Another season, another song defaced and defiled by the student section.
We lost “Tiger Rag,” “Oh-We-Oh,” “Neck” and now a song that was gone before most students even knew its name.
The most recent addition to the list of removed charts is “Earthquake,” a song that music education junior and tuba player Paul Foster arranged and pushed for as a possible replacement for the ever-popular “Neck.”
The tuba section and drumline spent time outside of practice in order to make the song presentable enough to get approval from the directors to play it in Tiger Stadium.
“We put a lot of extra time and work into [‘Earthquake’], and it was pretty much for nothing because of the student section,” said communication studies senior and tuba section leader Phillip Arceneaux.
“Earthquake” was played in Tiger Stadium for an effusive two weeks before it was promptly removed by the directors of the Tiger Band after students added the same infamous chant that led to the ban of “Neck.”
“Members of the Tiger Band like to play these tunes as much, if not more, than students want to hear them,” Foster said. “…I was hoping [students] wouldn’t ruin something enjoyable for all.”
Time and time again, the student section has proven that it is unable to restrain itself from
howling lewd and profane chants when these songs are played.
The prohibitions caused by these disgraceful choruses have the LSU Tiger Marching Band edging toward wit’s end.
“It is inappropriate,” Foster said. “It does not shine a good light on our student body as a whole… It’s something that really bothers me and other members of the band as well.”
It is overdue for the student section to put an end to these foul, sophomoric antics and become an entity that the University can and should be proud of.
There is nothing wrong with having fun and talking some trash. Throwing huge tailgate parties and yelling “tiger bait” on game day should continue to be a part of the LSU tradition.
But students are continuously berating opponents with immature insults while these songs are played, debasing the reputation of LSU’s fan base on a national level and reducing themselves to a level of maturity fit for middle school students.
The goal of the student section should not be to disgrace opponents, but to support and encourage the Tigers in an attempt to help lift them to victory.
This task becomes immensely more difficult, for example, when instead of hearing a unison “L-S-U” on first down, the chant is muddled by students yelling obscene instructions to players on the field.
It should not be the responsibility of the band to keep the student section out of trouble. It is time for students to grow up and put an end to this blemish on what is otherwise a successful and pride-worthy program.
