Bright College Years
words by H. S. Durand, 1881
music by Carl Wilhelm

Bright college years with pleasure rife,
The shortest, gladdest years of life;
How swiftly are ye gliding by!
Oh, why does time so quickly fly!
The seasons come, the seasons go,
The earth is green or white with snow,
But time and change shall naught avail
To break the friendships formed at Yale.

In afteryears, should troubles rise
To cloud the blue of sunny skies,
How bright will seem through mem'ry's haze,
Those happy, golden, by-gone days!
Oh, let us strive that ever we
May let these words out watchcry be,
Where'er upon life's seas we sail:
"For God, for Country, and for Yale!"

Lyrics from Official Yale Athletics site; Sheet music available via the Yale Glee Club; MP3 available (sung by the New Varsity Quintet) via Old Oligarch's Painted Stoa who also notes that the tune is the same as Die Wacht am Rhein, which was sung in Casablanca.

Other Yale Fight Songs can be found on the Yale Precision Marching Band page. Where's my white hanky...

UPDATE: The Yale Alumni Magazine has an article about the song. You can also hear a MIDI version of the German song at this page.