The Whiffenpoofs

The Yale Whiffenpoofs are the oldest collegiate "a cappella" group in the United States, established in 1909. [http://www.yale.edu/whiffenpoofs/history "The Reverend James M. Howard ’09, "An Authentic Account of the Founding of the Whiffenpoofs"] ] Best known for "The Whiffenpoof Song", based on a tune written by Guy H. Scull (Harvard 1898) and adapted with lyrics by Meade Minnigerode (Yale 1910), [http://www.yale.edu/whiffenpoofs/history/ "The Reverend James M. Howard ’09, "An Authentic Account of the Founding of the Whiffenpoofs/The Whiffenpoof Song."] .] the group comprises senior men who compete in the spring of their junior year for 14 spots. [Brozan, Nancy, "Whiffenpoofs: 'Gentlemen songsters' still," Special to the New York Times. New York Times. (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: Apr 20, 1987. pg. C.12. ISSN: 03624331. ProQuest document ID: 956358391.] ] The business manager and musical director of the group, known in Whiff tradition respectively as the "Popocatepetl" and "Pitchpipe" [Brozan, Nancy, "Whiffenpoofs: 'Gentlemen songsters' still," Special to the New York Times. New York Times. (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: Apr 20, 1987. pg. C.12. ISSN: 03624331. ProQuest document ID: 956358391.] ] are chosen by members of the previous year's group, although an alumni organization maintains close ties with the group.

The Whiffenpoofs have performed for generations at a number of venues, including Lincoln Center, the White House, the Salt Lake Tabernacle, Oakland Coliseum, Carnegie Hall and the Rose Bowl. The group has also appeared on television shows such as "Jeopardy!", "The Today Show", "Saturday Night Live", "60 Minutes", "Gilmore Girls" and "The West Wing".

Throughout the school year, the Whiffenpoofs traditionally perform Monday nights at Mory's, known more formally as "Mory's Temple Bar," circulating from room to room singing. [Watson, Ben "Music made in England: Mondays at Mory's," Yankee. Dublin: Jul/Aug 2001.Vol.65, Iss. 6; pg. 65. Source type: Periodical. ISSN: 00440191. ProQuest document ID: 74227092.]

The Whiffs' best-known alumnus may be Cole Porter, who sang in the 1913 lineup of the Whiffenpoofs when he was a student at Yale. Today the group often performs Porter songs in tribute.

The Whiffenpoofs donate part of their proceeds each year to the [http://www.yale.edu/whiffenpoofs/literacy/ Whiffenpoof Children's Literacy Initiative] , which aims to create 15 literacy centers in 12 countries, including the U.S. They travel extensively during the school year and take a three-month world tour during the summer. At one time most members were full-time students, but today many members take all or part of the year off and are effectively full-time professional Whiffenpoofs.

The word "whiffenpoof" originated in the 1908 opera "Little Nemo" by Victor Herbert, based on the comic strip "Little Nemo in Slumberland" by Winsor McCay.

The Whiffenpoof Song

The Whiffenpoof Song, the group's traditional closing number, was published in sheet music form in 1909. It became a hit first for Rudy Vallee in 1927 and later in 1947 for Bing Crosby. It has also been recorded by Elvis Presley, Count Basie, Perry Como, the Statler Brothers and countless others. Mory's refers to Mory's Temple Bar and Louis to a former owner of Mory's. The chorus is derived from the poem “Gentlemen Rankers” by Rudyard Kipling, which was set to music by Guy H. Scull (Harvard 1898) and adapted with lyrics by Meade Minnigerode (Yale 1910). [http://www.yale.edu/whiffenpoofs/history/ "The Reverend James M. Howard ’09, "An Authentic Account of the Founding of the Whiffenpoofs/The Whiffenpoof Song."] .] It was featured on the opening sequence of the TV Series "Baa Baa Black Sheep".

The chorus was also used in the movie "12 O'Clock High" with Gregory Peck. It can be heard being sung in the background after the unit receives its first unit commendation.

The Whiffenpoof Song
To the tables down at Mory's,
To the place where Louis dwells,
To the dear old Temple Bar
We love so well,

Sing the Whiffenpoofs assembled
With their glasses raised on high,
And the magic of their singing casts its spell.

Yes, the magic of their singing
Of the songs we love so well:
"Shall I, Wasting" and "Mavourneen" and the rest.

We will serenade our Louis
While life and voice shall last
Then we'll pass and be forgotten with the rest.

We are poor little lambs
Who have lost our way.
Baa! Baa! Baa!
We are little black sheep
Who have gone astray.
Baa! Baa! Baa!

Gentlemen songsters off on a spree
Damned from here to eternity
God have mercy on such as we.
Baa! Baa! Baa!

Variations

Musical satirist Tom Lehrer spoofed the "Whiffenpoof Song" as part of his song "Bright College Days." Lehrer, a professor at Yale's traditional rival Harvard University, sings of "glasses raised on high" and of drinking a toast "to those we love the best," to rhyme with "we'll pass [as in 'pass the final exams'] and be forgotten with the rest." He also sings "to the tables down at Mory's, "wherever that may be"...," evoking a laugh from the Harvard auditorium crowd at the live recording.

In 1973, the Harvard Krokodiloes first performed the group's own spoof of the song, known as the "Krokenpoof Song," with Harvard-specific lyrics, tongue-in-cheek references, bawdy variations involving references to Whiffenpoofs and sheep, rhymes such as "We'll drink lemonade Drambuie" in place of "We will serenade our Louis," and ending with "Baa, baa, humbug!"

References

External links

* [http://www.yale.edu/whiffenpoofs/ Whiffenpoofs Official Site]
* [http://www.cfhf.net/lyrics/baa.htm About The Whiffenpoof Song and Baa Baa Black Sheep]