The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #172334   Message #4171137
Posted By: and e
29-Apr-23 - 08:29 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: On The Steps of I.U (Bawdy College Song)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: On The Steps of I.U (Bawdy College Song)
23. On The Steps

Judging by the large number of texts collected at Michigan State
University between 1947 and 1956, this song seems to have been enormously
popular on that campus. Thirty-six -variants were submitted to the
archives there, several being dated as early as 1944. Prior to this field
collection eight texts had been previously recorded at Indiana University.
One text from Ohio Wesleyan University (#5 A) has also turned up. The place
name of the institution mentioned in the opening line varies considerably,
often being cited as MSU, IU, "Med School," or various dorms; or running
over a long list of fraternities and sororities such as Phi Psi, DU (most
common at Michigan State), Phi Delt, "Sammy," Theta, and Chi Omega.

An anonymous text collected at Indiana University in 1957 adds an
extra two line variation:

...Who could be it’s father, maybe it's you,
Just another bastard son of Sigma Alpha Mu.
And who could be its mother, maybe it's you.
Just another girl gone down for Sigma Alpha Mu.

Another variant, collected by Eleanor Stafford at Michigan State in 1947,
changes the ending to: "Just another Phi Delt blamed on old Psi U,"
Gershon Legman thinks this song is most popular among college
girls. [Personal conversations, November, 1963.] His contention is
supported by the texts turned in from Michigan State students,
more than two being submitted by girls for each one from boys,
though it is not meant to be suggested thereby that it is noticeably
uncommon in the repertoire of the college male.

The melody commonly used is given below:


Page 147 of Richard Reuss An Annotated Field Collection of Songs from the American College Student Oral Tradition

Music is on the pg 158. See the link to confirm the tune.