Why the Band Matters

To many Michigan football fans, they may simply be one part of the whole, a branch off the tree of tradition. To others, they are something to be mocked or ignored because they're just entertainment when there isn't football. But that isn't really true. The Band Matters. The Band matters because it is the only thing that can give you chills when you think about Michigan football. You can remember amazing plays, amazing games, the sights, the feeling, the images of a particular game, but it is the band that is providing the soundtrack to those moments. It isn't preprocessed, it's not prerecorded, but it is preselected. Every action at a Michigan football game has a sound that is associated with it. Whether it's "Temptation" on third down stops or it's "The Victors" trio after a touchdown, it enhances the context and connects one generation of player to the next and one generation of fan to the next, weaving a deft sonic tapestry throughout all of the years and reminding us that in the hearts of many Wolverines, their favorite song, whether they are willing to admit it publicly or not, is 110 years old next month.

Is it more important than any other part? Probably not, but it is certainly the equal of the Winged Helmet, the Block M, and the Big House. It may not be why we watch, but it is certainly part of the reason we keep coming back. That's why the Band Matters.