Talk:The Whiffenpoofs/Archives/2013

Untitled
Please don't take this as a troll or flame bait, but at Georgia Tech, we have a Glee Club whose student organization charter dates back to 1906, having never been suspended. Doesn't this seem to conflict with the Whiffenpoof's claim to being "the oldest collegiate singing group in the nation"?

For that matter, Glee Club lists several groups who date back to the 1850's or so, some of which have been in continuous operation. Bigpeteb 17:31, 21 Apr 2005 (UTC)


 * The article actually refers to the Whiffenpoofs as the oldest collegiate a cappella group, which can be considered a different type of group than a glee club. A glee club is essentially a chorus and usually quite large, and they often sing to musical accompaniment. An a cappella group is generally smaller (no more than 20 people and usually around 8-12), with more complicated arrangements and absolutely no accompaniment, although some more modern groups often (to the horror of purists) feature vocal percussion and other human-made sound effects.


 * Incidentally, the Whiffenpoofs themselves were originally formed as the varsity quartet of the Yale Glee Club. --Gstevens99 19:38, 19 August 2005 (UTC)

Within the Collegiate A Cappella movement, the Whiffenpoofs are recognized as the earliest group. There are many collegiate Glee Clubs that are older. Glee Clubs are usually large 30-80 person choruses while A Cappella singing groups have 10-20 members. Mileage 05:28, 23 August 2007 (UTC)mileage

Should we, perhaps, post the text of (either here, or on a seperate article) The Whiffenpoof Song?


 * "We are poor little lambs who have lost their way. Baa. Baa. Baa." --Wetman 01:29, 2 April 2006 (UTC)

Bright College Days
Tom Lehrer used some of the words of the song in his parody of college nostalgia songs: "To the tables down at Mory's, wherever that may be" and "we'll ... cheat on the exams, and we'll pass, and be forgotten with the rest." Did he use any of the tune? —Tamfang 05:23, 28 September 2007 (UTC)


 * Surely, though, Lehrer is primarily spoofing a different song, "Bright College Years?" Dpbsmith (talk) 17:08, 30 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Could well be. The lines cited by Tamfang, though, are sung with the same melody as the Whiffenpoof song. Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? 17:26, 30 July 2008 (UTC)