INFO:
Note: text in caps is spoken, text in brackets is directions and actions

Set to this drumline cadence:
USC drumline cadence (2007)

DRIVE IT, FRESHMEN – upperclassmen yelling at the freshmen to march in place
HEY, HO, HEY HO WHERE’S HOPO?

OHHHHH, OH YAY! BEAT THE [opposing team’s name], EH!
[sporadically shout EH]
ONE TWO, SOUND OFF, ONE TWO, PENN STATE SUCKS (in call and response; usually men call, women respond)
[imitating a double snare sound], x3 SMOOTH
[swing horn side to side, and make a wiping motion with left hand during SMOOTH]
[Repeat]
HEYYYYYYYYYYY
[raise horns, bells up]
ONE, TWO, THREE FOUR SIX NINE
[spin over your right shoulder]
[repeat entire section]

[galloping sideways]
KILL DESTROY, KILL DESTROY, REPEAT!
[raise horn bells, roll your tongue and scream]
MUHAMMAD ALI
FREAK OUT! HEY EVERYBODY, WATCH THIS!
[jump, while criss-crossing legs and making small arm circles] x2
WHOO! WHOO!
[repeat entire section]

SHAKE WEIGHT! [raise horn and shake it]

KILL, PILLAGE AND BURN
WE’RE GONNA KILL PILLAGE AND BURN AND EAT BABIES
KILL, PILLAGE AND BURN
WE’RE GONNA KILL PILLAGE AND BURN
[repeat entire section]

[insert personalized cheer for whomever is the current USC football head coach] x4

SHAKE WEIGHT! [raise horn and shake it]

KILL, PILLAGE AND BURN
WE’RE GONNA KILL PILLAGE AND BURN AND EAT BABIES
KILL, PILLAGE AND BURN
WE’RE GONNA KILL PILLAGE AND BURN
[repeat entire section]

[insert personalized cheer for whomever is the current USC football head coach] x4

[singsong DOO to the beat of the cadence while spinning and smiling with arms up] WHOO!
HEY I’M HAPPY! HEY [insert random person’s name]’S HAPPY! HEY, EVERYBODY’S HAPPY! HEY, EVERYBODY’S NAKED!

HEY [opposing team’s name]! EAT MY BUTT OUT!
BUT HOW? WITH A FORK, ASSHOLE!
EAT MY BUTT OUT WITH A FORK x2

WHOO! [wave arms in opposing circles] x2
[imitate drum hits] BAM BAM, BUM BUM BUM BUM, GOOSH! [wave arms in opposing circles]

[singsong DOO to the beat of the cadence while spinning and smiling with arms up] WHOO!
HEY I’M HAPPY! HEY [insert random person’s name]’S HAPPY! HEY, EVERYBODY’S HAPPY! HEY, EVERYBODY’S NAKED!

HEY [opposing team’s name]! EAT MY BUTT OUT!
BUT HOW? WITH A FORK, ASSHOLE!
EAT MY BUTT OUT WITH A FORK x2

WHOO! [wave arms in opposing circles] x2
[imitate drum hits] BAM BAM, BUM BUM BUM BUM, GOOSH! [wave arms in opposing circles]

[wait for the drumline to finish their line, then point your horn bell and your hand toward the sky] BADUM, BUM

[while moving arms in circular motions]
BEAT THE [opposing team’s name] x3
THEY ALL SUCK!/THEY WILL LOSE!
[repeat entire section four times, but don’t move arms during any other time]
[note: during the third time, instead of saying THEY ALL SUCK!/THEY WILL LOSE!, say WHOO! twice instead, while raising your arms and leaning back a little bit]

[buzz lips and move your left hand like a puppet mouth] BWA BWA BWA

[wait for the drumline to finish their line, then point your horn bell and your hand toward the sky] BADUM, BUM

[while moving arms in circular motions]
BEAT THE [opposing team’s name] x3
THEY ALL SUCK!/THEY WILL LOSE!
[repeat entire section four times, but don’t move arms during any other time]
[note: during the third time, instead of saying THEY ALL SUCK!/THEY WILL LOSE!, say WHOO! twice instead, while raising your arms and leaning back a little bit]

[buzz lips and move your left hand like a puppet mouth] BWA BWA BWA

HEY, HO, HEY HO, WHERE’S HOPO!

[while swinging horn up and down six times in an exaggerated power walk]
OH! THE ROW! LET’S GO!
[repeat three times, without vocals]
[repeat entire section]

[step left, right, kick with your left]
OHHHHHH!!!!!! [mimicking pulling on a lawnmower to start it]
[while hip-thrusting as walking] OH! OH! OH! OH!
[raise horn bell] THREE, FOUR, SIX, NINE
[repeat entire section]

[repeat entire cadence as needed until the band is called to halt and attention, in which case drive the last five beats and yell DOWN]

BACKGROUND:
Whenever the USC marching band travels as a group, however small, between halts and attentions (called out stops), band members have to chant the cadence in time to the drumlin.

Every section in band has their own lyrics and dances to the cadence. The cadence evolves over time based on whoever the section leaders are and also the current events/history surrounding USC, USC football and the USC band. For example, the cadence line “Everybody’s naked” has to do with a trombone section tradition involving the bi-yearly Notre Dame away game.

CONTEXT:
I spoke to my informant during an on-campus event.

ANALYSIS:
As a former horn marching band member myself, I love the cadence and what it stands for. Even just in my three years as a marching band member, I’ve seen and heard the cadence change not just for my own section, but also for other sections. The changes reflect current events, such as the many head coach changes that we’ve had over the past couple of years, and also random in-band jokes, and as such, serves as a dynamic reflection of both the marching band’s demographics and the strength of the organization’s traditions.