'The Bengals Growl' is the Bengals fight song, and its been so since the NFL came to Cincinnati
After the Cincinnati Bengals score during home games, two things happen Paul Brown Stadium is filled with a polka like tune that has been sung since the team was founded.
And then the Who Dey chant is proclaimed.
Together they can be considered the team's fight song (play Todd Rundgren's "Bang the Drum All Day" to complete the post touchdown trilogy), and both have become connected to the city beyond football.
"The Bengals Growl" was written by George "Red" Bird in 1968. He was Paul Brown's former neighbor when he lived in Massillon. Before Brown ever coached the Ohio State Buckeyes, Cleveland Browns and founded the Bengals, he spent eight years building one the state's most famous high school programs at Washington High School in Massillon.
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Once written and recorded, Brown brought it to Cincinnati where it has been played after every Bengals touchdown in Cincinnati.
What are the lyrics to the Bengals fight song?
Here's how to sing "The Bengals Growl"
Hear that Bengal Growlin’
Mean and angry,
Hear he comes a prowlin’,
Lean and hungry.
An offensive brute,
Run, pass or boot,
And defensively,
He’s rough … tough.
Cincinnati Bengals,
That’s the team we’re going to cheer to victory,
Touchdown Bengals,
Get some points up on the board and win a game for Cincinnati.
The Who Dey Chant
How the Who Dey started is up for debate. But it began in the 1980s and beer may have been involved.
Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Company just may be responsible for the chant. Bengals great, and radio announcer, Dave Lapham explained in the 2015 article:
"... beer vendors and bartenders selling Hudepohl at Riverfront Stadium and at bars across Cincinnati began shouting, Hudy or HuDey for the beer name as that bears a phonetic similarity to who they."
Cincinnati Bengals schedule
Week 1: Bengals 27, Minnesota Vikings 24
Week 2: Chicago Bears 20, Bengals 17
Week 3: Bengals 24, Steelers 10
Week 4: Bengals 24, Jacksonville Jaguars 21
Week 5: Green Bay Packers 25, Bengals 22
Week 6: Bengals 34, Detroit Lions 11
Week 7: Bengals 41, Baltimore Ravens 17
Week 8: New York Jets 34, Bengals 31
Week 9: Cleveland Browns 41, Bengals 16
Week 11: Bengals 32, Raiders 13
Week 12: Bengals 41, Steelers 10
Week 13: Los Angeles Chargers 41, Bengals 22
Week 14: San Francisco 49ers 26, Bengals 23
Week 15: Bengals 15, Denver Broncos 10
Week 16: Bengals 41, Ravens 21
Week 17: Bengals 34, Kansas City Chiefs 31
Week 18: Browns 21, Bengals 16
Wild-card round: Bengals 26, Raiders 19
Divisional round: Bengals 19, Tennessee Titans 16
AFC Championship Game: Bengals 27, Chiefs 24
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals fight song: Who Dey and Cincinnati Bengals Growl