By and large, fight songs are harmless rah-rah pieces designed
to lift school spirit and not much else. But in Berkeley,
“Sons of Westwood” is detested about as much as
Republicans or regular showers.
Forty-five years ago, Cal was living the high life, capturing a
national championship in men’s basketball while its marching
band trumpeted the uniquely classic fight song “Big
C.”
Unfortunately for them, the Golden Bears’
“illegitimate sister school” down south had to spoil
the party.
In 1959, UCLA essentially stole “Big C” and revamped
it into the familiar “Sons of Westwood.” F. Kelly
James, a Cal alumnus and Associate Director of UCLA’s band at
the time, composed an alternate arrangement to the Bears’
beloved hymn that was performed during a combined half-time show
featuring the marching bands from Cal, UCLA, UC Davis and UC Santa
Barbara.
When UCLA continued to use the arrangement as its own, it
committed a cardinal sin that still irritates many Bears today.
“They’re bitter about it,” fifth-year trombone
section leader Clay McCarter said. “Because of the success of
UCLA sports over the years, some people even think Cal stole it
from us.”
It’s the historical ambiguity of the song’s origin
that is the biggest thorn in the Bears’ side. But with the
recent upswing of Cal’s football program, the folks in
Berkeley are hoping “Big C” will start receiving the
national exposure usually reserved for UCLA.
If you take the road trip up to Berkeley this weekend for the
football game between the two schools, you’ll undoubtedly
hear a hackneyed “˜get your own fight song’ jab from the
home fans when “Sons of Westwood” plays.
Instead of acting confused or challenging the accuracy of their
claim, just thank them for the blueprint or offer condolences for
the antiquated version they’re stuck with.
I can’t musically pinpoint why “Big C” sounds
flat and uninspired compared to “Sons of Westwood,” but
current UCLA band director Gordon Henderson helped clarify some of
the differences between the two songs.
“Ours has a counter-melody in the low brass and has a much
more intricate arrangement,” Henderson said.
“Harmonically, it’s much more sophisticated and has an
introduction that really grabs you.”
I was hoping Cal band director Bob Calonico would offer us his
spin on why Cal’s “Big C” is superior to
UCLA’s rendition, but he turned down the invitation. He
downplayed any sense of bitterness his students might feel toward
the subject and even indicated that UCLA shouldn’t feel
compelled to give up “Sons of Westwood.”
Part of me wishes Calonico was offended by “Sons of
Westwood.” Fight songs aren’t supposed to lift the
opponent’s spirit.
UCLA students mock “Big C” by adding an eight-clap
to it and the marching band has its fun by adding the “Sons
of Westwood” tag at the song’s end.
Still, Calonico insists “Big C” and the Cal marching
band as a whole can stand on their own merit, even with the Bruins
claiming they are more distinguished musically.
Cal’s marching band clings to their traditional high-step
marching style that they adopted from Big-10 schools in the
1950s.
“Keeping the tradition is a huge focus for our
students,” Calonico said of the supposedly difficult
high-step exercise. “What we are today is just as strong as
ever. It’s a pride thing and they’re proud of what they
do.”
Yet as proud as they are of this style, UCLA’s marching
band isn’t impressed.
“It really affects their playing ability,” McCarter
said of the high-step. “They’re really choppy and just
don’t do it as well as the schools in the midwest.”
So if you’re at the game Saturday and overhear some
envious Cal students complaining about “Sons of
Westwood,” try to be sympathetic.
It’s hard to watch a younger sibling take center
stage. E-mail Finley at afinley@media.ucla.edu.