Ole Miss and "Hotty Toddy," there just can't be one without the other.
It's one of many strong, proud traditions in the SEC.
While Rebel fans shout it anytime they get the chance, fans from other schools often wonder what the saying and chant even mean. It's actually a very good question.
That being said, let's dig a little deeper into the mythical "Hotty Toddy."
Where Are the Origins of "Hotty Toddy?"
While it's a great question, there's no definitive answer. The mystery is part of what makes it so unique.
Just call it the Eighth Wonder of the World.
That's right, there's no concrete answer that explains what "Hotty Toddy" truly means.
Among some of the more popular "suggestions" of origin floating around are that it was developed after the Virginia Tech Regimantal Band called The Highty Tighties, derived from a cheer used throughout World War II, associated with the description of a warm alcoholic drink or a term that referred to the perceived sentiment of the Ole Miss student body.
To many Rebel fans, the possible Virginia Tech connection may be a surprising one. While The Highty Tighties didn't officially receive their name until 1919, the regimental band actually dates back to 1892.
The Virgina Tech Regimental Band website states:
“By 1919, the Regimental Band began to be known as the Highty-Tighties. The origin of the name has been hotly debated for years — some claimed it was part of a cheer, others claimed it sprang from a trip to Richmond where the Corps and Band marched in honor of Field Marshal Foch, the supreme allied commander of WW-I. Supposedly the drum major had dropped and then recovered his baton while rendering a salute in front of the reviewing stand and someone in the crowd yelled hoity-toity. Southwest Virginia slang had supposedly turned this into Highty-Tighty.”
Actually as an official Ole Miss reference, the first documented evidence of the phrase (then written as "Heighty! Tighty!") appeared in a November 19, 1926 copy of the student newspaper, The Mississippian.
In the newspaper that day, the following words appeared:
Heighty! Tighty!
Gosh A Mighty!
Who in the h--l are we?
Rim! Ram! Flim! Flam!
Ole Miss, by D--m
Ever since the first print appearance in 1926, the Ole Miss cheer has just been passed down from generation to generation of Rebels fans. Today, only the spelling is different than it was in 1926. [ED COMMENT : No shit! The reason for that is . . . spelling ain't learned until 17th grade!]
Most importantly, it's the answer to "Are You Ready?"
Are You Ready?
Hell Yeah! Damn Right!
Hotty Toddy, Gosh Almighty,
Who The Hell Are We? Hey!
Flim Flam, Bim Bam
Ole Miss By Damn!
What's It Mean Anyways?
Outside of being part of the answer to the question "Are You Ready?," "Hotty Toddy" is also a way one Ole Miss fan greets another. It's no different than an Alabama fan saying "Roll Tide" or a Texas A&M fan shouting "Gig' em Aggies."