If there is one thing to be true this October, it is this: you have either been living under a rock, or you know this month is The Appalachian’s 90th anniversary. For the last nine decades, The Appalachian has been bringing the Boone community and student population news, announcements, opinions and more. And you know what they say — everyone deserves a theme song. With the countless changes to The Appalachian and App State as a whole, it seems only fair for the evolution of each decade to be reflected through a theme song.
1930s: “Begin the Beguine” by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra (1938)
The beginning years of the newspaper could not be more different from today. Whether it be a variety of cigarette ads, an ad for Cottrell’s Quick Lunch saying, “Eating with us is like making love to a widow — you can’t overdo it” or questionable advice to freshmen, there are certainly aspects that would not fly in today’s society. However, some things never change; there was still a large amount of construction happening around campus and town 90 years ago. Regardless of any potentially problematic parts of this decade’s papers, it was still the beginning of a legacy.
1940s: “Don’t Fence Me In” by Gene Autry (1944)
The 1940s were full of new advancements to Appalachian State Teachers College — Student-Faculty Government Association, a multitude of club gatherings and female students were finally allowed to attend nighttime movies. With so many improvements and new allowances for women, it only made sense for the song of this decade to be a classic, all about being free and doing what you want.
1950s: “Blue Suede Shoes” by Elvis Presley (1956)
Beginning fairly early in the decade, there was a strong emphasis on editorials and opinion writing. Throughout multiple issues of the paper, a quote was written at the top of the editorial section: “Although I may disagree with everything you say, I will defend until death your right to say it.” The focus on opinion pieces continued throughout the decade, with comics, columns and comments galore. “Blue Suede Shoes,” a song all about Elvis Presley’s priceless dedication to his shoes over all else, including the line “slander my name all over the place,” fits the focus of editorials and the 1950s perfectly.
1960s: “Walk On By” by Dionne Warwick (1964)
The Appalachian throughout the 1960s covered numerous topics. Sections were introduced or brought back, including “Pick the Winners” for sports and “The Fifth Appalachian Literary Supplement.” The paper became longer, with small features and news blurbs throughout each edition. It was an exciting time in Boone, made far more exciting in 1967 when Dionne Warwick performed on campus. Because of this event, naturally, the theme song of the 1960s had to be by Warwick herself.
1970s: “We’ve Only Just Begun” by The Carpenters (1970)
The 1970s was a busy time for Boone and App State students. Student Government Association elections were underway, a budget council was created and James Dickey came to Boone. There was a stronger focus on campus and town news, such as the dedication of Walker Hall to John Walker and the expansion of the Watauga County Hospital. Additionally, a large piece was written regarding Title IX and the reduction of discrimination based on sex. It was only fair for such an innovative decade to have a theme song all about personal growth and adventure.
1980s: “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds (1985)
The 1980s editions were filled with news for students in multiple forms. Calendars were present in multiple copies, letting the students know about upcoming events happening around campus. The classifieds section was also prominent throughout the decade, giving readers the inside scoop on everything available in Boone. Multiple editions also included “The Appalachian Features,” in which the most recent news in the media was documented. This hit song by Simple Minds is an easy choice for this decade, as The Appalachian ensured no student would forget about events, opportunities or Hollywood news.
1990s: “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by The Verve (1997)
As the country grew significantly during the 1990s, The Appalachian followed suit. In-depth reporting became quite prominent during the decade, with many stories being longer and more detailed than they were in previous years. “Newsbriefs” were incorporated in multiple print copies, giving students quick details of events occurring around campus, while the majority of the rest of the paper was dedicated to longer articles and advertisements. “Bitter Sweet Symphony,” a song all about the dichotomy of life, accurately depicts the short vs. long aspects of The Appalachian through the 1990s.
2000s: “Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga (2009)
In the 2000s, The Appalachian began to incorporate many more interactive components to the paper, including polls, quizzes and students’ thoughts about certain topics, as seen in the Sept. 6, 2007, edition. In the Feb. 13, 2007, edition, a section entitled “I Can Read” was published, which included a photo of a student reading The Appalachian. It reads, “If this is you in the picture, come in and claim your free T-Shirt from the Student Publications office upstairs in the Plemmons Student Union. Make sure you bring a copy of ‘The Appalachian’ with you.” Due to the myriad of interactive components during the 2000s editions, especially the candid photo in “I Can Read,” the theme song choice is clear.
2010s: “Better Than Words” by One Direction (2013)
A large focus was put on both photos and graphics in the 2010s editions of The Appalachian. When Barack Obama was reelected, the front page was completely dedicated to it, with a large photo of Obama at the forefront. In multiple issues thereafter, the graphics were the focus of the covers, and by 2016, the entire front cover was a photo or graphic. These images easily drew readers in, potentially more than just words would have. “Better Than Words,” while not explicitly about The Appalachian, is still an accurate representation of the decade.
2020s: “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” by Taylor Swift (2021)
In the decade of the 90th anniversary, The Appalachian continues to produce entertaining, fair and influential content. The front covers continued to have a graphic focus, with some editions having the beginning of the corresponding story on the front page. Nowadays, the photos continue to be the entirety of the front cover, with previews for what’s to come listed or incorporated in the image. An eye-catching front cover is all a reader needs to pick up a copy of the paper and immediately be drawn in by the previews, thereby spending much more time than anticipated pouring through the whole edition. Because of this, the theme song for the current decade was obvious — a long-awaited masterpiece.
