The Story Behind The Fight Song On Wisconsin!

The popular battle cry of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, “On, Wisconsin,” is also the official state song of the Badger State, though the latter has slightly modified lyrics. From the Civil War to the football field, Wisconsin’s anthem has a unique history behind it.

“On, Wisconsin!” can be traced back to the American Civil War where Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur Jr. exclaimed these words in the Battle of Chattanooga at Missionary Ridge to help rally his regiment. This exclamation worked so well that he was rewarded the Medal of Honor for his efforts. MacArthur’s battle cry is still used today, but to rally students on a very different type of field.

How “On, Wisconsin!” became the fight song of the University of Wisconsin is a bit controversial. The composer of the tune, William T. Purdy, heard that the University of Minnesota was offering $100 in a competition for a new song, and as he was keen for the cash, he composed a song called “Minnesota, Minnesota” in 1909 with the intention of entering the contest. However, Purdy’s roommate Carl Beck, who had attended UW-Madison, was inspired by the melody and began writing lyrics with a different university in mind and convinced Purdy to abandon his competition-winning dreams.

Ironically, the University of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota are fierce rivals on the football field. “On, Wisconsin!” made its game-day debut at Camp Randall on November 13, 1909, in a game against the University of Minnesota.

The original version of the song, which has been slightly modified in the contemporary version, is as follows:
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Plunge right through that line!
Run the ball ’round Minnesota,
A touchdown sure this time.
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Fight on for her fame
Fight! Fellows! Fight!
And we will win this game.

The song was so popular that in 1913 Judge Charles D. Rosa and J.S. Hubbard rewrote the lyrics so that they could use it as the state song. While it was widely recognized, “On, Wisconsin!” wasn’t codified into state law as the official song until 1959.

The lyrics of the Wisconsin state song version are:
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Grand old badger state!
We, thy loyal sons and daughters,
Hail thee, good and great.
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Champion of the right,
‘Forward’ – our motto –
God will give thee might!
“On, Wisconsin!” continues to be one of the most popular and best-loved fight songs in the country. Despite rumors that either Paul McCartney or Michael Jackson owned rights to the song, it is, in fact, in the public domain in the USA and is used in some variation as the school song by more than 2,500 schools.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.