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This video begins with Winston Salem State University's cheerleaders throwing (performing) the cheer "Go SU Go".
From around .26 to 1:28 in this video, the cheerleaders sing "It's So Hard To Be A Ram" along with other people at the football game. That song is led by a man in the stands as an expression of school spirit & pride.
That song is accompanied by individual hand claps, waving one or both hands, and other non-cheerleader associated motions. It seems to me that that the band is playing a different song then this song.
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a video that includes an example of Winston Salem State University (WSSU) 's song "It's So Hard To Be A Ram" . Other links to online examples of that YouTube videos that includes this song are also included to this post.
Partial lyrics to WSSU's song "It's So Hard To Be A Ram" are included in this post along with my speculation and other's comments about the meaning of that saying.
This post also points out that the first verse* and probably other verses to "It's So Hard To Be A Ram" are adaptations of floating verses that are found in certain African American Spirituals. An example of one of those Spirituals are included in this post.
This post also provides information about the term "floating verse" and provides an example of the floating verse that was adapted to form the first verse of "It's So Hard To Be A Ram".
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the unknown composers of the floating verses for the Spirituals and for WSSU's song. Thanks also to all those who are featured in this embedded video and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this embedded video on YouTube.
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*The words for the chorus of WSSU's song "It's So Hard To Be A Ram" are also adaptations of certain Spirituals. Also, the tune for that chorus is similar to the tune that is used for the Spiritual "Jesus Is A Rock In A Weary Land" and certain other Spirituals. However, that chorus' adaptation is more pronounced than the verses' adaptations.
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Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with WSSU and I have never heard this song sung other than in YouTube video clips.
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[Chorus]
Oooo Oooo
It's so hard to be a RAM
It's so hard to be a R. A. M. S.
RAMS!
[Verse #1]
Lead - I wouldn't be an Eagle [or insert another team's name]
Others- No!
I'll tell you the reason why
Others- Why! Why! Why!
Lead- 'Cause I was a Ram all of my life
And I'll be a Ram till the day that I die
Chorus
Verse #2
???
The second verse and other verses for that song have the same structure as the first verse. However, I haven't been able to decipher most of those words to the second verse that is sung in several YouTube videos.
The only words that I can decipher in the second verse that is sung in this vide (and in other videos) are:
Lead- ????
I'll tell you what I'll do
Others- What! What! What!
Lead- ????
???? SSU
It's likely that there are fixed words for that second verse, just like the words to the first verse have become fixed. However, since lyrics to African American Spirituals were traditionally improvised, since WSSU's song "It's So Hard To Be A Ram" was based on Spirituals, it's possible that some lyrics to that song can also be improvised.
When I get to heaven
I'll tell you what I'll do
I'll walk around those streets of gold
That look like SSU
INFORMATION AND COMMENTS ABOUT WSSU'S "IT'S SO HARD TO BE A RAM" SONG (AND SAYING)
That song and saying are expressions of the pride that WSSU students and others have for that university.
The Rams is the name for WSSU's athletic teams. I think that the saying and lyrics "It's so hard to be a ram" mean that being a Ram means to be successful in all that you do, to excel, and not everyone has what it takes to do that.
Here are two comments https://www.unigo.com/colleges/winston-salem-state-university/reviews which express these points:
Attending Winston-Salem State University was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It's a great well rounded school, and the atmosphere there is undefeated nor can it be found on any other campus. I love the people, the environment, and the opportunity WSSU provides. Each and every day I see why it's so hard to be a ram! Go rams!!"
**
"Jada
I love my school overall!!! It may not be a luxurious or big as other schools, but that doesn't matter because my HBCU is the real deal. At my school were ramily (ram family). We look out for each other and don't let anyone else come for us because then you got the whole school coming for them. Academically I know that some professors are doing their job because they want to see us make so they stay on top of us about being in class and doing our work to pass. We have our flaws, but who doesn't. The school system and the people who work there sometimes make me angry but I wouldn't trade the school for the anything else. This is where my heart and my home is and our culture is true and real which I don't see anywhere else."
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Here's an excerpt from that provides some information about WSSU's saying "It's So Hard To Be A Ram" from
https://hbcugameday.com/2017/08/21/so-hard-to-be-a-ram-why-are-you-here-wssu-football/ "DOCUMENTARIES: So Hard To Be A Ram: Why Are You Here?" By Steven J. Gaither, Posted on August 21, 2017
...."The title of the web-series/documentary “So Hard To Be A Ram” comes from the school’s unofficial fight song. It was also the title of an earlier documentary shot 10 years ago by my late friend Jonathan Wedlock, a former football player who passed away earlier this year way too soon. This is a tribute to him as much as anything."...
THREE LINKS TO BRIEF CLIPS OF ITS SO HARD TO BE A RAM" IN OTHER YOUTUBE VIDEOS
The links to these videos are given in no particular order.
1. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch1hxwY-rrU&ab_channel=DrLock1007
"So Hard To Be a Ram (Movie Preview)
DrLock1007, May 9, 2007
[0 -.30 in this video]
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2.
2014 WSSU Homecoming Cheerleaders, So Hard to Be a R.A.M.
Artistry Photography, Oct 18, 2014
[0-.47 in this video]
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J6TYEy01Nw&ab_channel=HBCUGameday "So Hard To Be A Ram: No. 1 with a Bullet"
[0-.22 in this video]
DEFINITION OF "FLOATING VERSES"
Here's a definition of "floating verses" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_blues_verses
"Traditional blues verses in folk-music tradition have also been called floating lyrics or maverick stanzas. Floating lyrics have been described as “lines that have circulated so long in folk communities that tradition-steeped singers call them instantly to mind and rearrange them constantly, and often unconsciously, to suit their personal and community aesthetics”...
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"Floating Verses" is a term that has been mostly used to refer to Blues. However, that term can also be used to refer to certain verses that are found in Spirituals and Gospel and the same or other verses that are found in children's recreational rhymes, and/or other genres of music.
"I would not be a sinner" is the first line for the WSSU song "It's So Hard To Be A Ram". That verse is a very common floating verse in certain African American Spirituals.
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ONE EXAMPLE OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN SPIRITUAL THAT INCLUDES THE FLOATING VERSE THAT WAS ADAPTED FOR THIS WSSU SONG
(Chorus)
Jesus is a rock in a weary land
A weary land
A weary land
Jesus is a rock in a weary land
A shelter in the time of storm
Verse #1
I would not be a sinner.
I'll Tell You The reason why.
I'm afraid my Lord might call my name.
And I wouldn't Be ready to die."
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/david-w-carter-choir-jesus-is-rock-in.html for the pancocojams post entitled "David W. Carter Choir- "Jesus Is A Rock In A Weary Land" (African American Gospel song with contemporary lyrics & with older lyrics for this song)".
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