Ole Miss football games are soundtracked by a familiar refrain.
Between touchdowns, canons and cheers exists a six-line sonnet that has proven especially memorable in Oxford, Miss.
Hotty Toddy has been a steady part of the Rebels' game day routine for the better part of a century. The chant is a rhythmic one, filled with whimsy, intensity and camaraderie like few other war cries in the nation.
So, just what does Hotty Toddy mean? AllSportsPeople gives you the inside scoop on all things related to Ole Miss' signature phrase.
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Hotty Toddy meaning at Ole Miss
Dubbed the "unified holler of Ole Miss fans" by the Magnolia Tribune in 2024, Hotty Toddy is the Rebels' beloved rallying cry. Its origins are mysterious, having first been published in Ole Miss student newspaper The Mississippian (now known as The Daily Mississippian) in 1926.
It's something of a mating call amongst Rebels enthusiasts, a classic call-and-response chant that exists in a similar space to other famed slogans like Mississippi State's "Hail State" and Alabama's "Rammer Jammer." The chant itself is always preceded by a simple query: "Are You Ready?!"
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The ensuing dialogue flows like honey, each word growing more memorable than the last.
Hotty Toddy chant lyrics
The Hotty Toddy lyrics are as follows:
"Are you ready?!
Hell, yeah! Damn right!
Hotty Toddy, Gosh Almighty
Who the hell are we we? Hey
Flim Flam, Bim Bam
Ole Miss, by Damn!"
Hotty Toddy hand sign
Hotty Toddy is undoubtedly a full-body experience. It grasps at three different senses at once. Those who deliver the chant don't merely see and hear it. They feel the rhythm, too, courtesy of a hand gesture. Most fans who utter the phrase do so while pulling off the landshark or "Fins Up", a simple signal which sees users point their hand sideways and bring it up to their head to mimic a shark's fin underneath waves.
The gesture began in 2008 when then-linebacker threw it up after corralling then-Rebels quarterback Jevan Snead multiple times during a summer practice.
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"Fins Up" was born, a tradition that has paired harmoniously with the Hotty Toddy chant over the years.
Why does Ole Miss say Hotty Toddy?
It's unclear why the Rebels have grown so fond of Hotty Toddy. Its meaning is muddled, with different Ole Miss supporters delivering different definitions of the term.
Some think it's a play on the phrase hoity-toity, perhaps a reference to the high-brow nature of tailgating typically present at Vaught Hemingway Stadium, the Rebels' home ground.
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There's also the case of the Hot Toddy, a tea-like cocktail that tends to feature hot water, lemon, honey and your choice of dark liquor. Some believe the chant is a nod to the famous spirit. It's quite possible that Rebels enthusiasts delivering the phrase do so as liquid courage seeps into their bellies.
There is some evidence that the phrase is derived from World War I-era banter. Still, all roads to the tagline's origins are shrouded in dust and fog. One thing is for certain, though: Ole Miss students have no interest in retiring the chant any time soon.
When did the Hotty Toddy chant start?
As previously mentioned, the first published use of Hotty Toddy took place in the mid-1920s. It is likely that the phrase was around for some time before then.
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The cheer was initially known as "Heighty Tighty", with its lyrics slightly altered compared to its present-day version. Here's a look at the chant in its initial form, per Magnolia Tribune.
Hell, yeah! Damn right!
Heighty Tighty, Gosh Almighty,
Who The Hell Are We? Hey!
Flim Flam, Bim Bam
Ole Miss By Damn!
Is hot toddy drink related to Ole Miss?
The hot toddy is not believed to be related to the Ole Miss chant. However, the warm alcoholic beverage is a favorite of fans at The Grove and figures to feature prominently in the fanbase's pregame rituals, particularly when temperatures drop.
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