The Anatomy of Big Ten Fight Songs

Overview and Dataset

This project examines Big Ten fight songs using two visualizations. The main visualization is a circular volvelle comparing compositional features across schools. The second visualization isolates one lyric feature and tracks it over time.

Data source: FiveThirtyEight Fight Songs dataset (Big Ten subset).

Main visualization: how to read the volvelle

Each school is one slice of the circle, ordered by tempo (bpm).
Spokes represent Identity (blue), Chantiness (gray), and Aggressiveness (black).
Spoke length indicates level: inner ring = absent, middle ring = noticeable, outer ring = dominant.
Inner squiggles group songs by tempo using Italian tempo terms.
Hover to view school name, song title, and BPM.

Fight Song Composition (Volvelle)

The volvelle compares fight songs using three compositional categories derived directly from the dataset. Tempo is shown separately as a musical attribute.

Data analysis

Each compositional category is constructed from specific binary variables in the dataset.

Aggressiveness is based on victory and win_won, which indicate whether the lyrics include the words “victory” or “win/won.”
Chantiness is based on rah, nonsense, and spelling, which capture chant syllables, non-lexical sounds, and letter-by-letter spelling.
Identity is based on colors, men, and opponents, which reference school colors, collective identity, and named rivals.

Variables within each category were combined into a single score and grouped into three levels: absent, noticeable, and dominant. Tempo (bpm) is displayed separately.

The Word “Fight” Over Time

The second visualization focuses on explicit use of the word “fight” in fight song lyrics.

How to read the timeline

Each point represents one song.
The x-axis shows year of composition (year).
Point size reflects number_fights.
Color indicates absent, noticeable, or dominant usage.

Data analysis

This visualization uses year and number_fights only. Songs are grouped by how often the word “fight” appears.

The pattern varies across periods and is presented descriptively.

Data Sources and Tools

Dataset: FiveThirtyEight Fight Songs
Tools: Python, pandas, Plotly