being in the band myself, I gathered four of my friends to discuss these traditions. Mishan is a junior, Angie is a sophomore and AJ and Travis are freshman, all in the clarinet section.

It is well known within the USC community that UCLA is the enemy. The rivalry between the two schools is one of the largest in collegiate football. The band supports this culture in many ways; one of which is their anti-fight song. These songs parody the rival school’s fight song, using the melody but changing the lyrics to be degrading. USC’s greatest rivals, including Stanford and Berkley, also have anti-fight songs. They are passed down to new members every year and are sung in the practices preceding the respective football games. Mishan, Angie, Travis and AJ sang the anti-fight song:

“High up in the hills of Westwood

Sprawled offensive to the eye

lies a Cal extension campus

known as Westwood High

HIGH HIGH HIGH

Home of all the bruin bear cubs

Ugly is its name

Its student body’s vile,

its football teams a pile

and its campus is a shame

U… G… L… Y

U.G.L.Y.”

The song incorporates potentially offensive and degrading things about the UCLA campus, academia, student population and football team. This gives the USC band and fans a sense of pride and superiority over their rivals.