Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven

Subject: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven (Fraternity Song)
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 06:00 PM

Took A little Trip
(Collected from Bob Hatcher, Phi Kappa Psi,
University of Texas)

Took a little trip to Heaven
To see the folks up there,
And they were all seated
Around the heavenly chair.
And when they were all lined up
Around the heavenly bar,
Each angel on his shirt front wore
A gravy bowl and star

Ya ya ya ya ya ya, ya ya ya ya ya
Ya ya ya ya ya ya, ya ya ya ya ya

Took a little trip to hades
To see the poor lost souls
The Phi Delts and the Phi Gams
Were squatting on the coals.
While the Phi Psi's were in velvet chairs
A watchin' all the fun.

Ya ya ya ya ya etc.

The Beta Theta Pi's were labeled duds
And placed upon the shelf.
When in walked ole Beelzebub,
The King of Hell himself.
He slipped the old-time friendly grip
And yelled aloud Hi Hi!
For he was charter member
And a damn good ol' Phi Psi.

Ya ya ya ya ya ya, ya ya ya ya ya
Ya ya ya ya ya ya, ya ya ya ya ya
Repeat

Boom!

Text from "Fraternity Songs" student paper collected by Judy Allred at the University of Texas in 1963.

More texts and variants to follow.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 06:17 PM

He Rambled
(Tune: The Rambling Wreck of George Tech)

[Quickly] A freshman came to college
And he thought he'd join a frat
But first he took a look around
To see where he was at
And just because he was the best
The town had ever seen
Why the colors he wore next day
Were scarlet, white and green.

He rambled up to heaven
Just to see the fellows there
And all the gang was loping up and down the golden stair
Some were smoking cigarettes
And some were dancing jigs
Everyone of them were friends of his
They were all Kappa Sig's

Well he rambled
He rambled
He rambled all around
In and out of town
Oh, he rambled
He rammmmbbleeeed
He rambled 'til he put the colors on

He had a talk with Moses
And he interviewed Saint Paul
He met the wives of Solomon
And kissed them one-and-all
And as they all lined up for drinks
Before the heavenly bar
Every angel on his on his shirt front
Wore the crescent and the star.

He rambled down to Hades
Just to see the lost poor souls
The SAE's and Sigma Nu's
Were roasting on the coals
The Beta and Delta U's
The sizzle had begun
While the Kappa Sig's in velvet seats
Were watching all the fun.

The Sigma's Chi's were laid aside
And placed upon the shelf
While in walked Beelzebub
The King of Hell himself
He gave them all a friendly grip
For he could not renege
Yes he was a charter member
And a damned good Kappa Sig

Adam was the first man
And the Kappa Sigma for kicks [?]
Solomon was the wisest man
That ever wore the pin
Alexander was alright
Except he had the itch
And if Julius Caesar comes to life
We'll pledge the son-of-a-gun.

Yes he rambled
He rambled
He rambled all around
In and out of town
Yes he rambled
He rambled
He rambled 'til they put the colors on

[Slowly] Many a Kappa Sigma
On his jersey from afar
Has had his path illumined
By the crescent and the star
We'll sing hurrah for Kappa Sig
We'll sing until we die
Yes, we'll sing hurrah for Kappa Sig
In heaven bye-and-bye.

Transcribed from an privately issued fraternity 78 record. Issued ca 1947.
The 2nd chorus is sung by Hoagy Carmichael. Carmichael had pledged
to Kappa Sigma in 1922.

The chorus of this version borrows from "The Derby Ram" and the 1902
song "Didn't He Ramble". See the following mudcat thread for info on the
"Ramble" song and the chorus:

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=33313


Listen to the record here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQHFXtybX6E



.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 07:49 PM

We took a little trip to heaven to see the folks up there
and they were all seated around the heavenly stair
and when they lined up for drinks before the heavenly bar
Each angel on his shirt front wore a handshake and a star.

We took a little trip to Hades to see the poor lost souls
The CK’s and the Aquilas were squatted on the coals
The AOE’s and Campus Club the sizzle had begun
While the ZAPhi’s were on velvet chairs watching all the fun

The TAE’s were labeled duds and placed upon a shelf
When in walked Father Doran the king of Hell himself
He slipped the old time friend grip and yelleda loud “Hi! Hi! ”
For he was a charter member and a damn good ZAPhi

Text retrieved from http://www.moreheadtekes.com/id20.html on December 19, 2009.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 08:01 PM

"THE BEEBEE SONG"

1
The Beebees had three husky sons:
Buster, Bill, and Bee;
And Buster was the best one
In the Beebee family.
He led his class in scholarship,
Was captain of football,
And when it came to track team
Why, he led them one and all.

2
He wandered down to old Tucson
And thought he'd join a frat.
He wandered all around the town
To see where they were at.
And just because he was the best
The town had ever seen, why
The colors that he wore next day
Were scarlet, white, and green.

3
He wandered up to heaven,
Just to see the fellows there.
And all the boys were loitering
Around the golden stair;
Some were smoking cigarettes
And some were dancing jigs,
But they all were loyal friends of his
They all were Kappa Sigs.

4
He looked up Brother Noah
And he interviewed St. Paul;
He met the wives of Solomon
And kissed them one and all.
And when they all lined up for
Drinks around the heavenly bar,
Why each angel on his shirt front
Wore the crescent and the star.

5
He wandered down to Hades
Just to see the poor lost souls;
The Alphas and the Betas
They were roasting on the coals.
The SAEs and Sigma Chis
To sizzle had begun,
But the Kappa Sigs on velvet seats,
Were watching all the fun.

6
The Phi Delta Thetas they were
Hanging by their ears,
And off their cheeks and down their
Chins ran briny drops of tears.
Our hero's heart within him yearned,
He said, "Well, I'll be durned;
We'll have to hang 'em up
And dry 'em out
They're too durn green to burn."

7
The Sigma Nus and Zeta Delts
Were tacked up on the shelf,
When in came old Beelzebub,
The king of hell himself;
He gave our friend the old time grip
For he could not renege,
'Cause he was a charter member
And a damn good Kappa Sig.
8
Oh, he rambled, he rambled
He rambled all around
In and out of town;
Oh, he rambled, he rambled
He rambled 'til they
Put the colors on. Bang! Bang!

Retrieved from https://www.uakappasigma.org/storage/media/loren-jackson-speech.pdf on July 24, 2024.
This preserves a song shared in 1996 by someone trying to teach the old songs of yesteryear.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: He Rambled
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 08:13 PM

He Rambled
(Tune-"He Rambled")
Words by Alpha-Xi Chapter

1
He rambled out to old U.C.
He thought he'd join a frat.
He thought he'd take a look around
To see where he was at;
Because he was a fellow
Of whom we'd all been told,
The colors that he wore next day
Were the Garnet and the Gold

Chorus:
He rambled, he rambled,
He rambled all around,
In and out of town,
He rambled, he rambled,
He rambled till he got the colors on.

2
He rambled up to Heaven
To see who all were there.
He saw the gang a-hangin' round
The foot of the golden stair.
Some were smoking cigarettes,
They all were feelin gay,
they all were damn good friends of his,
They all were PKA's.

Chorus

3
He rambled down to Hades
To see the poor lost souls,
He found a bunch of Beta Thets
A-roasting on the coals.
The Phi Delts and the Sigma Chi's
To sizzle had begun,
While the PKA's in velvet chairs
Were watching all the fun.

Chorus

The Shield and Diamond Containing the Songs of Pi Kappa Alpha. April, 1934. Pg 19.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 08:31 PM

ALPHA PHI

We wandered o'er to London town to see his majesty.
The Commons and the House of Lords were sitting down to tea.
When in walked the Prince of Wales, upon his face a frown:
He said, "Get up you bally blokes, let Alpha Phi sit down."

Chorus :

We're Alpha Phis
We bow to no other one.
We're always ready
To pledge all the girls
Who are tried, true and steady.

We wandered up to heaven to see the angels there.
And they were all a-standing around a golden chair.
And some were talking picture shows, and some were talking teas.
When in walked old St. Peter saying, "Here's to Alpha Phis."

Torontonensis. 1957. Pg 314. The University of Toronto yearbook.
This section of the yearbook gives "favorite songs" from various
fraternities & sororities each being titled to the fraternity or
sorority that contributed the song.

See online here: https://archive.org/details/torontonensis57univ/page/314/mode/2up?q=heaven

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 09:00 PM

"HONEY'S" RAMBLE SONG

The Song of the Convention Which all "Sigs" Should Know
Tune--He Rambled

He rambled to a college town
Thinking he'd make a frat,
So he looked around and looked around
To see where he was at;
And just because he was the best
The town had ever fed,
The colors that he wore next day
Were the purple and the red.

Chorus.
He rambled, he rambled,
He rambled all around,
In and out of the town;
He rambled, he rambled,
He rambled till the butchers cut him down.

He rambled up to Washington,
To see the fellows there,
And there was Teddy Roosevelt
In the presidential chair;
In came Billy Taft
Upon his face a frown,
Said he, "Ted my boy, why don't you get up
And let a 'Sigma Phi' sit down."

Chorus.

He rambled up to Heaven
To see the fellows there,
Some were loafing 'round
Upon the golden stair;
Some were smoking cigarettes,
Some were dancing jigs,
But they were all good friends of his
For they were good old "Sigs."

Chorus.

He had a talk with Moses,
He interviewed St. Paul,
Met the wives of Solomon
And kissed them one and all'
And when for drinks they gathered
Around the Heavenly mart,
Each angel on his shirt front wore
The dear old golden heart.

Chorus.

He rambled down to Hades
To see the poor lost souls,
The PKA's and Kappa Sigs,
Were roasting on the coals;
The Theta Gamma Delta's and KA's
To sizzle had just begun
The 'Sigma Phi's" on velvet seats,
Were watching all the fun.

Chorus.

The darn Phi Kap's were labeled bums
And laid upon the shelf
When in came old Beelzebub
The King of all himself;
He gave our friends the old time grip
For he could not defy
He was a charter member
And a Darn good "Sigma Phi."

--By "Honey."

The Sigma Phi Epsilon Journal. March 1, 1915. Volume XII, No. 3. Pg 263.

See online here: https://books.google.com/books?id=ExMTAAAAIAAJ&lpg=PA261&ots=JLrmMfQLbu&dq=%22He%20rambled%20to%20a%20college%20town%22&pg=PA261#v=onepage&q=rambled&f=false

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 09:29 PM

Rambling Song of T.K.E.
At a very lively tempo

He rambled to a college town,
He thought he'd made a frat.
He looked around and looked around
To see where he was at,
And just because he was the best
That ever came that way,
The colors that he wore hear day
Were cherry and the grey.

He rambled up to Heaven
To see the fellows there,
And there they were all loafing
Around the golden stair.
Some were smoking cigarettes,
And he was at his ease,
For they were all good friends of his
And frater T.K.E.'s.

He had a talk with Moses,
He interviewed St. Paul,
He met the wives of Solomon
And kissed them one and all.
And when with Cleopatra,
He floated down the Nile,
She said, "I like the Tekes the best,
They never cramp my style."

He rambled down to Hades,
To see the poor, lost soul.
The ATO's and Sigma Chis
Were roasting on the coals.
The Delta Taus and Delta Sigs
To burn had just begun,
While all the Tekes on velvet seats,
Were watching all the fun.

The Sigma Nus were labeled bums,
And laid upon the shelf,
When in came old Beelzebub,
The King of Hell himself.
He gave the boys a hearty grip,
And it was plain to see,
He was a charter member,
And a darn good T.K.E.

Adam was the first man,
To ever wear a pin.
Solomon was the wisest,
The Tekes have taken in.
Samson was a strong man,
But he had the itch.
If Julius Ceasar Came back to life,
We'd pledge the son-of-a-gun.

Songs of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Dr. Malcolmn Seagrave Editor. Revised edition, 1986. Pgs 6-7. Has words & music.

See online here: https://cdn.tke.org/tkeorg/files/file/song_book.pdf

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 10:48 PM

16th CONEVENTION SONG

Das Deutsche Haus Lied.--The Phi Chi Rambler.
Tune--"Didn't He Ramble".

He rambled into Medical School and thought he'd join a Frat.
He thought he'd look around awhile to see where he was at,
And just because he was the best the school had ever seen,
The colors that he wore next day, were good old white and green.

Chorus:
Well, didn't he ramble? He rambled,
He rambled all around, in and out of the town,
Well, didn't he ramble, he rambled,
He rambled till he put the colors on.

He rambled over to Washington, to find out who was there,
And Old Bill Taft was sittin' in the Presidential Chair.
Then in walked Teddy Roosevelt, and on his face a frown.
He hollered, "Gt up Bill, and let a good Phi Chi sit down". Cho--

He rambled up to Heaven, and stopped to rest his feet
And saw the gang a loafin' round upon the Golden Street,
And some were smokin' cigarettes, and some were swappin' lies--
Ev'ry darn one a friend of his, they all were good Phi Chis. Cho.--

He talked to old man Moses, and he interviewed Saint Paul,
He met the wives of Solomon, and kissed 'em one and all,
And when they all lined up for drinks, and called th whole gang in,
Each Angel on his white robe wore and large-sized Phi Chi pin. Cho.--

He rambled down to Hades, just to see the poor lost souls.
He noticed the Phi Beta Phis, as roastin' on the coals,
Another gang of poor Nu Sigs to sizzle had begun,--
The Phi Chi crowd on velvet seats were watching all the fun. Cho.--

The darn Phi Rhos were wrapped in gauze and laid upon the shelf.
The in walked Old Be-el-ze-bub, the King of Hell himself.
He gave our friend the old time grip and cmly winked his eye.
He was a charter member, and a mighty good Phi Chi. Cho.--

Ralph Moody Funkhouser, M '12.

Phi Chi Quarterly. Volume XI, Number 3. August, 1914 Pgs 184-185.

See here: https://books.google.com/books?id=OPASAAAAIAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA185&dq=%22to+heaven%22+%22to+hades%22+phi+OR+kappa+OR+gamma+OR+delta+song&hl=en#v=onepage&q=%22to%20heaven%22%20%22to%20hades%22%20phi%20OR%20kappa%20OR%20gamma%20OR%20delta%20song&f=false

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 11:28 PM

ADAM SONG

CHORUS
THE S STANDS FOR SIGMA, THE P FOR P-I, PI.
THE S STANDS FOR SIGMA, THE P FOR P-I, PI.
AND IF YOU LOOK AROUND YOU, OR GAZE INTO THE SKY.
YOU WILL SEE THAT NAUGHT IS WRITTEN, BUT THE NAME OF SIGMA PI.

ADAM WAS THE FIRST MAN TO WEAR A SIG PI PIN,
NOAH WAS THE SECOND, THEY HAD TO LET HIM IN,
MOSES WAS THE THIRD ONE, WE HAD A LOT OF FUN,
WHEN JULIUS CAESAR CAME ALONG, THEY PLEDGED THE SON OF A GUN.

CHORUS

HE RAMBLED DOWN TO U. OF D., HE THOUGHT HE'D JOIN A FRAT,
HE THOUGHT HE'D TAKE A LOOK AROUND TO SEE WHERE HE WAS AT.
BECAUSE HE WAS A FELLOW WE KNEW HE'D BE ALL RIGHT,
THE COLORS THAT HE WORE NEXT DAY WERE LAVENDER AND WHITE.

CHORUS

HE RAMBLED DOWN TO U OF D., HE THOUGHT HE'D JOIN A FRAT,
HE THOUGHT HE'D TAKE A LOOK AROUND TO SEE WHERE HE WAS AT.
BECAUSE HE WAS A FELLOW WE KNEW HE': BE ALL RIGHT,
THE COLORS THAT HE WORE NEXT DAY WERE LAVENDER AND WHITE.

CHORUS

HE RAMBLED UP TO HEAVEN TO SEE WHO ALL WAS THERE,
HE FOUND A BUNCH A-HANGING AROUND THE FOOT OF THE GOLDEN STAIRS,
SOME WERE SMOKING CIGARETTES, THEY ALL WERE FEELING HIGH,
THEY ALL WERE DAMN GOOD FRIENDS OF HIS, THEY ALL WERE SIGMA PI'S.

CHORUS

HE RAMBLED DOWN TO HADES TO SEE THE POOR LOST SOULS,
HE FOUND A BUNCH OF THETA XI'S A-ROASTING ON THE COALS,
FOR THE TEKES AMD THEATA TAUS THE SIZZLE HAD BEGUN,
WHILE SIGMA PI'S IN VELVET CHAIRS WERE WATCHING ALL THE FUN.

CHORUS

THEN IN CAME OLD BEELZEBUB, OF HELL HE WAS THE KING;
AND ALL THE LITTLE IMPS CAME IN AND THEY BEGAN TO SING.
THEY SAW THE GANG GIVE HIM A GRIP, AND THEN THEY HEARD THE CRY.
THAT HE'S A CHARTER MENBER AND A DAMN GOOD SIGMA PI.

CHORUS

NOW DON'T BE DISCONCERTED IF YOU MISS THE NARROW PATH.
OR IF YOU FLUNK YOUR MORALS LIKE YOU USED TO FLUNK YOUR MATH,
AND DON'T BE DISCONCERTED WHEN YOU HEAR THE FUNERAL KNELL,
FOR WE HAVE A STRONG ALUMNI IN THE VERY DEPTHS OF HELL.

CHORUS

From The James T. Callow Computerized Folkore Archive, University of Detroit Mercy Libraries.

Sorry for the ALL CAPS. It is in the source.

See online here: https://libraries.udmercy.edu/archives/special-collections/cfa/index.php?fl_id=9083

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 11:37 PM

Adam

Adam was the first man to wear the Phi Ep pin,
Socrates, the wise, was the next one in,
Napoleon, the third, although he had the itch
If Caesar were alive today
We’d pledge the son of a gun.

Oh, we are, we are, we are, we are, the boys of Phi Ep Pi,
We are, we are, we are, we are, the boys of Ph Ep Pi,
For we’re all jolly good fellows, And here’s the reason why,
We are, we are, we are, we are, the boys of Phi Ep Pi.

Now if I had a daughter, I’d dress her in scarlet and gray
And send her on the campus to cheer the boys all day
But if I had a son, boys, here’s how he would die
A rootin,’ tootin,’ shootin’ crap with the boys of Phi Ep Pi.

Sanua, Marianne R. Going Greek: Jewish College Fraternities in the United States, 1895-1945. Wayne State University Press, 2018. Project MUSE, https://doi.org/10.1353/book.61451.

See online here: https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/27/oa_monograph/chapter/2204507

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 24 Jul 24 - 11:49 PM

CLIO SORORITY SONG

We wandered up to heaven to see what there was there.
The Clios were all seated around the foot of the golden stair.
Some were smoking cigarettes,
And all were feeling gay.
Oh, they're all damn good friends of mine.
They're all Cio for Aye!
We wandered down to Hades
To see the poor lost souls.
The Alpha Delta and Theta Phi's were roasting on the coals.
the Arethuses' and Ago's sizzling had begun,
While the Clio's sat in velvet chairs
A-watching all the fun.

Ruth Lerman
Corland Normal '33

"College Songs That are Unprinted (For Obvious Reasons)" by Sherle R. Goldstone. 1934.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 25 Jul 24 - 12:12 AM

Drunken Beta

I'm a drunken Beta and I love my Haig and Haig
I love my Johnny Walker and I love my lady's leg
I love my beer and whiskey
I love my Rock and Rye
for I'm one of the drunken crew of Beta Theta Pi

Now if you see a pretty girl,you treat her just like this...
you put your hands upon her hips and on her lips a kiss
and if she starts to murmur and if she starts to sigh,
just tell her it's a sacred seal of Beta Theta Pi.

Now Adam was the first man to wear the Beta pin
and Socrates the wisest of all the earthly men.
Samson was the strongest although he had an itch
but if Julius Caesar comes along we'll pledge the son of a...

Betas raise your voices for everyone to hear your song
when every loyal heart rejoices
it's sounding chorus to prolong
it's sounding chorus to prolong
in ever grateful praise UN ending
TO BETA THETA PI
our voices ringing high a song...a song...
bold loud and long to Beta Theta Pi...
to Beta Theta Pi...
to Beta Theta Pi

........Followed by loud boisterous AHHHHHHH and a few Hoes

An email from [e-mail] dated Sep 9, 2000. Formatted for readability.

Retrieved from here: http://www.enron-mail.com/email/skilling-j/discussion_threads/_Drunken_Beta__1.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Took A Little Trip to Heaven
From: and e
Date: 25 Jul 24 - 12:17 AM

Here is a song we sing, called I'm a Lambda Chi
we yell the parts that are in all caps


I'm a Lambda Chi a hell of a guy and here's a toast to you
To hell with all the sigma chi's and all the phi sigs too
TO HELL WITH PIKES THEY'RE BONERS
and sigma alpha mu
and if ur not a Lambda Chi
to hell to hell with you

Adam was the first man to ever wear the pin
Solomon was the wisest we ever did let in
Sampson was the strongest but he developed the itch
If Ceaser were alive today we'd pin the son of a bitch

I'm a Lambda Chi a hell of a guy and here's a toast to you
To hell with all the sigma chi's and all the phi sigs too
TO HELL WITH PIKES THEY'RE BONERS
and sigma alpha mu
and if ur not a Lambda Chi
to hell to hell with you

Jesse James he wore the pin of dear old Lambda Chi
He rode into the town one night his need to satisfy
he pinched a squirly maiden and much to his surprise
there stood a blushing member of teh delta sigma phi

I'm a Lambda Chi a hell of a guy and here's a toast to you
To hell with all the sigma chi's and all the phi sigs too
TO HELL WITH PIKES THEY'RE BONERS
and sigma alpha mu
and if ur not a Lambda Chi
to hell to hell with you

Posted by DeLong990 on Aug 18, 2003 to the greekchat.com forum.

See here: http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-7967.html