The “Wisconization” of this commercial jingle by composer Steve Karmen is one of the newer additions to the musical traditions of Wisconsin. The song was first performed for university functions by the Varsity Band during the 1972 hockey season. The tune earned its popularity at the 1973 NCAA Championship where the band played it in the Boston Garden, hotel lobbies, and the streets of historic Boston. From that time, the song has become a phenomenon at all athletic contests, at alumni events, and even at commencement exercises.
Although it often causes the upper deck of Camp Randall to “sway,” it is bound to keep echoing in the stadium with great regularity. Why has it caught on so universally throughout the state? No one can answer except to suggest, “When you say ‘Wisconsin’, You’ve Said It All!”