School Songs
Walter J. Smither (class of '32 and '35) wrote the school song known as Western, with lyrics written by Margaret Ovens (class of '29). The melody was originally rejected as a school song while Smither was at Beck Collegiate, but in 1930, the song was resurrected to become the official school song of UWO, with the help of Ovens as the lyricist. A piano and voice part was arranged first, and a band arrangement came shortly after by Don Wright in 1933.
While the first half of the song was written for the school specifically, the last half of the Western school song, known as the Western Song of Victory, reflects a similar well-known school song, "Washington and Lee Swing" which is very commonly used in other school fight songs. This is then followed by the Western school cheer, Caninny.
The Western Song
Western, Western, Western U, college fair and square,
Arts and Meds are strong for you deny it if you dare.
White and purple colours are worn by all who know,
Just which college is the best,
Come and let us show that,
This U is our U and for her we’ll strive to,
Do our bit and fight with might and main!
We will always adore her, our own Alma Mater,
Western School of Fame!
When Western U goes marching down the field,
We know our team will never yield,
And though the other team has lots of pep,
When they meet our team they’ll know they’re out of step.
And when the game goes down in history,
As just another Western victory!
Then all our cheers go up for Western U. Western U., Rah! Rah! Rah!
Western Piano Score.pdfThis cheer is a staple of Western spirit cheers and has been used by Western since the early 1920s, originating from early football games. Often accompanied by the band, traditionally the cheer goes as follows:
The Student Cheer
Ca-ninny, ca-nanny, ca-nanny, canoe,
With a hull-a-ba, hull-a-ba, hull-a-bal-oo,
With a riccaty, raccity, raccity, ru,
High up, Sky up, Western U!,
W-E-S-T-E-R-N,
Western, Western, Western!
In 1955 a songbook from the Kappa Alpha Society was republished to include Western University, who joined the society in 1948. In this book, a new Alma Mater song for the school appears. Arranged by T.G. Code, the sheet music does not have an original composer. The piece however can be heard in the 1955 film, 'This is Western'. Although, not much is known about the alma mater, it is the most current school hymn that currently exists at Western.
The Alma Mater
Hail to thee, Western U
Honour thy name
Hail to our loyalty
To glorify thy fame
Hail to this land of ours
Home, dear, and true
We love thee, alma mater
Western U
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