Story Behind The Song

There are a few top tier college teams that consistently dominate the top 25 polls, and then there are the rest of us. Being a University of Illinois alum (1970), I have lived through many years watching our teams struggle to rise above the middle of the Big Ten Conference pack. But there have been a few years where the exception has been the rule, where they ruled as conference champions and won post-season bowl games. These are the times that give us hope, and keep us long-suffering, but loyal, fans buying those game tickets year after year.

Song Description

Many of us are die-hard college sports fans, cheering on our favorite teams to victory. But for every victor, there is a loser. This song is for the fans who remain loyal despite backing a less-than-successful team.

Lyrics

Hope

Verse 1

This here's a song about loyalty, and long-suffering college fans
Who back their teams through thick and thin, who fill half-empty stands.
I won't name names to avoid embarrassing the team,
It should be quite obvious, you'll know just who I mean.

Football season starts out well, the team proceeds to smash
A no-name team from nowhere land who shows up for the cash.
We're flying high, is there a chance? Could this be the year
That everything is turned around, a bowl game could be near?

Chorus 1

There's hope, there's always hope.
This could be the year we finally climb that slippery slope.
So get up on your feet and salute our missing Chief.
Set your expectations high, abandon all the grief.
Sing the Alma Mater and dispense with disbelief
Because there's hope, there's always hope.

Verse 2

But then the conference season starts and things start to go south.
As losses begin adding up, we get down at the mouth.
But then we have a close one, excitement's running high,
This could be a turning point, a time to do or die.

In half-filled stands, we're cheering as the team turns on the gas.
We're down by six, time's running out, a Hail Mary pass.
We're on our feet, could this be the win that we expected?
But no, alas, our hopes are dashed, the pass is intercepted.

Chorus 2

But there's hope, there's always hope.
The world is not ending, don't just sit around and mope.
Football may be over, but roundball season's here.
Things could start to jell this time, this could be the year.
We'll rock in the Assembly Hall (too bad they don't serve beer)
Because there's hope, there's always hope.

Verse 3

We're starting out a brand-new year, we've got some good recruits.
Maybe there are one or two who actually can shoot.
I guess we'll have to wait and see just how well they play.
At seasons end, we'll find out if the coach must go or stay.

Excitement's just around the bend, our hopes begin to soar.
They'll run and gun, play great defense, put points on the board.
We're sure they'll be competitive, we read it in the press.
It has our expectations up, we're looking for success.

Chorus 3

Because there's hope, there's always hope.
The coach's future will be underneath a microscope.
But there's a chance the team could win, they've done it in the past.
A chance to dance in the NCAA tournament at last.
A couple victories on the road, is that too much to ask?
But there's hope, there's always hope.

Verse 4

As usual, they win a few games early in the season
But then the problems start to show and no one knows the reason.
They'll build a lead and then go cold, get way behind and then
Make a run, get within two, then lose the game by ten.

We miss the dance and some of our best players leave the team.
Another season's come and gone, another shattered dream.
But if you want to back our school's team that usually wins,
A team that's been successful without playing shirts and skins.

Chorus 4

There's golf, there's always golf.
You don't cheer and do the wave, heck, you can't even cough.
The atmosphere is calmer and the weather's usually nice.
You can watch the whole game for a low admission price.
The only worry you may have is will he hook or slice,
Yes, there's golf, there's always golf.

Tag

So if your team's not winning and you find it hard to cope,
There's hope, there's always hope.
Yeah, there's hope, there's always hope.

Copyright © May, 2018 Thomas E. McCue All Rights Reserved