|
One of the most important aspects of TJMC is its traditions... here I will try to list some of the more famous ones. As always, if I have forgotten some, please send me an email. Thanks.
- "Drop-Trous Day": in ancient times (before the late '90s), the LB (Low Brass) would have a competition at a practice late in the year - they would see who could "drop trow" the most times and still remain decent (I believe the '95 record was 13). After a few years of tradition-repression, DTD has morphed into its current form: every year at a practice, usually during Band Camp at Shrine Mont, (or more than one) the LB will drop trow.
- Talent Show - every year at the end of band camp there is a talent show; many gifted performers show off their skills. At the conclusion we hear the ageless "Ode to a Grecian Urn."
- American Pie: always played at the end of the talent show, saying goodbye to all our seniors. Traditionally, the marching band screams as loudly as possible the line "The marching band refused to yield" whenever the song is played.
- Cadences: used to keep us with the beat while marching, these are chanted by the band, led by someone like Kanakry. More importantly is the infamous "Old Cadence" -which was repressed after the London Trip due to wording. Favorite of pep bands, hall marches, cheerleaders, and Mr. Hannemann...
- Game Day: a great poem written by Sara Voskuhl many years ago, that is read before the Homecoming show every year as an inspiration. Even that we march on the left foot now, the words remain untouched. It used to be printed on the Band Banquet programs. That tradition died too...
Don Mclean
A long long time ago
I can still remember how that music used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while.
But February made me shiver
With every paper I'd deliver
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn't take one more step
I can't remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died
So
[Refrain]
Bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my chevy to the levee
But the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Did you write the Book of Love
And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so
Do you believe in rock 'n roll
Can music save your mortal soul
And can you teach me how to dance real slow
Well, I know that you're in love with him
'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
But I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singin'
[Refrain]
Now for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone
But that's not how it used to be
When the jester sang for the King and Queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me
Oh, and while the King was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned
And while Lennon read a book of Marx
The quartet practiced in the park
And we sang dirges in the dark
The day the music died
We were singing
[Refrain]
Helter Skelter in a summer swelter
The Byrds flew off with a fallout shelter
Eight miles high and falling fast
It landed foul out on the grass
The players tried for a forward pass
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While the Sergeants played a marching tune
We all got up to dance
Oh, but we never got the chance
'Cause the players tried to take the field
THE MARCHING BAND REFUSED TO YIELD!
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died
We started singing
[Refrain]
Oh, and there we were all in one place
A generation Lost in Space
With no time left to start again
So come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
'Cause fire is the Devil's only friend
Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
No angel born in hell
Could break that Satan's spell
And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrifical rite
I saw Satan laughing with delight
The day the music died
He was singing
[Refrain]
I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music woudn't play
And in the streets the children screamed
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire most
The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
And they were singing
[Refrain]
They were singing bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my chevy to the levee
But the levee was dry
Them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
TJMC
Herbie, Herbie had big feet.
Stretched from here to Market Street.
Market Street was made of glass.
Herbie fell and broke his elbow. (or knee)
SOUND OFF! TJ
SOUND OFF! MC
BRING IT ON DOWN! TJHS Marching...Colonials!
Spider, spider on the wall...
Ain't you got no sense at all?
Don't you know that wall's been plastered?
Get off that wall you dirty little spider!
Feet together stomach in,
Don't forget to raise that chin.
My arms sure hurt but what the heck,
I just can't break that puppy's neck.
Little bird with the yellow bill,
Sittin' on my window sill,
Lured him in with a piece of bread,
Then I crushed his little head.
Moral of this story be,
Little bird don't mess with me.
Birdie, Birdie in the tree.
From up there you can really see.
How are our forms looking now?
Do they make you want to frown?
TJHSS&T.
That's who we are, that's who we be.
We hit 'em high, we hit 'em low.
Our GPA is four point oh.
TJMC 94.
That sound you hear is just our roar.
We scream real loud and that's the truth.
And if you ask we've got the proof.
Throughout of all TJMC
Each section has much diversity.
The Winds are weak, I must mention,
Low Brass can't hold attention.
Drum Line and Pit are full of chumps,
They can't stand up to the Killer Trumps!
[contributor: Daniel Turek, '99]
We're the TJ Marching Band.
We're the greatest in the land.
When we play out on the street.
We knock people right off their feet.
'Cause we're the band we're really loud.
But more important we're really proud.
One fifty people in this group.
It don't occur to us to stoop.
Left-Flank-Harch, Attention too
Keeping them straight's a bugaboo
Four-Count-Turns or Half-Left Haces
They put us through our own paces.
They lug it to the field but that's okay.
They're TJMCQMA.
They stuff it in the truck but we don't mind.
'Cause when it's time to leave they really grind.
Pre-band camp is outta sight,
Marchin' in the hot sunlight.
We don't worry, we don't fret,
We just swim in pools of sweat.
TJ Brass is really hot,
Trumpets, trombones and the lot.
French horns, tubas, baritones,
In marching skills they stand alone.
Saxes, flutes and clarinets,
They march as well as the cadets.
Turns are sharp and flanks as well,
Their tone is as clear as a bell.
The drumline gets us in a groove,
The color guard knows how to move,
And with that funky, driving beat,
We know how to move our feet.
Sara Voskuhl
Friday be Game Day
'n dat be today
It's just not the same day
As wuz yesterday
'Cause Friday be Game Day
You know wut dat means
Today we wear uniforms
Not just our jeans
Today we be happy
Today we be pumped
Today we be busy
We sure don't be grumped
'Cause Friday be Game Day
When we show our stuff
We shows 'em wez better
than cheerleader fluff
Spats would be nice
'n maybe a hat
And geez! If only
Our Bundys weren't flat
But we sure don't mind
We sure don't complain
'Cause Friday be Game Day
'n we loves the rain!
It makes the field schlimy
'n icky 'n wet
It makes it real tough
To find the next set
But I knows we'll find it
'Cause we be real good
We always is doin'
The things that we should
But now it be different
'cause at half past eight
We gots to go show em
That we be GREAT!
We isn't just good
Wez not just a band
We be a family
We walk hand in hand
We show 'em our spirit
We show 'em our pride
We show 'em our perfect
Eight-to-Five stride
The home crowd be cheerin'
The other crowd too
Nows when we got to go
Show 'em whos who
We be from TJ
'n this be our game
TJMC
(dat be our name)
C be for Champions,
dat's wut we be
O be for obstacles
(watch out for that tree)
L be for lovin'
'cause dats wut we do
We wouldn't have US
without ME or YOU
O be for offense
we sure hit em hard
this may not be football
but WE have a guard
N be for nerds
'cause dat's wut we ain't
I's for intensity
We go till we faint
A be for A__
'cause dat's what we kick
L be for lifetime
these friendships WILL stick
We be the Colonials
Marchin' with pride
We never say quit,
We never say die!
We'll be on dat field
'Till it's covered with frost
'Till our fingers won't move
'n our noses fall off
'Till our bladders will break
'n our knees give out
We'll be at attention
'n this we will shout:
"Our feet are together
Our stomachs are in
Our chest are out
Our shoulders are back
Our elbows are frozen
Our chins are up
Our eyes are with Pride
With Pride!
WITH PRIDE!
WITH PRIDE!!!
WITH PRIDE!!!!!!
We never will fall
We won't give an inch
We all CHOSE to be here
With WORK it's a cinch!
Wez all been through thick
Wez all been through thin
At this point we really don't care if we win
We gives it our BEST
That's all we can do
SO WHAT if some Tuba
Just lost a shoe!
It's there for GE
YEAH!
We meant to do that!
Our Bundys are specially
MADE to go flat!
We TOLD that trombone
to go out of the line!
It's a quarter note solo
his moment to SHINE!
Guard? They're SUPPOSED
to drop their flags!
Our BIG FINALE
involves body bags!
We march on the right
INSTEAD of the left
(No, we're NOT just
ALL out of step!)
Like we said before,
We MEANT to do that!
Our woodwinds TRY
to be forty cents flat!
We be the best
That we can be
We ain't the Army
We're TJMC!
So go out there TJ
'n show em wuts right!
'Cause Friday be Game Day
'n DIS be
GAME NIGHT!
|