Since the Washington State University Fight Song was composed and adopted in 1919, it has taken flight on a space shuttle, adapted in several musical styles, sung by John Candy in a movie, and taken on great meaning for the Cougar Nation.
Listen to the first known recording of the Fight Song (from 1934), the Fight Song broadcast to the Space Shuttle Challenger to honor astronaut and WSU alum John Fabian ’62, and watch “Tom Tuttle from Tacoma” belt out “Fight, fight, fight for Washington State” in the 1985 movie Volunteers.
Read the history of the fight song in “Fight, fight, fight…” still flying high.
Fight Song broadcast to the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983
(Courtesy NASA and WSU Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections)
Oldest known recording of the Washington State Fight Song
Recorded live for NBC Radio on May 15, 1934, at the Davenport Ballroom in Spokane performed by the Washington State College band and glee club. It was pressed into LPs and later sold on campus. (Courtesy WSU Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections)
Side A: “Cougar Pep Songs”
Side B: “Cougar Pep Songs”