<P> The "Rammer Jammer Cheer" is a traditional cheer . The lyrics originate from The Rammer - Jammer, a student magazine in the 1920s, and the yellowhammer, Alabama's state bird . The term "yellowhammer" was originally used to describe Confederate soldiers from Alabama who wore bright yellow cloth on their uniforms; when the soldiers marched into the city of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, supporters of the Confederacy cheered them with the chant "yellowhammer, yellowhammer ." During and after the American Civil War, the term continued to be used and Alabama became known as the "Yellowhammer State ." </P> <P> The cadence of the cheer was adapted from the Ole Miss cheer "Hotty Toddy" after then Ole Miss marching band director Dr. James Ferguson was appointed director of the Million Dollar Band . The cheer was long referred to as "Ole Miss", and today the drum major's signal is still the motioning of one arm in a full circle (an' O'). </P> <P> The cheer was a pregame ritual until the early 2000s, chanting "We're gonna' beat the hell out of you!", but this was considered unsportsmanlike and banned . The university also briefly forbade the Million Dollar Band from playing it after games, because of its taunting nature . The move was met with a significant amount of criticism . In a vote at Homecoming 2005, the question was posed to students of whether the cheer should be banned . 98% of students voted in favor of keeping the cheer . Before the university's attempt to remove the cheer, it was played before kickoff and at the end of the game . The cheer is now only played in the closing minutes when victory is certain, and is traditionally chanted twice . On at least one occasion (during Alabama's victory over Auburn in the 2008 Iron Bowl, Alabama's first in the series since 2001), it was repeated an additional four times to signify the breaking of the 6 - game losing streak to Auburn . After Alabama's victory over the Florida Gators in the 2009 SEC Championship Game, as well as after Alabama's victory over the Texas Longhorns in the 2010 Citi BCS National Championship Game, the cheer was played nine times . Depending on what team Alabama is playing, the Million Dollar Band and fans will call out to the opposing team by chanting the team's mascot with the exception being Auburn University; they do not refer to them as the Tigers, just as Auburn . </P> <P> In other instances, the nickname of the opposing team is substituted; for instance, a victory over the University of Tennessee would change the opening lyrics to "Hey Vols!" (short for Volunteers, the nickname / mascot for the University of Tennessee) Also, when the cheer was played before kickoff, fans would replace the lyrics "We just" with "We're gonna ." The cheer is no longer played before kickoff; however, there are a few special occasions where the cheer is played before a football game . One such instance occurs when Alabama plays Tennessee in Knoxville . The night before the football game, the Alabama Alumni Association hosts a riverboat cruise in which Alabama alumni from all around reunite for a night . During the two trips the riverboat cruise takes over the course of the night, the Million Dollar Band members that are a part of the cruises' pep band will play the Rammer Jammer cheer in the direction of other boats on the river flying a Volunteers' flag . Within the Million Dollar Band, there is taboo around singing the words outside of an actual Crimson Tide victory . When the cheer is played in these situations, members of the band simple play the notes and mime the motions of the cheer without saying any of the words . </P>

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