The Baltimore Ravens have a new fight song!
But, it's a version of an old one. And, Ravens fans decided that the team should use the "new" fight song.
After polling their fans on the team website (baltimoreravens.com), the Ravens will use "The Baltimore Fight Song" during home games, including after touchdowns and field goals scored by the Ravens. The Ravens have been looking for a song that will keep fans on their feet after a score or a significant victory.
"We've tried various songs to keep the energy going after a score, but nothing really caught on with our fans, including a well done 'Ravens Fight Song'*," said Gabrielle Dow, the team's vice president of marketing. "Through the years fans have requested that we play the old 'Baltimore Colts Fight Song.' When that song was played at the premiere of Barry Levinson's documentary 'The Band That Wouldn't Die,' at M&T [Bank Stadium] a year ago, I was overwhelmed to see the 1,000-plus fans stand and sing the song in unison.
"That got us thinking more about adopting the song for the Ravens. The timing seemed right, but we wanted to see what our fans thought," Dow added.
With the help of his bandmates, longtime director of the Marching Ravens, John Ziemann, and the band's musical director, Todd Clontz, came up with the "The Baltimore Fight Song" featuring new Ravens lyrics set to the "Baltimore Colts Fight Song" tune.
As they did in choosing the name of the team – Ravens, the team left it up to the fans to decide the fate of the new song. A copy of "The Baltimore Fight Song," played and sung by the Marching Ravens, was placed on the team's website, and fans were asked if they wanted the team to adopt this new version. Almost 10,000 fans used the online ballot with 7,526 (79%) voting "yes" for the Ravens to adopt the song. Another 2,012 people opposed the use of the "new" song.
"The Baltimore Fight Song" will be played and sung for the first time at a Ravens' game this Saturday (8/28), when the team hosts the New York Giants at 7:30 p.m.
Here are the words to "The Baltimore Fight Song":
Baltimore Ravens Let's go
And put that ball across the line
So fly on with talons spread wide
Go in and strike with Ravens pride
FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT
Ravens dark wings take to flight
Dive in and show them your might
For Baltimore and Maryland
You will fly on to victory
*"The Ravens Fight Song" was written by John Modell, then a Ravens' vice president and son of previous team owner Art Modell
