Colophon

This article was originally published in the UCSD Quarterly vol. 7, no. 3 - Summer 1984

Despite UCSD’s tender age, the archives sometimes give up interesting material. For example, verses for a school song, written by Sam Hinton but apparently never published, were found on University of California, San Diego letterhead listing Clark Kerr as university president and Building B as the address for UCSD’s administration. (Building B was the original designation given to what is now Urey Hall. At one time the building housed the majority of the UCSD administrative offices including that of the chancellor and most of the vice chancellors).

Hinton, an internationally known singer and composer of folk songs who once travelled with the Major Bowes Vaudeville Troupe, joined the UC system in 1944 as an editor-illustrator in the Division of War Research. Two years later he became director of the Scripps aquarium-museum, a position he held for 18 years. In 1964 he was named director of the Office of Relations with Schools (with an office in Building B) representing UCSD in all dealings with high schools, community colleges and other educational institutions. He retired from the university in 1980.

According to Hinton, the song verses were written in 1964 at the request of Dr. Ted Forbes, UCSD’s first dean of students. Forbes was taking a group of students to a meeting (probably involving students from all the UC campuses) and he was concerned that UCSD didn’t have a song. He suggested “Vive L’Amour” as a tune since the students would probably be singing it anyway.

What follows is what Hinton titled “Some Possible Verses for the ‘Vive L’Amour’ Song…”

Let’s drink to the Tritons, the bravest of men,
Vive la campagnie
For even their Freshmen can hang at least ten.
Vive la campagnie
Let’s drink to the Tritons so fearless and brave,
Vive la campagnie
At home when they’re reading, or riding the wave.
Vive la campagnie
The Tritons they dwell where the sea meets the sky,
Vive la campagnie
Their spirits not damp, their professors not dry.
Vive la campagnie
Let’s drink to the Tritons, so handsome and brave,
Vive la campagnie
They’ll wave at a figure, or figure a wave.
Vive la campagnie
The Tritons they live in the southland so far,
Vive la campagnie
Where their schooners forever sail over the bar.
Vive la campagnie
Let’s drink to the Tritons, both dead and alive.
Vive la campagnie
They can dive in the drink, or can drink in a dive.
Vive la campagnie
Let’s drink to the Tritons; they learn and they teach,
Vive la campagnie
And every man there is a son of the beach.
Vive la campagnie