- Strike Up the Band is a 1927 tune composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin (with Millie Raush) for the satirical Broadway musical Strike Up the Band.
- The piece is a rousing march that satirizes war and militaristic music; although the 1927 show was not a hit, the instrumental March from Strike Up the Band became well known.
- In 1936 the Gershwins donated a version called Strike Up the Band for UCLA, which became a major school rally song and the leitmotif for UCLA teams; the Gershwin name is honored at UCLA with a lifetime achievement award.
- The 1930 Broadway revision by Morrie Ryskind reshaped the book and added new songs, including Soon and I’ve Got a Crush on You, while the title tune remains a popular stand-alone overture in concert programs.
- Notable recordings and appearances include Bing Crosby (1956), Ella Fitzgerald (1959), Tony Bennett (1959), Rosemary Clooney (1979) and the Boston Pops, making Strike Up the Band a recognized American march and pop standard in the Gershwin catalog.
