The "Go U Northwestern", originally titled "Go Northwestern Go",Northwestern Fight Songs (Accessed February 24, 2012). is one of the fight songs of Northwestern University.
History and significance The song was written in 1912 by Theodore Van Etten, a member of the Northwestern University Wildcat Marching Band at the time. It debuted November 23, 1912, at old Northwestern Field in Northwestern's football season-finale versus the Illinois Fighting Illini.
The song, along with Northwestern's other fight song, "Rise, Northwestern!" (commonly called the "Push On Song" or simply "Push On!"), and the university's alma mater, "University Hymn" (sometimes "Quæcumque Sunt Vera") are Northwestern official school songs. "Go U Northwestern" or "Rise, Northwestern!" is played by the marching band during football games every time Northwestern scores against its opponent and at various other times during the game.
Other uses Along with being the Fight Song of Northwestern University, "Go U Northwestern" is the fight song for many high schools, with some using it under the original name. Several other colleges and universities use the song as well, including Northern Oklahoma College Enid"Fight song adds to NOC Enid's spirit" , Enid News & Eagle, December 9, 2005. and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro from 1998 to 2010. + High Schools Using "Go U Northwestern"SchoolCityFerndale High SchoolFerndale, MIBettendorf High SchoolBettendorf, IAHempstead High SchoolDubuque, IAElkhart Central High SchoolElkhart, INSouthwestern Central High School Jamestown West, NYCedar Ridge High SchoolRound Rock, TXPerrysburg High SchoolPerrysburg, OHBuchanan High SchoolBuchanan, MIOvid-Elsie High SchoolElsie, MIOwosso High SchoolOwosso, MIFlorence High SchoolFlorence, WIWaubonsie Valley High SchoolAurora, ILRochester High SchoolRochester, ILNewton Falls High SchoolNewton Falls, OHEdwardsburg High SchoolEdwardsburg, MIClover High SchoolClover, SCCentral Montcalm High SchoolStanton, MINorthwestern High SchoolHyattsville, MDCary-Grove High SchoolCary, ILCoronado SchoolEl Paso, TXCanyon High SchoolNew Braunfels, TXSouth Hardin Community School DistrictEldora, IABureau Valley High SchoolManlius, ILPutnam City West High SchoolOklahoma City, OKPortage High SchoolPortage, INCarlisle High SchoolCarlisle, PAShades Valley High SchoolIrondale, ALMinnetonka High SchoolMinnetonka, MNMcCluer High SchoolFlorissant, MOWill Rogers High School Tulsa, OKManzano High SchoolAlbuquerque, NMCentennial High SchoolLas Cruces, NMLutheran High School WestlandWestland, MIMid Prairie High SchoolWellman, IAMarfa High SchoolMarfa, TXAlan C. Pope High SchoolMarietta, GAConestoga High SchoolBerwyn, PATurkey Valley High SchoolJackson Junction, IAHolland High SchoolHolland, MIMartinsville High SchoolMartinsville, VAAbbotsford High SchoolAbbotsford, WIBlack River Falls High SchoolBlack River Falls, WIReedsburg Area High SchoolReedsburg, WINorthwestern High SchoolMaple, WICactus High SchoolGlendale, AZMethodist Boys' SchoolKuala Lumpur, MalaysiaGreen High SchoolFranklin Furnace, OHSouthwestern High School (Piasa, Illinois)Piasa, ILBenedictine High SchoolCleveland, OHRouse High SchoolLeander, TXCypress Woods High SchoolCypress, TXSunrise Mountain High SchoolPeoria, AZWestwood High SchoolBlythewood, SCTom C. Clark High SchoolSan Antonio, TXSteele Canyon High SchoolSpring Valley, CACentral High SchoolTuscaloosa, AL
In popular culture In an early 1970s Sesame Street sketch, Ernie sings the song's opening bars while wearing a football helmet, eager to open a present Bert has wrapped, that Ernie thinks is a new football for him."Sesame Street: Surprise Present," YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h4YQA3_JWQ&t=37s
References
External links "Hail to Purple", An unofficial Northwestern Wildcat Football website The official Northwestern University Marching Band website The Wildcat Songbook