The Jabberwocks is the oldest a cappella group at Brown University .
7-548: The group began in 1949 as an offshoot of the traditional Men's Glee Club when four members decided to start their own independent singing group. In 1956, Brown Music Department chair Arlan Coolidge, frustrated that the group was getting bookings that would otherwise have gone to the Glee Club, referred to the Jabberwocks as "a misguided small group of students whose product is a type of vaudeville." The original Jabberwocks,
14-464: A double quartet, "wore grey flannel suits, white button-down oxford shirts, striped ties and white buck shoes, and travelled to out-of-town concerts in a 1928 Rolls-Royce ." The Chattertocks, a female a cappella group at the Pembroke women's college, began as a parody of the Jabberwocks in 1952. The Jabberwocks temporarily disappeared in 1975, was resurrected in 1980, and survived a brief period in
21-530: Is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs by trios or quartets. In the late 19th century it was very popular in most schools and was made a tradition to have in American high schools from then on. Glee clubs were named after a form of English part song , called a glee , which they typically sang. The first named Glee Club held its initial meeting in
28-713: The Newcastle Coffee House in London in 1787. Glee clubs were very popular in Britain from then until the mid-1850s but by then they were gradually being superseded by larger choral societies. By the mid-20th century, proper glee clubs were no longer common. Testifying to the importance of glee clubs in 19th Century America, Henry Stone, a Union veteran of the American Civil War , recalled that "A glee club came down from Chicago, bringing with them
35-565: The Tum-tum Tree (1990) The Sharpest Tools in the Shed (1992) Liz's Slingback Boots (1993–1994) Woonsocket (1996) Sermons and Soda Water (1997–1998) The Jabberwocks: Fiftieth Anniversary Anthology (1949–1999) Listening Session (2007) Breaking & Entering (2009) Jabbertalk (2013) Taking the Fall (2016) Roommates (2019) Glee Club A glee club
42-593: The mid-1980s when some singers tried to take the group professional. Over the decades the group's repertoire has ranged from 1950s doo-wop , to Motown to contemporary pop . For most of their history, the Jabberwocks were an all-male ensemble, with a brief co-ed period after Pembroke was merged into Brown in 1971. As of the fall of 2019, the group began accepting all genders and voices. The Jabberwocks of 1953 The Jabberwocks of 1956, Brown University Fascinatin' Rhythm (1958) A peace of ourselves (1969) Streetnight (1984) Hangin' Out (1988) Stylin' By
49-472: The new song, "We'll rally 'round the flag, boys" ( Battle Cry of Freedom ), and it ran through the camp like wildfire. The effect was little short of miraculous. It put as much spirit and cheer into the army as a victory." The term remains in contemporary use, for show choirs established in North American colleges , universities , and high schools, although most American glee clubs are choruses in
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