For a brief time the song was sung to the melody of "Auld Lang Syne" before Langlotz wrote the music on demand.
[3] The winter 1858–59 issue of the magazine had offered a prize for a college song and Peck won.
[5] The lyrics were originally sung to the melody of "Auld Lang Syne", but William C. Stitt (Class of 1857), a student at the Princeton Theological Seminary found this arrangement unsuitable.
[7] Some such as Daily Princetonian journalist Jack Goodman question whether changing the lyrics of the Princeton alma mater would serve any real purpose.
[7] Sophomore Class of 1989 President David Littell helped lead the petition to gain 500 signatures for a referendum on the issue.
[7] In late February 1987, the student body rejected the revision by an 872 to 794 margin, but the vote was not considered to represent a quorum.
[7] As a result of insufficient opposition in the voting and inconclusive forums and polls, the revision was referred to the office of the president and board of trustees.