Bears Fight Song Ready for a Bear Down Reboot?

It’s that time of the year again when we all start getting itchy with anticipation for the start of training camp. In the meantime, we try to find new ways to fill our time while we wait to know who will make the roster, who will get cut, who will start, and who will be relegated to the bench.

In this time where little is going on it’s nice to have some abstract Chicago Bear ponderings. During the broad ramblings of my mind, I thought back to a season when I watched one of the Bears’ games at my favorite bars that was, of course, filled with other Bears fans. It’s a great place where everyone claps for first downs, cheers wildly for sacks and interceptions, and sings along as the Bear Down fight song plays over the speaker system when the Bears score a touchdown.

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Or at least everyone tries to sing along to the fight song. Most Bears fans know the first 4 lines of the fight song:

“Bear Down Chicago Bears,

Make every play, clear the way to Victory.

Bear Down Chicago Bears,

Put up a fight with a might so fearlessly.”

Truthfully, after the first 2 lines, there’s usually a couple of people trailing off into half-mumble, still singing, but that could also be partly due to the number of beverages consumed. For the most part, the first 4 lines are well known.

Then we get to the zone of obscurity where 80% of the bar is just humming and grunting in tune with the music:

“We’ll never forget the way you thrilled the nation,

With your T-Formation.

Bear Down Chicago Bears,

And let them know why you’re wearing the crown!”

So at this point, everyone has bailed on the song. They’re eating food, drinking more beer, or completely screwing up the words. “Thrilled” becomes be riled, riddled, or beaten. “Nation” becomes hasten, racing, or amazing. With all these changes you get some great lines like “We’ll never forget the way you killed the amazing raisin, with some deep fermentation.” Yes, I heard a guy mumble this. To be fair, this guy was definitely helping to hold up the bar at this point.

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After that previous section of the song where many enjoy performing the Mad Libs version of the fight song the whole bar recovers for the grand finale.

“You’re the pride and joy of Illinois,

Chicago Bears, Bear Down!”

This part is awesome! People stop whatever they are doing, drinking or otherwise, to all come together in a raucous chorus that’s more intense shouting than anything. Of course, nobody is in tune at this point, but they’re still much better than listening to Fergie without Auto-Tune (see Super Bowl 45 half-time show).

What am I getting at with this post, other than the fact that the bar I watch Bears games is full of drunk “American Idol” rejects? Quite simply, I think the Bears fight song needs a Bear Down reboot. Now before the hate mail and death threats blow up my comments section and twitter account, hear me out.

One of my favorite things about being a Bears fan is the rich history and tradition every fan becomes a part of. I love looking at old footage of Red Grange and Sid Luckman. I love reading stats on Bronco Nagurski, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, and Brian Urlacher. The greatness of the men who made the team what it is can’t be denied. George Sherman Halas, Mike Ditka, Buddy Ryan, Gale Sayers, the 46 defense, they’re all a part of a history and tradition that doesn’t exist with any other team.

But things change and it’s ok for those things to change. It’s ok that we went from leather helmets to high-tech reinforced helmets with this crazy thing called a facemask, and that we switched from shoulder pads, which were more like pillow stuffing, to the currently designed ones. These are good things.

So here’s what I propose. The Bears should take the original version of the song, written by Al Hoffman in 1941, have it bronzed, and then retire it at Halas Hall. You can have a whole tribute for the retiring ceremony in which you honor Al Hoffman and the history of the song. Directly following the tribute the newly amended fight song can be introduced as keeping the core elements of the song continuing for the generations to come.

“Bear Down Chicago Bears,

Make Every Play, Clear the Way to Victory.

Bear Down Chicago Bears,

Put up a Fight with a Might so Fearlessly.

You’re the Pride and Joy of Illinois,

Chicago Bears, Bear Down!”

It’s beautiful, clear, and concise. It eliminates the possibility of me hearing a butchered line like “Let them know they’ll be wearing a frown!” And possibly best of all, it removes the need for my drunken bar brethren to have to hide their shame at not knowing the black void of lyrics in the middle of the song that reduces them to grunts and mumbles. If you want the revised fight song like I do, let the powers that be know it by tweeting out your agreement with #BearDownReboot. And if you disagree with me, please… be gentle.