Walk into Boone Pickens Stadium on a Saturday in the fall and you'll feel it. It’s a vibration. Before the kickoff, before the sea of orange starts screaming, there’s this specific brassy blast that cuts through the Oklahoma wind. Most people call it "Ride 'Em Cowboys." If you’re an alum, it’s basically your second national anthem. The Oklahoma State University fight song isn't just a catchy tune to fill the silence between plays; it’s a living, breathing piece of college football history that has survived name changes, conference realignments, and over a century of Bedlam battles.
Honestly, it’s kind of wild how much a single song can dictate the mood of a 60,000-person crowd. You've probably heard it a thousand times if you follow the Big 12, but the story behind those notes is a bit more complicated than just "play the music when we score a touchdown."
The Strange Evolution of "Ride 'Em Cowboys"
The song didn't just appear out of thin air when the school was founded. Back when the university was still known as Oklahoma A&M—yes, the Aggies—the musical identity was a bit of a moving target. The melody we all know today as the Oklahoma State University fight song actually has roots in a 1905 march titled "The Spirit of Liberty" by J. Clyde Pound.
It wasn’t until later that it was adapted into the fight song we recognize. Most people don’t realize that "Ride 'Em Cowboys" actually borrows its rhythmic DNA from a song called "The Land of the Sky Blue Water." It’s a bit of a musical patchwork. But that’s the thing about college traditions; they aren't usually "born" in a boardroom. They’re usually cobbled together by students and band directors who just wanted something that sounded loud enough to annoy the opposing team.
A Tale of Two Songs
While "Ride 'Em Cowboys" is the main event, OSU actually has two major musical pillars. You have the fight song for the adrenaline, and then you have "The Waving Wheat" for the soul. During the fourth quarter, or after a particularly big play, you’ll see the entire stadium swaying their arms. It’s supposed to mimic the wind blowing through a wheat field. It’s subtle. It’s rhythmic. And if you’re a visitor, it’s honestly a little intimidating to see 50,000 people moving in perfect unison like a human tide.
The Lyrics Nobody Can Forget (And One Part People Get Wrong)
The lyrics are simple, but they’re punchy.
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"Ride, ride, ride, ride,
Ride 'em Cowboys,
Right down the field;
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Fight 'em Cowboys, and never yield!"
It’s not Shakespeare, but it works. The most important part? That "Go! State!" yell at the end. If you miss that, you’re basically outing yourself as a casual fan. There’s also the "OSU" chant that follows, which is usually led by the cheerleaders on the platforms. The cadence of the Oklahoma State University fight song is designed to build tension. It starts with that rapid-fire "Ride, ride, ride, ride" which builds into the booming "Fight!"
A common misconception is that the song was written specifically for the football team. In reality, the Cowboy Marching Band (The CMB) plays it for everything from wrestling matches—where OSU is historically dominant—to basketball games at Gallagher-Iba Arena. If you’ve never heard the fight song echoed off the white maple floors of GIA, you haven't really heard it. The acoustics in that building turn the brass into a literal wall of sound.
The Role of the Cowboy Marching Band
You can't talk about the song without talking about the people who play it. The Cowboy Marching Band is the engine. They take the field with a precision that’s honestly a bit terrifying if you think about how many hours they spend in the Oklahoma heat practicing those turns.
The band was founded way back in 1905. Think about that. That's before Oklahoma was even a state. They’ve seen the transition from Oklahoma A&M to OSU in 1957. They’ve seen the stadium grow from a small field to the "brightest orange" cathedral it is today. When the CMB plays the Oklahoma State University fight song, they do it with a specific tempo. Some schools drag their fight songs out into slow marches. Not State. They keep it fast. It’s meant to keep the energy up, which is vital when you’re trying to maintain a home-field advantage in one of the loudest stadiums in the country.
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Why It Hits Different in Stillwater
Stillwater is a true college town. There’s no pro team down the street. There’s no major metropolitan distraction. When the fight song plays, it’s the heartbeat of the town for that Saturday.
- The Walk: Before the game, the team walks down Hester Street. The band is there. The song is there.
- The Kickoff: The build-up as the kicker approaches the ball is usually accompanied by a drum roll that leads right back into the main theme.
- The Score: Every time Pistol Pete fires his guns after a touchdown, the brass kicks in immediately. It’s a Pavlovian response at this point; you hear the gun, you start singing.
The "Pistol Pete" Connection
Frank Eaton, the real-life inspiration for Pistol Pete, used to be a fixture at the school. While the song doesn't mention him by name, the "Cowboy" identity is so tied to Eaton’s legacy that the song feels like an extension of his personality. It’s rugged. It’s aggressive. It doesn't apologize. When the band plays the Oklahoma State University fight song while Pete is spinning his lariat or firing those 10-gauge shotguns, it creates a visual and auditory brand that is arguably one of the strongest in the NCAA.
Comparing OSU to the Rest of the Big 12
Look, every school thinks their song is the best. OU has "Boomer Sooner" (which they play... a lot). Texas has "The Eyes of Texas." But "Ride 'Em Cowboys" has a different "vibe." It feels less like a formal hymn and more like a call to arms. It’s got a bit of a western swing influence if you listen closely to the bass lines, which fits the Stillwater aesthetic perfectly.
Interestingly, many fans of other schools have admitted—usually privately—that the OSU fight song is one of the "catchier" ones in the conference. It doesn't rely on a repetitive loop as much as some others do. It has a distinct beginning, middle, and end.
Understanding the "Bullet" Factor
We have to talk about Bullet. The spirit rider on the black horse. When that horse sprints across the field after a score, the band has to time the Oklahoma State University fight song perfectly with the run. If the timing is off, the magic is gone. But when that horse hits the 50-yard line right as the trumpets hit the high notes of the chorus? That’s the peak of the college football experience. It’s pure theater.
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Making the Most of the Experience
If you’re heading to Stillwater for the first time, don't just sit there when the music starts. Even if you don't know all the words, the "Go! State!" part is mandatory.
- Arrive Early: The pre-game performance by the CMB is where you get the full, unadulterated version of the song without the crowd noise drowning out the woodwinds.
- Watch the "Waving Wheat": It usually happens during a break in the fourth quarter. It’s the best photo op in the stadium.
- Stay for the Alma Mater: After the game, win or lose, the team stands in front of the student section to sing the Alma Mater. It’s a slower, more somber moment, but it provides the perfect bookend to the high-energy fight song.
The Oklahoma State University fight song is more than just a melody. It’s a tether to the past for thousands of alumni and a source of pride for a town that lives and breathes orange. Whether it’s echoing through the halls of the Student Union or blasting over the speakers at a baseball game at O'Brate Stadium, it’s the sound of Stillwater.
Next time you hear those opening notes, take a second to realize you’re listening to over a century of tradition packed into about sixty seconds of music. It’s not just a song; it’s the soul of the Cowboys.
To truly appreciate the tradition, your next step should be to look up a recording of the Cowboy Marching Band's "pre-game" performance. Specifically, look for the 2023 or 2024 versions on YouTube to hear the modern arrangement. If you’re a musician, you can find the sheet music arrangements through the OSU library archives to see how those complex brass harmonies are actually built. For the full experience, book a ticket for a home game—preferably a night game—and stand near the paddle people. You won't just hear the song; you'll feel it in your chest.