Read the article and you will learn which songs/chants are being shown, but most are pretty obvious. As a former Cal yell leader, I am a bit jealous seeing and hearing them. Stanford's "All Right Now" song is really good, but only a few fans sing it. Unfortunately, Cal doesn't have anything to be considered in this category.

Too bad those dirty Furds had to co-opt and tarnish the memory of a pretty solid Rock song.

They missed the part of Florida State where the chief enters holding fire (maybe the fire marshall has stopped it?). That should be an amazing game to attend from a fan perspective.

Cal really needs to develop a song that isn't Sweet Caroline, since other schools have that down pat already. I like Bear Territory as a chant (maybe it could be done after the team enters the field? ), but seems to have fallen out of use by the crowd.

wifeisafurd said:

---

They missed the part of Florida State where the chief enters holding fire (maybe the fire marshall has stopped it?). That should be an amazing game to attend from a fan perspective.

Cal really needs to develop a song that isn't Sweet Caroline, since other schools have that down pat already. I like Bear Territory as a chant (maybe it could be done after the team enters the field? ), but seems to have fallen out of use by the crowd.

---

I always though Bear Territory was really lame.

thanks b. having mostly forgotten those days, darn, i had to look up the backstory..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Right_Now
> Composition
> According to drummer Simob Kirke, "All Right Now" was written by Free bassist Andy Fraser and singer Paul Rodgers in the Durham Students' building, Dunelm House. He said: "'All Right Now' was created after a bad gig in Durham. We finished our show and walked off the stage to the sound of our own footsteps. The applause had died before I had even left the drum riser. It was obvious that we needed a rocker to close our shows. All of a sudden the inspiration struck Fraser and he started bopping around singing 'All Right Now'. He sat down and wrote it right there in the dressing room. It couldn't have taken more than ten minutes." Fraser has agreed largely with this history.

I seem to recall that years ago. the Cal Band played Hail to California right after the Star Spangled Banner. I don't know when that fell out of the program. But, it's a solemn song, not something to really get the crowd going, or to appeal to any but Cal students/grads. We gotta find a new song.

For several years, the Cal Band has played Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand. I think that has real potential as something to rev the crowd up.

• The chorus has a real strong beat that fans can clap or stomp to and the "Take Me Out" is an easy refrain to shout at the top of your lungs.
• It's not that old - I can't believe current students and young alumni don't know it.
• It's not particularly relevant to Cal, but neither is Tequila! to UW or All Right Now to Stanford - they started playing it, kept playing it, and made it a tradition. Frankly, a big part of tradition is just repetition.

I'm saying this as a 69 YO who has a hard time enjoying anything written after 1990, Cal fans COULD OWN THIS SONG . . .

How about this Neil Diamond song?

Instead of "Sweet Caroline" I want the Cal Band to play, and Cal fans to sing, Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" to open the 4th quarter but in the Cal tradition with the lyrics altered to "Three Little Bears":

Chorus]
"Don't worry about a thing
'Cause every little thing is gonna be alright"
Singing, "Don't worry about a thing
'Cause every little thing is gonna be alright!"

[Verse]
Woke up this morning, smiled at the rising sun
Three little Bears on my doorstep
Singing sweet songs of melodies Gold and Blue
Saying, "This is my message to you-ou-ou"

[Chorus]
Singing, "Don't worry about a thing
'Cause every little thing is gonna be alright"
Singing, "Don't worry about a thing (Don't worry)
'Cause every little thing is gonna be alright!"

Repeat

(Easy to sing, joyous, everyone loves Bob Marley, whether we are winning or losing, addresses the Cal angst going into the 4th quarter.)

Oh, and the "Three Little Bears" evokes another Berkeley musical tradition:
?width=700&height=700&store=default&image-type=image

Cal88 said:

---

Gobears49 said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

They missed the part of Florida State where the chief enters holding fire (maybe the fire marshall has stopped it?). That should be an amazing game to attend from a fan perspective.

Cal really needs to develop a song that isn't Sweet Caroline, since other schools have that down pat already. I like Bear Territory as a chant (maybe it could be done after the team enters the field? ), but seems to have fallen out of use by the crowd.

---

I always though Bear Territory was really lame.

---

The Bear Territory chant is AWESOME, best in the pac.

This list is flawed, tehy need to dissociate between cheezy pop renditions like Sweet Caroline, which should be thrown out from this list, and real songs about your school or state like Rocky Top.

---

1. Bear Territory is much too short and repetitive
2. It is not a song.
3. As such, it is second rate.
Sorry.

Man, this thread just proves that the forum is composed of mostly old farts. Except for Hearstmining's suggestion of Franz Ferdinand, every song is at least 50 years old!

Fine, to satisfy you old fogeys, here's my suggestion:


If needs be the "Hotel" can be changed to "U of" or even a really quick "University of."

01Bear said:

---

Man, this thread just proves that the forum is composed of mostly old farts. Except for Hearstmining's suggestion of Franz Ferdinand, every song is at least 50 years old!

Fine, to satisfy you old fogeys, here's my suggestion:


If needs be the "Hotel" can be changed to "U of" or even a really quick "University of."

---

I was going to suggest a Gregorian chant.

Big C said:

---

01Bear said:

---

Man, this thread just proves that the forum is composed of mostly old farts. Except for Hearstmining's suggestion of Franz Ferdinand, every song is at least 50 years old!

Fine, to satisfy you old fogeys, here's my suggestion:


If needs be the "Hotel" can be changed to "U of" or even a really quick "University of."

---

I was going to suggest a Gregorian chant.

---

How about "Pie Jesu," instead?

Really disappointed Ohio State's O-H-I-O spell out is so lame, I was hoping for:

01Bear said:

---

Man, this thread just proves that the forum is composed of mostly old farts. Except for Hearstmining's suggestion of Franz Ferdinand, every song is at least 50 years old!

---

I don't see a consensus emerging on any song that could be used as a stadium anthem for Cal.

Gobears49 said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

They missed the part of Florida State where the chief enters holding fire (maybe the fire marshall has stopped it?). That should be an amazing game to attend from a fan perspective.

Cal really needs to develop a song that isn't Sweet Caroline, since other schools have that down pat already. I like Bear Territory as a chant (maybe it could be done after the team enters the field? ), but seems to have fallen out of use by the crowd.

---

It's perfect as a football locker room chant after a Bear victory. Short and loud.

---

I don't disagree.

It has been used by others (most notably FIFA) but 7 Nation Army would be my favorite. It is simple, has a great beat, is current, and has great guitar riffs. But heck yea if not this, I want something brash, with a beat to wake up the fan base at Memorial. Cal games need some adrenaline.

wifeisafurd said:

---

It has been used by others (most notably FIFA) but 7 Nation Army would be my favorite. It is simple, has a great beat, is current, and has great guitar riffs. But heck yea if not this, I want something brash, with a beat to wake up the fan base at Memorial. Cal games need some adrenaline.

---

Yeah....no on 7 Nation Army.

In my opinion, here's the criteria that should be followed for any song:

1. MUST be unique to Cal. Cannot be prominently used by any other teams, cannot be some generic sports song (see 7 Nation Army).

2. Intro must be iconic so the fans immediately know what song is coming (see Jump Around - Wisconsin)

3. Song needs to be catchy, danceable yet edgy (NOT GENERIC)

4. Song should at least be within the last 30 years (preferably newer - even though I'm not a huge fan of contemporary music)

5. Song should have some sort of tie-in to Cal or Berkeley or the Bay Area or California (see ND and Dropkick Murphys, USC and Tusk, Alabama and Sweet Home Alabama, etc)

The only song that has been suggested around here that comes close to fitting even some of that criteria is California Love, though I feel like that song has lost its edginess, isn't necessarily something an entire stadium can dance to and TuPac is east coast. But its at least close to what we should be looking for.

The problem is that any bands with Cal/bay area ties don't have suitable songs. Though there are many times when I think "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind is the pefect anthem for Cal sports.

The Marlena Shaw version of California Soul goes so hard but I'd think the vocals might be to difficult to sing along to.

There are a lot of all-time classic songs with California references that could/should be a part of game day presentation either by piped in music or covered by the band:

California Dreaming
California Soul
California Love
Going to California....

None of those hits like Jump Around, but let's be honest, how many schools have that level of participation in a sing-a-long/get-hype song? Probably can count those on 1 hand that are truly standout.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/afeni-shakur-mother-of-tupac-shakur-dies-in-sausalito/73632/

Always thought this song played by the band with Cal specific lyrics would make a great defense song. Imagine the band kicking this off after a big sack.

"California knows how to party,
California knows how to party,
In the city, city of Berkeley, keep it rockin'"

HearstMining said:

---

I seem to recall that years ago. the Cal Band played Hail to California right after the Star Spangled Banner. I don't know when that fell out of the program. But, it's a solemn song, not something to really get the crowd going, or to appeal to any but Cal students/grads. We gotta find a new song.

For several years, the Cal Band has played Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand. I think that has real potential as something to rev the crowd up.

• The chorus has a real strong beat that fans can clap or stomp to and the "Take Me Out" is an easy refrain to shout at the top of your lungs.
• It's not that old - I can't believe current students and young alumni don't know it.
• It's not particularly relevant to Cal, but neither is Tequila! to UW or All Right Now to Stanford - they started playing it, kept playing it, and made it a tradition. Frankly, a big part of tradition is just repetition.

I'm saying this as a 69 YO who has a hard time enjoying anything written after 1990, Cal fans COULD OWN THIS SONG . . .

---

I think what was being judged was not alma mater songs or their equivalent. The songs demonstrated were more fun type songs.

calumnus said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

It has been used by others (most notably FIFA) but 7 Nation Army would be my favorite. It is simple, has a great beat, is current, and has great guitar riffs. But heck yea if not this, I want something brash, with a beat to wake up the fan base at Memorial. Cal games need some adrenaline.

---

Yeah....no on 7 Nation Army.

In my opinion, here's the criteria that should be followed for any song:

1. MUST be unique to Cal. Cannot be prominently used by any other teams, cannot be some generic sports song (see 7 Nation Army).

2. Intro must be iconic so the fans immediately know what song is coming (see Jump Around - Wisconsin)

3. Song needs to be catchy, danceable yet edgy (NOT GENERIC)

4. Song should at least be within the last 30 years (preferably newer - even though I'm not a huge fan of contemporary music)

5. Song should have some sort of tie-in to Cal or Berkeley or the Bay Area or California (see ND and Dropkick Murphys, USC and Tusk, Alabama and Sweet Home Alabama, etc)

The only song that has been suggested around here that comes close to fitting even some of that criteria is California Love, though I feel like that song has lost its edginess, isn't necessarily something an entire stadium can dance to and TuPac is east coast. But its at least close to what we should be looking for.

The problem is that any bands with Cal/bay area ties don't have suitable songs. Though there are many times when I think "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind is the pefect anthem for Cal sports.

---

Yeah, he was originally from Baltimore, but Tupac repped the Bay. He was from Marin City where he went to high school and lived in Berkeley and Oakland. He got his start with Oakland's Digital Underground. That is the whole point of "California Love" it is a West Coast (California, north and south) rap anthem. Dr. Dre and Snoop represent LA (Long Beach and Compton), though Tupac later lived in LA too.

Oakland recognizes Tupac Day
https://www.kqed.org/arts/11696060/its-tupac-day-in-oakland-where-he-once-sued-the-police-for-10-million

National news story on UC Berkeley and Tupac



But the reason California Love is perfect:
1. Dr. Dre's intro and beat

2. Tupac is a legend with East Bay origins.

3. The unification of, and love for, the entire state ("Its all good from Diego to the Bay"), it affirms the entire state as "California" which is critical to our team branding, especially as we enter the ACC.

4. "California knows how to party"

5. It is a battle anthem, California versus the East Coast, again perfect for competing in the ACC, but expressed as Love for California.

6. Dre tells ACC visitors to CMS: "Now let me welcome everybody to the wild Wild West, a state that's untouchable like Elliot Ness."

---

Other reasons why I like California Love has to do with the tempo and that it is both a song capable of firing up a crowd but at the same time producing an environment that is formidable and even intimidating. There is a toughness to the song in both rhythm and chord structure. That is not an easy combination to find in a song.

There is also an opportunity to hold a yearly contest for aspiring rappers to come up with verse lyrics that are specific to the team and even the players. It would be great to play the song just following the traditional Fight for California as the team takes the field pregame. This is an opportunity to play the extended version of the song even with an MC on the mic rapping Cal specific lyrics in the verse. Then it can be played in short versions after big defensive plays.

This conversation had me thinking about band's with Bay Area roots that had iconic songs with the right energy for a
Football team. I thought of Metallic's Enter Sandman.

The original poster's video has a clip of Virginia Tech using the song as an entrance song but the clip is shot by a fan from the stands so it doesn't quite do the experience justice.

Here is better clip:
https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx2qEgrNDJX1MvX3tPnhImIXMF9O-Xxb_L?si=zPk_6CLQ0mAYmXSL

Imagine Memorial rocking like that!

evanluck said:

---

calumnus said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

It has been used by others (most notably FIFA) but 7 Nation Army would be my favorite. It is simple, has a great beat, is current, and has great guitar riffs. But heck yea if not this, I want something brash, with a beat to wake up the fan base at Memorial. Cal games need some adrenaline.

---

Yeah....no on 7 Nation Army.

In my opinion, here's the criteria that should be followed for any song:

1. MUST be unique to Cal. Cannot be prominently used by any other teams, cannot be some generic sports song (see 7 Nation Army).

2. Intro must be iconic so the fans immediately know what song is coming (see Jump Around - Wisconsin)

3. Song needs to be catchy, danceable yet edgy (NOT GENERIC)

4. Song should at least be within the last 30 years (preferably newer - even though I'm not a huge fan of contemporary music)

5. Song should have some sort of tie-in to Cal or Berkeley or the Bay Area or California (see ND and Dropkick Murphys, USC and Tusk, Alabama and Sweet Home Alabama, etc)

The only song that has been suggested around here that comes close to fitting even some of that criteria is California Love, though I feel like that song has lost its edginess, isn't necessarily something an entire stadium can dance to and TuPac is east coast. But its at least close to what we should be looking for.

The problem is that any bands with Cal/bay area ties don't have suitable songs. Though there are many times when I think "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind is the pefect anthem for Cal sports.

---

Yeah, he was originally from Baltimore, but Tupac repped the Bay. He was from Marin City where he went to high school and lived in Berkeley and Oakland. He got his start with Oakland's Digital Underground. That is the whole point of "California Love" it is a West Coast (California, north and south) rap anthem. Dr. Dre and Snoop represent LA (Long Beach and Compton), though Tupac later lived in LA too.

Oakland recognizes Tupac Day
https://www.kqed.org/arts/11696060/its-tupac-day-in-oakland-where-he-once-sued-the-police-for-10-million

National news story on UC Berkeley and Tupac



But the reason California Love is perfect:
1. Dr. Dre's intro and beat

2. Tupac is a legend with East Bay origins.

3. The unification of, and love for, the entire state ("Its all good from Diego to the Bay"), it affirms the entire state as "California" which is critical to our team branding, especially as we enter the ACC.

4. "California knows how to party"

5. It is a battle anthem, California versus the East Coast, again perfect for competing in the ACC, but expressed as Love for California.

6. Dre tells ACC visitors to CMS: "Now let me welcome everybody to the wild Wild West, a state that's untouchable like Elliot Ness."

---

Other reasons why I like California Love has to do with the tempo and that it is both a song capable of firing up a crowd but at the same time producing an environment that is formidable and even intimidating. There is a toughness to the song in both rhythm and chord structure. That is not an easy combination to find in a song.

There is also an opportunity to hold a yearly contest for aspiring rappers to come up with verse lyrics that are specific to the team and even the players. It would be great to play the song just following the traditional Fight for California as the team takes the field pregame. This is an opportunity to play the extended version of the song even with an MC on the mic rapping Cal specific lyrics in the verse. Then it can be played in short versions after big defensive plays.

---

"California Love" is a great song. It's easily a classic and I love it. Doubly so because it's from the 90s, when I grew up. Unfortunately, that also means it's now also outdated and unlikely to connect with today's youth. The song is almost 30 years old; today's kids will likely take to it as well as kids from my era took to songs by the Rolling Stones. Sure, we may appreciate the classics and the artistry, but the songs won't resonate with us. Similarly, I doubt today's "California Love" will resonate with today's kids.

01Bear said:

---

evanluck said:

---

calumnus said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

It has been used by others (most notably FIFA) but 7 Nation Army would be my favorite. It is simple, has a great beat, is current, and has great guitar riffs. But heck yea if not this, I want something brash, with a beat to wake up the fan base at Memorial. Cal games need some adrenaline.

---

Yeah....no on 7 Nation Army.

In my opinion, here's the criteria that should be followed for any song:

1. MUST be unique to Cal. Cannot be prominently used by any other teams, cannot be some generic sports song (see 7 Nation Army).

2. Intro must be iconic so the fans immediately know what song is coming (see Jump Around - Wisconsin)

3. Song needs to be catchy, danceable yet edgy (NOT GENERIC)

4. Song should at least be within the last 30 years (preferably newer - even though I'm not a huge fan of contemporary music)

5. Song should have some sort of tie-in to Cal or Berkeley or the Bay Area or California (see ND and Dropkick Murphys, USC and Tusk, Alabama and Sweet Home Alabama, etc)

The only song that has been suggested around here that comes close to fitting even some of that criteria is California Love, though I feel like that song has lost its edginess, isn't necessarily something an entire stadium can dance to and TuPac is east coast. But its at least close to what we should be looking for.

The problem is that any bands with Cal/bay area ties don't have suitable songs. Though there are many times when I think "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind is the pefect anthem for Cal sports.

---

Yeah, he was originally from Baltimore, but Tupac repped the Bay. He was from Marin City where he went to high school and lived in Berkeley and Oakland. He got his start with Oakland's Digital Underground. That is the whole point of "California Love" it is a West Coast (California, north and south) rap anthem. Dr. Dre and Snoop represent LA (Long Beach and Compton), though Tupac later lived in LA too.

Oakland recognizes Tupac Day
https://www.kqed.org/arts/11696060/its-tupac-day-in-oakland-where-he-once-sued-the-police-for-10-million

National news story on UC Berkeley and Tupac



But the reason California Love is perfect:
1. Dr. Dre's intro and beat

2. Tupac is a legend with East Bay origins.

3. The unification of, and love for, the entire state ("Its all good from Diego to the Bay"), it affirms the entire state as "California" which is critical to our team branding, especially as we enter the ACC.

4. "California knows how to party"

5. It is a battle anthem, California versus the East Coast, again perfect for competing in the ACC, but expressed as Love for California.

6. Dre tells ACC visitors to CMS: "Now let me welcome everybody to the wild Wild West, a state that's untouchable like Elliot Ness."

---

Other reasons why I like California Love has to do with the tempo and that it is both a song capable of firing up a crowd but at the same time producing an environment that is formidable and even intimidating. There is a toughness to the song in both rhythm and chord structure. That is not an easy combination to find in a song.

There is also an opportunity to hold a yearly contest for aspiring rappers to come up with verse lyrics that are specific to the team and even the players. It would be great to play the song just following the traditional Fight for California as the team takes the field pregame. This is an opportunity to play the extended version of the song even with an MC on the mic rapping Cal specific lyrics in the verse. Then it can be played in short versions after big defensive plays.

---

"California Love" is a great song. It's easily a classic and I love it. Doubly so because it's from the 90s, when I grew up. Unfortunately, that also means it's now also outdated and unlikely to connect with today's youth. The song is almost 30 years old; today's kids will likely take to it as well as kids from my era took to songs by the Rolling Stones. Sure, we may appreciate the classics and the artistry, but the songs won't resonate with us. Similarly, I doubt today's "California Love" will resonate with today's kids.

---

I get what your saying but searching for something modern is a snipe hunt in my opinion. Media is consumed in a very fragmented way nowadays. Things don't get globally popular in the same way they did even 20 years ago.

We live in the era of memes. The reason why things get popular is not really connected to the quality of the content. Everyone streaming their content at different times and pop trends are too diverse to find something iconic that everyone connects to.

California Love is not modern but it is modern enough. Just making a decision to choose a hip hop song is more modern than any Cal choice in the last 30 years and the connection of the song to the area and the classic quality of the song makes the choice fairly timeless in my opinion.

evanluck said:

---

01Bear said:

---

evanluck said:

---

calumnus said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

It has been used by others (most notably FIFA) but 7 Nation Army would be my favorite. It is simple, has a great beat, is current, and has great guitar riffs. But heck yea if not this, I want something brash, with a beat to wake up the fan base at Memorial. Cal games need some adrenaline.

---

Yeah....no on 7 Nation Army.

In my opinion, here's the criteria that should be followed for any song:

1. MUST be unique to Cal. Cannot be prominently used by any other teams, cannot be some generic sports song (see 7 Nation Army).

2. Intro must be iconic so the fans immediately know what song is coming (see Jump Around - Wisconsin)

3. Song needs to be catchy, danceable yet edgy (NOT GENERIC)

4. Song should at least be within the last 30 years (preferably newer - even though I'm not a huge fan of contemporary music)

5. Song should have some sort of tie-in to Cal or Berkeley or the Bay Area or California (see ND and Dropkick Murphys, USC and Tusk, Alabama and Sweet Home Alabama, etc)

The only song that has been suggested around here that comes close to fitting even some of that criteria is California Love, though I feel like that song has lost its edginess, isn't necessarily something an entire stadium can dance to and TuPac is east coast. But its at least close to what we should be looking for.

The problem is that any bands with Cal/bay area ties don't have suitable songs. Though there are many times when I think "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind is the pefect anthem for Cal sports.

---

Yeah, he was originally from Baltimore, but Tupac repped the Bay. He was from Marin City where he went to high school and lived in Berkeley and Oakland. He got his start with Oakland's Digital Underground. That is the whole point of "California Love" it is a West Coast (California, north and south) rap anthem. Dr. Dre and Snoop represent LA (Long Beach and Compton), though Tupac later lived in LA too.

Oakland recognizes Tupac Day
https://www.kqed.org/arts/11696060/its-tupac-day-in-oakland-where-he-once-sued-the-police-for-10-million

National news story on UC Berkeley and Tupac



But the reason California Love is perfect:
1. Dr. Dre's intro and beat

2. Tupac is a legend with East Bay origins.

3. The unification of, and love for, the entire state ("Its all good from Diego to the Bay"), it affirms the entire state as "California" which is critical to our team branding, especially as we enter the ACC.

4. "California knows how to party"

5. It is a battle anthem, California versus the East Coast, again perfect for competing in the ACC, but expressed as Love for California.

6. Dre tells ACC visitors to CMS: "Now let me welcome everybody to the wild Wild West, a state that's untouchable like Elliot Ness."

---

Other reasons why I like California Love has to do with the tempo and that it is both a song capable of firing up a crowd but at the same time producing an environment that is formidable and even intimidating. There is a toughness to the song in both rhythm and chord structure. That is not an easy combination to find in a song.

There is also an opportunity to hold a yearly contest for aspiring rappers to come up with verse lyrics that are specific to the team and even the players. It would be great to play the song just following the traditional Fight for California as the team takes the field pregame. This is an opportunity to play the extended version of the song even with an MC on the mic rapping Cal specific lyrics in the verse. Then it can be played in short versions after big defensive plays.

---

"California Love" is a great song. It's easily a classic and I love it. Doubly so because it's from the 90s, when I grew up. Unfortunately, that also means it's now also outdated and unlikely to connect with today's youth. The song is almost 30 years old; today's kids will likely take to it as well as kids from my era took to songs by the Rolling Stones. Sure, we may appreciate the classics and the artistry, but the songs won't resonate with us. Similarly, I doubt today's "California Love" will resonate with today's kids.

---

I get what your saying but searching for something modern is a snipe hunt in my opinion. Media is consumed in a very fragmented way nowadays. Things don't get globally popular in the same way they did even 20 years ago.

We live in the era of memes. The reason why things get popular is not really connected to the quality of the content. Everyone streaming their content at different times and pop trends are too diverse to find something iconic that everyone connects to.

California Love is not modern but it is modern enough. Just making a decision to choose a hip hop song is more modern than any Cal choice in the last 30 years and the connection of the song to the area and the classic quality of the song makes the choice fairly timeless in my opinion.

---

" . . . not modern, but it is modern enough": Rock Around the Clock!

evanluck said:

---

01Bear said:

---

evanluck said:

---

calumnus said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

It has been used by others (most notably FIFA) but 7 Nation Army would be my favorite. It is simple, has a great beat, is current, and has great guitar riffs. But heck yea if not this, I want something brash, with a beat to wake up the fan base at Memorial. Cal games need some adrenaline.

---

Yeah....no on 7 Nation Army.

In my opinion, here's the criteria that should be followed for any song:

1. MUST be unique to Cal. Cannot be prominently used by any other teams, cannot be some generic sports song (see 7 Nation Army).

2. Intro must be iconic so the fans immediately know what song is coming (see Jump Around - Wisconsin)

3. Song needs to be catchy, danceable yet edgy (NOT GENERIC)

4. Song should at least be within the last 30 years (preferably newer - even though I'm not a huge fan of contemporary music)

5. Song should have some sort of tie-in to Cal or Berkeley or the Bay Area or California (see ND and Dropkick Murphys, USC and Tusk, Alabama and Sweet Home Alabama, etc)

The only song that has been suggested around here that comes close to fitting even some of that criteria is California Love, though I feel like that song has lost its edginess, isn't necessarily something an entire stadium can dance to and TuPac is east coast. But its at least close to what we should be looking for.

The problem is that any bands with Cal/bay area ties don't have suitable songs. Though there are many times when I think "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind is the pefect anthem for Cal sports.

---

Yeah, he was originally from Baltimore, but Tupac repped the Bay. He was from Marin City where he went to high school and lived in Berkeley and Oakland. He got his start with Oakland's Digital Underground. That is the whole point of "California Love" it is a West Coast (California, north and south) rap anthem. Dr. Dre and Snoop represent LA (Long Beach and Compton), though Tupac later lived in LA too.

Oakland recognizes Tupac Day
https://www.kqed.org/arts/11696060/its-tupac-day-in-oakland-where-he-once-sued-the-police-for-10-million

National news story on UC Berkeley and Tupac



But the reason California Love is perfect:
1. Dr. Dre's intro and beat

2. Tupac is a legend with East Bay origins.

3. The unification of, and love for, the entire state ("Its all good from Diego to the Bay"), it affirms the entire state as "California" which is critical to our team branding, especially as we enter the ACC.

4. "California knows how to party"

5. It is a battle anthem, California versus the East Coast, again perfect for competing in the ACC, but expressed as Love for California.

6. Dre tells ACC visitors to CMS: "Now let me welcome everybody to the wild Wild West, a state that's untouchable like Elliot Ness."

---

Other reasons why I like California Love has to do with the tempo and that it is both a song capable of firing up a crowd but at the same time producing an environment that is formidable and even intimidating. There is a toughness to the song in both rhythm and chord structure. That is not an easy combination to find in a song.

There is also an opportunity to hold a yearly contest for aspiring rappers to come up with verse lyrics that are specific to the team and even the players. It would be great to play the song just following the traditional Fight for California as the team takes the field pregame. This is an opportunity to play the extended version of the song even with an MC on the mic rapping Cal specific lyrics in the verse. Then it can be played in short versions after big defensive plays.

---

"California Love" is a great song. It's easily a classic and I love it. Doubly so because it's from the 90s, when I grew up. Unfortunately, that also means it's now also outdated and unlikely to connect with today's youth. The song is almost 30 years old; today's kids will likely take to it as well as kids from my era took to songs by the Rolling Stones. Sure, we may appreciate the classics and the artistry, but the songs won't resonate with us. Similarly, I doubt today's "California Love" will resonate with today's kids.

---

I get what your saying but searching for something modern is a snipe hunt in my opinion. Media is consumed in a very fragmented way nowadays. Things don't get globally popular in the same way they did even 20 years ago.

We live in the era of memes. The reason why things get popular is not really connected to the quality of the content. Everyone streaming their content at different times and pop trends are too diverse to find something iconic that everyone connects to.

California Love is not modern but it is modern enough. Just making a decision to choose a hip hop song is more modern than any Cal choice in the last 30 years and the connection of the song to the area and the classic quality of the song makes the choice fairly timeless in my opinion.

---

The silly thing is we're a bunch of old farts in this forum trying to dictate what song(s) young people should prefer. That's the real thrust of my argument. It doesn't matter that the Boomers want 60 year old songs or that their kids wants 30 year old songs. It's just utterly naive to think young people would relate to songs that meant anything to their parents and grandparents. How many of you rock out to "The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" or "Jeepers Creepers?"

If Cal's fight songs are too old-fashioned or outdated for today's Cal students, let them decide what they prefer.