Fight for California

Fight for California is the official fight song of the University of California, Berkeley. The tune is a march and is from the "trio" or final strain of the "Lights Out March" written by Earl Elleson McCoy in 1906. The lyrics were written by Robert N. Fitch of the class of 1909.

Usage
The song is played whenever a California athlete enters the playing field at the beginning (or after halftime) of an athletic competition, or after a touchdown is scored in football. In football games, it is the final song played during the band's pre-game show, at which time the Cal Band marches from a concentric square formation into the script Cal.

The Cal Band typically plays the complete Lights Out March at the ending of a post-game concert for Cal sporting events that they attend.

Lyrics
Our sturdy Golden Bear

is watching from the skies,

Looks down upon our colors fair

And guards us from his lair.

Our banner Gold and Blue,

The symbol on it too,

Means FIGHT! for California,

For California through and through!

Stalwarts girded for the fray

Will strive for victory,

Their all at Mater's feet will lay,

That brain and brawn will win the day.

Our mighty sons and true

Will strive for us anew,

And FIGHT! for California,

For California through and through!

Trivia

 * In 1984, during STS-41-C, NASA mission control woke up the shuttle crew with Fight for California in honor of Ox van Hoften, who graduated from Berkeley in 1966.


 * Students at Stanford University, Cal's traditional rival, sing a parody version called The Dirty Golden Bear.