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Songs

The following songs were performed by the M&Cs, one of five a cappella groups at Mount Holyoke College. Click the song title to view the song lyrics and play the song.

Alma Mater

Click here to download. (1.8 MB mp3)
Words by Gertrude Brady, class of 1914
Music by Gladys F. Pratt, class of 1914

Oh, Mount Holyoke, we pay thee devotion,
In the fervor of youth that is strong,
The courage of right is thy garland,
Our lives, Alma Mater, thy song.
So from east and from west now we gather,
And united in firm love to thee,
All years are as one, and their loyal pledge
Mount Holyoke forever shall be,
Mount Holyoke forever shall be.

Thro’ the heart of a new day’s endeavor,
Breathes the life of the old days that live,
For what thou hast given we honor,
But we love thee for what we can give.
So when soft in a whisper thou callest,
For the treasures unlocked by the key,
Our achievement, our hopes, and our glorious faith
Shall answer, Mount Holyoke to thee,
Shall answer, Mount Holyoke to thee.

Bread & Roses

Click here to download (2.8 MB mp3)
Music by Mimi Farina
Words by James Oppenheim

(Revised by members of the class of 1990, May 25, 1990)

As we go marching, marching
in the beauty of the day,
A million darkened kitchens,
a thousand mill lofts gray,
Are touched with all the radiance
that a sudden sun discloses,
For the people hear us singing:
Bread and Roses! Bread and Roses!

As we go marching, marching,
we battle too for men,
For they are women’s children,
and we’ll march with them again.
Our lives shall not be sweated
from birth until life closes;
Hearts starve as well as bodies:
Give us Bread, but give us Roses!

As we go marching, marching,
unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing
their ancient call for bread.
Small art and love and beauty
their drudging spirits knew,
Yes, it is bread we fight for —
but we fight for Roses, too!

As we go marching, marching,
we bring the greater days.
The rising of the women means
all humankind we raise.
No more the drudge and idler —
ten toil where one reposes,
But a sharing of life’s glories:
Bread and Roses! Bread and Roses!

(Chorus after 4th verse)
Our lives shall not be sweated
from birth until life closes;
Hearts starve as well as bodies:
Bread and Roses! Bread and Roses!

Fractured Alma Mater

Click here to download (810 KB mp3)

Oh, Mount Holyoke we pay thee tuition,
In the fervor of youth that’s gone wrong.
Each year it goes higher and higher,
My God, Alma Mater, how long?
So from barroom to bedroom we stagger,
And united in free love for all.
Our drinks are too strong,
And our morals wrong.
Mount Holyoke what’s happening to me-e-e,
Mount Holyoke what’s happening to me?