The Omicron Zeta Songbook

    • Alma Mater of Cornell University
    • The Evening Song
    • My Old Cornell
    • The Song of the Classes
  • Lambda Chi Alpha Songs
    • All Hail
    • We're All Good Brothers
    • Hip Hip Hooray
    • Magic Carpet Ride

Cornell Songs

Alma Mater of Cornell University

The Alma Mater was written by Archibald C. Weeks '1872 and his roommate Wilmot M. Smith '1874, who set the verses to the ballad “Lovely Annie Lisle.” Cornell insists it is the first school to use the tune, which is played at the noon concert on the chimes.

Far above Cayuga's waters with its waves of blue
Stands our noble alma mater, glorious to view.

Refrain
Lift the chorus, speed it onwards, loud her praises tell.
Hail to thee, our alma mater: Hail, all hail Cornell!

Far above the busy humming of the bustling town,
Reared against the arch of heaven looks she proudly down.

Evening Song

The Evening Song was first published in 1877 in the Cornell Era, and it is played on the chimes daily to close the day. This arrangement is by Henry Tyrell '1880; it has been sung to “O Tannenbaum” since at least the 1909 edition of Songs of Cornell.

When the sun fades far away
In the crimson of the West,
And the voices of the day
Murmur low and sink to rest.

Refrain
Music with the twilight falls,
O'er the dreaming lake and dell,
'Tis an echo from the walls
Of our own, our fair Cornell.

Welcome night, and welcome rest,
Fading music, fare thee well.
Joy to all we love the best,
Love to thee our fair Cornell.

The Alumni Song

Words by Louis Carle Ehle '90 and music by William Luton Wood.

I am thinking tonight of my old college town,
I am dreaming of days that are flown,
Of the joys and the strife of my old college life—
Ah, those days were the best I have known.

Then here is the toast we will drink:
A good rousing health to Cornell.
Let your classes clink,
A good excuse I think,
Is the toast to her we all love so well.

I'm rejoicing tonight o'er her vit'ries again
Though I helped not the triumph to gain;
I will shout with my might for carnelian and white,
And her honor for ever maintain.

My Old Cornell

This cheery song for alumni is actually only the refrain of the original song penned by Will Dillon '1917.

Oh, I want to go back to the old days,
Those good old days on the hill.
Back to my Cornell, For that's where they all yell,
Cornell, I yell, Cornell. (Cornell!)
Far above Cayuga's waters I hear those chiming bells.
Oh, I'm longing and yearning And always returning To my old Cornell.

Song of the Classes

Many more and less politically correct versions of this song exist.

I am the Freshman all timid with fear
I was nursed by my mummy, but now I drink beer
I miss my old bottle, it's sad for to tell
For soon I'll get busted right out of Cornell

Refrain
Oh, it's one two, and three four, we all fall in line
To the tune of our profs we must always keep time
And it's work like a Turk till your eyes ache like hell
In this grand institution, this school of Cornell

I am the Sophomore with debonair look
My vile freshman manners I long have forsook
I used to date girls from Elmira and Wells,
But now in my opinion the best are Cornell's.

I am the Junior a-takin' my ease
I go to my classes whenever I please
I frequent the bars, and the barmaids as well;
I've not been a-wastin' my time at Cornell

I am the Senior tormented with doubt
You see, my time at Cornell has almost run out
The world situation has me quite annoyed:
I'm magna cum laude, but still unemployed.

Lambda Chi Alpha Songs

Possessive of its independent musical heritage, Omicron Zeta has never regularly sung tunes from the national songbook, but they remain in the collection.

All Hail

All hail, all hail to Lambda Chi,
Our fair fraternity
We'll laud her praises to the sky
Wherever we may be
In East, in West, in North, in South
Is found our faithful band;
To colors, purple, green, and gold
We pledge both heart and hand.

We're All Good Brothers

Oh, We're all good brothers, each one the other's friend
and we'll be good brothers until this world shall end.
So while we're together lets give a rousing cheer,
for Lambda - Chi - Alpha, the bond we hold so dear.

Put your arm around your brother, stand together man to man,
As we grow older, we're brothers in a band
That binds us together until the day we die
We're faithful forever to dear old Lambda Chi.

Hip Hip Hooray for Dear Old Lambda Chi

Let's give a hip hip hooray, for dear old Lambda Chi,
Let's give a hip hip hooray, and shout it to the sky.
We'll make all of the rafters ring when all of the brothers sing,
About the cross and crescent, because it's the grandest thing.
We'll shout it all day long, We'll shout it loud and strong,
For we want the whole world to know, (to know),
We stand together to now, we stand to win, and how!
For dear old Lambda Chi.

Magic Carpet Ride

A Steppenwolf song adopted by Lambda Chi Alpha chapters across the continent, although no member of the band attended college or had any other known association with Lambda Chi Alpha. Words and music by Rushton Moreve.

I like to dream,
Right between my sound machine
On a cloud of sound,
I drift in the night
Any place it goes is right.
Goes far, flies near,
To the stars away from here;

Refrain
Well, You don't know what we can find,
Oh why don't you come with me little girl,
On a Magic Carpet Ride,
You don't know what we can see,
Why don't you tell your dreams to me,
Fantasy will set you free.
Close your eyes girl,
Look inside girl,
Let the sound take you away

Last night I owned Aladdin's Lamp
And so I wished that I could stay.
Before the thing could answer
Someone came and took the lamp away
I looked around,
A lousy candle is all I found!