Three rules for writing a great fight song
Songwriters Wayne Kirkpatrick and Matt Huesmann made news this week by releasing the song “Titan Up!” Some are calling it the Tennessee Titans fight song. I’d call it a theme song for the 2008 Titans.
A few months ago, I discovered Young Hirsch’s “Titans Anthem“I like it, but it’s nearly impossible to sing along with because it’s a hip-hop song with lots of lyrics.
Earlier this season, Ryan Parker wrote “Tennessee Titans Fight Song.” I like it, but it sounds too much like “Houston Oilers #1.”
[youtube width="425" height="335"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvWn_yGaA-Y[/youtube]
I’m providing three rules for the next person or group who tries to write a great fight song for the Titans:
1. The song must be simple. A fight song must have simple, memorable lyrics.
2. The song must be a march. Admittedly, there are “good” fight songs like “San Diego Super Chargers” that sound more like a Village People song than an anthem, but great fight songs, like “Hail to the Redskins” sound like military marches.
3. The song must be timeless. Under no circumstance can a player of any era be included in the lyrics of the song.
Whoever does this will have accomplished a great achievement, because “Houston Oilers #1″ is arguably the greatest professional football fight song ever written.
Good luck, songwriters.
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Here is an index of NFL fight songs, including audio and video links.
