Big C (fight song)

"Big C" is a

Daily Californian school song competition in 1913. Arrangements of the tune are used by other schools in the University of California

system.

Controversy

California's version of "Big C"

UC Davis' version of "Big C"

UCLA's version of "Big C"

Kelly James, then Associate Director of the

UC Davis, and Cal.^[when?] Afterwards, UCLA continued using James' arrangement of "Big C" as its fight song, adding their own lyrics and renaming it "Sons of Westwood

." It was soon adopted as UCLA's fight song.

Many Cal fans, most notably Cal Band director James Berdahl, were enraged over what they saw as Kelly James' theft of their song. A bitter exchange ensued between Berdahl and James for the next several years concerning the legal and ethical grounds for James' adaptation of the song. Finally, on February 18, 1969, UCLA lawyers were told by the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress that "Big C" had never been copyrighted, and was therefore in the public domain. However, whenever Cal plays UCLA and "Sons of Westwood" is played, Cal fans sing a parody ending, "but damn you, it's 'Big C.'" Likewise, whenever Cal plays "Big C" UCLA plays their signature "tag" at the end, which is a part of "Sons of Westwood" but not "Big C".

Other schools in the University of California system that play the song as one of their official fight songs include

De La Salle High School in Concord, Poway High School in Poway, River City High School in West Sacramento, Moorpark High School in Moorpark, Benicia High School in Benicia, Gonzales High School in Gonzales, California, Dana Hills High School in Dana Point and Orange High School

Lyrics

On the rugged eastern foothills
Stands our symbol clear and bold
Big C means to fight and strive
And win for Blue and Gold
Golden Bear is ever watching
Day by day he prowls
And when he hears the tread
Of lowly Stanford red
From his lair he fiercely growls

Grr-ah! Grr-ah! Grr-rr-rr-ah!

We are sons of California
Fighting for the Gold and Blue
Palms of glory we will win
For Alma Mater true
Stanford's men will soon be routed
By our dazzling "C"
And when we serpentine
Their red will turn to green
In our hour of victory!

Recordings

The song has been recorded by the Loftner-Harris St. Francis Hotel Orchestra in October 1931 and also recorded on several albums by the Cal Band, including Big C (1976), California, Here's to Thee (1991), and University of California Band (2003).

External links

Cal Band page

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Songs	Fight for California Big C Sons of California All Hail Blue and Gold Hail to California Stanford Jonah California Indian Song California Drinking Song

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National championship seasons in bold

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Culture & lore	The Bench Oski "Fight for California" "Big C"
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Premo-Poretta national championship in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics; NCAA championship in bolded italics

v t e California Golden Bears women's basketball
Venues	Oakland Arena (1997–1999) Haas Pavilion (1973–1997, 1999–present)
Culture & lore	History Oski "Fight for California "Big C"
People	Head coaches
Seasons	1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24
NCAA Final Four appearance in italics

Official fight songs of the Pac-12 Conference

Bear Down, Arizona and Fight! Wildcats! Fight! (Arizona)
Maroon & Gold (Arizona State)
Fight for California (California)
Colorado
)

Mighty Oregon (Oregon)

Hail to Old OSU (Oregon State)

Come Join the Band (Stanford)

Sons of Westwood (UCLA)

Fight On (Southern California)

Utah Man (Utah
)

Bow Down to Washington (Washington)

WSU Fight Song (Washington State
)

Controversy

Lyrics

Recordings

See also

External links