Whether it's at Mountain Day or Reunion, Elmira's songs and traditions bring Soaring Eagles past and present together. 

You can browse EC's songs and lyrics below. Click on the "+" mark next to each song title to view the lyrics. Click on the "Listen (MP3)" button to hear the song performed by the EC Chiclettes where available.

EC Songs & Lyrics

Elmira College Alma Mater

By Mary Logan Bench, Class of 1946

Listen (mp3)

All sons and daughters, hail to thee our Alma Mater!
Sing loud her praises, ever laud her name.
In thankfulness to her, oh what can we give?
Keep her before us; by her example live.

Here then, Elmira, mem'ries that inspire
A lasting and loyal love and devotion to you.
As we leave your fair halls, untried paths to know,
As you have taught us, be it ever so.

 

Challenge Chant

Get a wiggle on, get a wiggle on,
Don’t sit there with a giggle on,
Get a wiggle on, get a wiggle on,
And give us a song!

 

Elmira College Fight Song

By Mark J. Spicer, 1993

Go El-mi-ra Fight! Fight! Fight!
Show your pow-er and your might.
We're your fans for-ev-er-more;
we will cheer your ev'ry score.

So soar you Ea-gles 1 2 3!
Bring us home a vic-to-ry.
Fight on for E.C.
Fight onto vic-to-ry!

 

Elmira Women and Men

Revised by Mary E. Mix, Class of 1984

Listen (mp3)

Elmira women are free from sin,
Drink no whisky, drink no gin,
A few of them with morals loose,
Sit and sip tomato juice.

Elmira men are really great,
Play a lot, and study late.
A few of them might lose themselves,
and spend the night on library shelves.

 

Keep the Home Fires Burning

Words by Lena Guilbert Ford 1887

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They were summoned from the hillside,
They were called in from the glen,
And the Country found them ready
At the stirring call for men.
Let no tears add to their hardship,
As the Soldiers pass along,
And although your heart is breaking,
Make it sing this cheery song.

Keep the Home fires burning,
While your hearts are yearning,
Though your lads are far away
They dream of Home;
There’s a silver lining
Through the dark cloud shining
Turn the dark cloud inside out,
Till the boys come Home

Overseas there came a pleading,
“Help a Nation in distress!”
And we gave our glorious laddies;
Honor made us do no less.
For no gallant Son of Freedom
To a tyrant’s yoke should bend,
And a noble heart must answer
To the sacred call of “Friend.”

Keep the Home fires burning,
While your hearts are yearning,
Though your lads are far away
They dream of Home;
There’s a silver lining
Through the dark cloud shining
Turn the dark cloud inside out,
Till the boys come Home

 

Keep the Home Fries Burning

By Diane Beckham Carvell ’93, Susan Brown ’94, Anthony Cardno ’93, Dianne DeCoste ’94, Susan Eriole McGuirk ’93, Jennifer Repp ’95, Christina Sica Lenway ’93, Richard Wilson ’93, Jay Wolkoff ’93

Keep the home fries burning
While your heartburn's churning
As the Tums® are going down
You dream of home.
There's a silver skillet
Jim you should have killed it
Indigestion seizes us,
Alka Seltzer® to the rescue!

 

Hail, Elmira!

Music by William Perry, Litt.D., Class of 1985
Lyrics by Kay Cummings, Class of 1962

Listen (mp3)

Hail, Elmira! Sing her song.
We Salute you, glad that we will belong to
Our Elmira, citadel of light.
Knowledge burning bright.
Hail, Elmira! Sing it loud.
We have loved you and we will be proud as
Your alumni, ever to be known,
Sons and daughters grown.

You have taught us, made us wiser
Helped us all journey far.
Hail, Elmira! College that we've love
You've made us what we are.
As we travel ever onward, we'll remember the days.
Hail, Elmira! College that we love, we come to sing your praise.

 

Recollection’s Magic Sway

Elmira College Alma Mater 1887-1945
By Frances Squire Potter 1887
By George Morgan McKnight

Listen (mp3)

Elmira’s honored history,
We speak in songs of praise, in songs of praise,
And for her faith and loyalty,
Our voices proudly raise.

Fair Alma Mater, Fondly thy name we sing,
Blest Alma Mater, Myriad echoes ring.
Together in her halls today,
A loyal pledge we sing, a pledge we sing,
And recollection’s magic sway

Will future homage bring.
Fair Alma Mater, Fondly thy name we sing,
Blest Alma Mater, Myriad echoes ring.

Forever will her daughters stand,
Bound thro’ her love and truth, her love and truth,
And swell Elmira’s chorus band,
As in glad days of youth.

Fair Alma Mater, Fondly thy name we sing,
Blest Alma Mater, Myriad echoes ring.

 

Simeon Benjamin

Lyrics by Fredrica Simon Goodman ’58 & Margaret Holt Parrish ’58
Music by Sally Ide Shane ’58

Listen (mp3)

In 1855 when Elmira began,
It was founded by a wise and worthy man.
He thought perfection would be designed
If women and books combined.

He had a black cloak, a very quiet appeal,
Confidence in a rare ideal.
Simeon Benjamin is the name
that began Elmira's fame.

In the years gone by we have grown to be
Equal to men academically,
And as our founder's dream unfolds,
We seek what the future holds.

He had a black cloak, a very quiet appeal,
Confidence in a rare ideal.
Simeon Benjamin is the name
that began Elmira's fame.

 

Sunny Days

Sung to the tune of "Sesame Street"

Sunny days sweepen' cross all E.C.
We're all here hopin' for Mountain Day
Can you tell me how to get, how to get a Mountain Day!
Can you tell me how to get, how to get a Mountain Day!

Freshmen here hopin' to get away
Sophomores here hopin' to get a break
Can you tell me how to get, how to get a Mountain Day?

Juniors here hopin' to skip a day
Seniors here wantin' to sleep in late!!!
Can you tell me how to get, how to get a Mountain Day!
How to get a Mountain Day???

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