Traditions
"Tradition, Excellence, and Family" is the motto of the Band of the Fighting Irish. Football weekends on campus are full of traditions, and the Notre Dame Band is central to them all. Like the band as a whole, the saxophone section has many traditions of its own.
At daily practices, some traditions include the beloved practices of "Freshman Food Wednesday" and "Tenor Thursday." On each Wednesday, one member of the freshman class is given the task and honor of providing a snack for the section to enjoy. Likewise, a tenor saxophone player brings in a bag of candy every Thursday to share with the whole section.
On game days with late morning practices (and to us, "late" means after 8:00 am... typically night games), the saxes will sometimes gather in the morning for some home-cooked sax breakfast. Family breakfast is always a special treat.
Throughout the week, the saxophone and the falto sections each compose two parodies of well-known songs. These parodies are normally about saxophones, the faltos, other band members, or the upcoming football game. After morning march-out and practice, the saxes sit together at the Jesus table in South Dining Hall for brunch. Here, both sections rise and sing in a fierce competition of musical superiority (judged by the baritones).
Saxes singing in South Dining Hall
The performance closes with two songs very special to the Notre Dame saxes:
God Bless the Saxophone
God Bless the Saxophone,
Horn that I love!
Not a falto,
Or a piccolo,
Sent to us from Jesus from above!
Through the mouth piece,
(SAX-A-MA-PHONE)
Past the keys,
(SAX-A-MA-PHONE)
Out the bell,
(SAX-A-MA-PHONE)
What a sound!
God Bless the Saxophone,
The best around!
God Bless the Saxophone.
The best around!
A-MEN!
Sax Fight Song
Lead: What section in the band is better than the rest?
All: SAXES!
Lead: What section in the band's undoubtedly the best?
All: SAXES!
Lead: Who's the greatest section in the band?
All: We're the mighty saxophones,
We're the band's best section!
You may love to hate us but the fact is that we love TO LOVE YOU!
We are not expendable,
You need us in the band!
S-A-X-O-PHONE!
We are the saxophones!
After the band plays its Concert on the Steps on football Saturdays, the members of our section trot into their respective bathrooms in the Main Building and offer a musical surprise to unsuspecting fans. This tradition is called "Saxes in the Stalls," as shown to the right.
After "Saxes in the Stalls," the entire section forms a circle and performs "Blood of Cu Chulainn" from The Boondock Saints, followed by the Notre Dame Victory March. We then march out to the stadium and cheer our team to victory!
