Buffalo "Shout" song unites generations of passionate Bills fans

For generations, the Buffalo Bills and the fans celebrate the score in a game with a song, but not any fight song-- it's an anthem that Western New Yorkers hold dear in their hearts. 

"It's a good song, it's good for the team, it's good for the players," Patrick Ruffino a devoted Bills fan and Chairman of the Buffalo Save the Shout Committee said. "It's just great for the community, it brings the community together." 

Ruffino played a major role in keeping the "Shout" song a tradition for generations. He created the Buffalo Save the Shout Committee in 1993 when the Bills administration announced they would not pay the $10,000 royalty to the Polaroid Company who bought the rights to the original song. 

Ruffino and the community jumped into action writing letters to the Bills front office and they appeared on local radio shows asking to have the Buffalo "Shout" song be the official song of the Buffalo Bills. Their efforts were even highlighted in national news organizations. 

According to Ruffino, the main message the committee wanted to get across to the administration was that many names and faces of managers and players change, but the 12th man is still here and the song should be too. 

Then owner, Ralph Wilson and the Bills organization realized how important the song was for the 12th man. Because of the fans' persistence and the help of the Buffalo Save the Shout song committee, the  Buffalo "Shout" song was played as the Bills stormed out of the tunnel on opening day, September 5th, 1993. 

The Buffalo "Shout" song was created by Scott Kemper. The original "Shout" song was created by the Isley Brothers in 1959. 

"I'm glad to hear that the Bills are still using the "Shout" song," Kemper wrote in an email. "I'm not surprised by this song's longevity, due to all of the emotion and passion for football and the Buffalo Bills that this "Shout" fight song evokes." 

To this day, the tradition lives on. 

"I think the Bills make the fans want to Shout," added Ruffino. "It's my favorite song." 

You can find the full song here.

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