Hotty Toddy
The Hotty Toddy cheer is a chant unique to The University of Mississippi, commonly known as Ole Miss. The cheer is primarily used at Ole Miss sporting events and is commonly started by cheerleaders, fans, and players.[1]. The Ole Miss Band plays the cheer with a drum cadence following the school`s fight song, Forward Rebels[2]. The band also plays a version of the cheer put to the tune of Rock N Roll Part 2 by Gary Glitter, known as “Hey, Go Rebs!”[3]. The two word phrase “Hotty Toddy,” is commonly used as a greeting between students, alumni, and fans associated with Ole Miss, similar to the University of Alabama`s Roll Tide and Auburn University`s War Eagle[4]
Lyrics
“Are you Ready?
Hell Yes! Damn Right!
Hotty Toddy, Gosh Almighty,
Who in the hell are we? Hey!
Flim Flam, Bim Bam,
Ole Miss By Damn!” .[5]
History
The cheer first appeared in print on November 19, 1926 in the student newspaper The Mississippian, now known as The Daily Mississippian. The Hotty Toddy was printed along with all of the popular sports cheers used by the students at the time. However, the lyrics were slightly different than the version used today. The original cheer was printed:[6]
“Heighty! Tighty! Gosh A Mighty
Who in the hell are we?
Rim! Ram! Flim! Flam!
Ole Miss By Damn.”
Possible Origins
While there are many theories as to where the Hotty Toddy cheer started, the exact origins remain a mystery. Perhaps the leading theory suggests that the cheer was created by the school`s cheerleaders or band[7]. The cheer was printed several days before Ole Miss was set to face off against instate rival Mississippi State, who were said to refer to Ole Miss fans as "Hoity-Toitys[8]." Ole Miss had lost thirteen straight games going into the 1926 matchup in Starkville. Prior to the game, Ole Miss held pep rallies on campus and even organized a train to take the students and the newly formed Band to the game[9]. After Ole Miss won the game, the Rebel fans stormed the field and attempted to tear down their goalposts. A brawl ensued between the two schools, and the following season, the Egg Bowl Trophy was introduced to maintain the peace[10]. The iconic game that led to the creation of the Egg Bowl could also have solidified the Hotty Toddy cheer at Ole Miss.
The cheer also appeared in the school`s original fight song. According to The Ole Miss Experience, music professor Arleen Tye wrote a fight song for the school in 1931 entitled “Ole Miss.” The song`s chorus included “Hi-ty, Ti-ty, Gosh a’mighty, Who the heck are we?”[11]. While the original fight song was discontinued, the school`s current fight song, Forward Rebels, includes the Hotty Toddy cheer as well. Some historians believe the Ole Miss Band may have borrowed the cheer from the Virginia Tech Regimental Band[12], which was nicknamed the, “Highty-Tighties” in 1919[13]
Some other theories suggest that the cheer was fashioned by Ole Miss legendary cheerleader[14] and sports fan, Blind Jim Ivy[11]. Also, it is believed that the alcoholic beverage, Hot Toddy, could be the basis for the cheer[6].
Hotty Toddy In Pop Culture
Prior to every home football game, Ole Miss plays a video of a celebrity starting the Hotty Toddy cheer. Some of the celebrities that have participated include Russell Crowe, Snoop Dogg, Betty White, Katy Perry, Morgan Freeman, The Robertson Family from Duck Dynasty, Sandra Bullock, Jack Black, and more[15] A variation of the cheer also appeared in the series, Band of Brothers, written asHighty Tighty, Christ Almighty, Who the hell are we? zim ram, Goddamn, we`re Airborne Infantry.[16]
References
- ↑ "The complicated history of Ole Miss' 'Hotty Toddy' cheer". The Oxford Eagle. October 19, 2017.
- ↑ DeJournett, Bill and Sayre, Anna McGahey, "The Pride of the South 1928-2014: The Ole Miss Band, A History" (2015). Faculty Books. 53. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/libarts_book/53
- ↑ "Index". Ole Miss Band - The Pride of the South.
- ↑ "Ole Miss Traditions". Ole Miss Athletics.
- ↑ Anderson, Seph. "Hotty Toddy: Understanding the Ole Miss Cheer, Its History & Significance". Bleacher Report.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Wray, Cheryl (September 27, 2013). "What is a Hotty Toddy, and why do Ole Miss fans get so excited about it? (video)". al.
- ↑ University of Mississippi, "The Ole Miss" (1924). The Ole Miss Annual (1897-2013). 28. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/yearbooks/28
- ↑ The Ole Miss Experience (9th Ed) edited by Leslie Showalter. Nautilus Publishing Company, 2019, ISBN: 978-1-949455-08-3
- ↑ University of Mississippi, "The Ole Miss" (1925). The Ole Miss Annual (1897-2013). 29. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/yearbooks/29
- ↑ Rollins, Khadrice. "Why is Ole Miss–Mississippi State called the Egg Bowl?". Sports Illustrated.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Banahan, Leslie. The Ole Miss Experience: First-Year Experience Text. The Nautilus Publishing Company, 2015.
- ↑ "The Highty-Tighties: Our History". vtcc.vt.edu.
- ↑ West, Rachel (July 29, 2014). "Everything You Need to Know About the 'Hotty Toddy'".
- ↑ Smith, Edwin (March 4, 2014). "Meet James "Blind Jim" Ivy". Ole Miss News.
- ↑ Smith, Edwin (April 9, 2014). "Understanding the History and Significance of 'Hotty Toddy'". Ole Miss News.
- ↑ https://hottytoddy.com/2013/12/19/ole-miss-notes-from-the-past/
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