The Spirit of Houston Cougar Marching Band: I Never Learned the Damn Fight Song

I think one of my crowning achievements throughout UH was that I never did once learn the school's fight song. It wasn't the hardest thing, but it was not the easiest either.

My second year of band they instituted a squad system that had every member under a squad, each squad under a the section leader (equipped with XO), under a particular drum major. The band director issued an order that everyone was to play off the fight song. My squad would play it as a section, which was easy to fake my way through. The section leader or the assistant would break us into smaller groups and play off individually. I'd pass off any errors as reed troubles or horn malfunction. I'd say I'd fix it and try again later. I never did.

One day, the drum major in charge of the clarinets pulled us aside, gathered us into a circle and pointed to us one by one to do a final play off. She never picked me. She then sent us back to our sections to continue practice as per usual.

I ended up learning the trumpet part throughout my tour at UH. During games, I'd sing the song rather than play anyway.

Good times.