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Thursday, October 14, 2004  
A Funny Article from the Daily Bruin Yesterday
A good prelude to the Bay Area Trip this weekend:

Stolen fight song leaves Bears growling
UCLA’s popular ‘Sons of Westwood’ a revamped version of Cal classic

By Andrew Finley
DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF
afinley@media.ucla.edu

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.

5:20 PM
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