Clemson University celebrates 75 Years of ‘Tiger Rag’

The 2017 football season marks the 75th anniversary of “Tiger Rag” shaking Death Valley at Clemson University’s Memorial Stadium and the use of the tune as the school’s official fight song. Mark Spede, Director of Bands at Clemson University and the Director of Tiger Band gives the history of the fight song. “Well, it is interesting before 1942 there were a number of different songs that were used as peppy songs for the band to play at sporting events, but there was no real official fight song like many school had. In 1941, cadet bandmaster Robert Dean Ross of the Clemson Corps band went to Atlanta looking for some music that the band could play and he found “Tiger Rag” in a bin for $1.50, an arrangement of it for bands and took it back. The band started playing it in 1942 and it was an instant hit. By 1948, Clemson designated “Tiger Rag” as the official fight song of Clemson University.” And it wouldn’t be game day without the Tiger Band leading the “C-L-E-M-S-O-N” chant and playing “Tiger Rag”. Spede says the band will be celebrating the fight song throughout Homecoming Weekend at Clemson University. “At Saturday’s Homecoming game against Wake Forest, the Tiger Alumni Band will join Tiger Band on the field before the game to experience yet again “the most exciting 25 seconds in college football.” This is the 35th year for the tradition. The band’s halftime performance will start with the “Back to the Future” movie theme song and will continue with Glenn Miller’s rendition of “Tiger Rag.” Finally, the Homecoming queen and court will be presented to an original composition by band student Stephen Hill called “Memories of Clemson.” Read more online at www.clemson.edu.