<P> The fight song, as played today, has been shortened to begin with the words "Yea Alabama"; however, the original version had a verse that went at the beginning . The original version did not have "Roll Tide, Roll Tide!" at the end, but was added as a chant immediately following the last line of the song . </P> <P> Amusingly, the song refers to several "traditional" opponents, but two of them are no longer part of Alabama's opponent roster . Georgia Tech ("Yellow Jackets") left the SEC in the early 1960s, and has only infrequently filled one of the non-conference game slots, and The University of the South Tigers (also called Sewanee) withdrew from the SEC in 1940, de-emphasized athletics, and no longer competes at the Division I level . Georgia ("Bulldogs"), like Alabama, is a member of the SEC, but the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs are in different divisions and play each other only once every six years, unless the schools meet in the SEC Championship Game . </P> <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>

Where does rammer jammer yellow hammer come from