The lyrics were written by Robert N. Fitch of the class of 1909.
The song is played whenever a California athlete enters the playing field at the beginning (or after halftime) of an athletic competition, or after a touchdown is scored in football.
In football games, it is the final song played during the band's pre-game show, at which time the Cal Band marches from a concentric square formation into the script Cal.
The Cal Band typically plays the complete "Lights Out March" at the ending of a post-game concert for Cal sporting events that they attend.
In 1984, during STS-41-C, NASA mission control woke up the shuttle crew with "Fight for California" in honor of Ox van Hoften, who graduated from Berkeley in 1966.