The Sons of the Pioneers did several songs for the John Ford movies Wagon Master (in 1949) and Rio Grande in (1950).
The six members who made the Sons of the Pioneers famous in the late 1930s with their close-harmonied western style music were elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980. In 1995, they were inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
In 1977, the Smithsonian designated the Sons of the Pioneers as "national treasures". Through many changes to the line-up, the Sons of the Pioneers have continued to perform.
Whiffenpoof Song
Sons Of The Pioneers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the place where Louie 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 it's spell
Yes, the magic of their singing of the songs we love so well
"Shall I Wasting" and "Mavourneen" and the rest
Then we'll pass and be forgotten with the rest
We're poor little lambs who have lost our way
Baa, baa, baa
We're little black sheep who have gone astray
Baa, baa, baa
Gentleman songsters off on a spree
Doomed from here to eternity
Lord have mercy on such as we
Baa, baa, baa
The Whiffenpoof Song is a well-known tune originally sung by the a capella group The Whiffenpoofs of Yale University. The lyrics, as sung by the Sons of the Pioneers, speak of a group of friends gathering together to celebrate at several different bars. They mention beloved establishments such as Mory's and the Temple Bar, and they express their love for the Whiffenpoofs, who are known for their magical singing that enchants all who hear them.
Despite the joy and happiness expressed in the first stanza, the lyrics take a melancholy turn in the second. The singers describe themselves as "poor little lambs who have lost our way" and "little black sheep who have gone astray." They acknowledge their own mortality and the inevitable fading of their legacy after they pass away. The final stanza of the song has a mournful tone, with the singers resigned to their doomed fate as "gentleman songsters off on a spree."
The song is apparently about the Whiffenpoofs, a male a cappella group at Yale University that was founded in 1909. The group has a long history and has often been described as the oldest collegiate a cappella group in the USA. The group was named for a mythical dragonfish called a whiffenpoof, which was mentioned in a poem called "Jest 'Fore Christmas" by Rudyard Kipling. The song has been covered by a variety of artists, including Rudy Vallee, who had a hit with the song in 1927.
Line by Line Meaning
To the tables down at Mory's
To the tables at a bar called Mory's
To the place where Louie dwells
To the area where our friend Louie lives
To the dear old Temple bar we love so well
To the beloved bar named Temple Bar
Sing the Whiffenpoofs assembled with their glasses raised on high
Sing with the Whiffenpoofs as they raise their glasses high
And the magic of their singing casts it's spell
The power of their singing is enchanting
Yes, the magic of their singing of the songs we love so well
Their singing of our favorite songs is mesmerizing
"Shall I Wasting" and "Mavourneen" and the rest
They sing songs like "Shall I Wasting" and "Mavourneen" among others
We will serenade our Louie while life and voice shall last
We will sing for our friend Louie as long as we live
Then we'll pass and be forgotten with the rest
When we die, we'll be forgotten like everyone else
We're poor little lambs who have lost our way
We're lost and naive like little lambs
Baa, baa, baa
(sound of sheep)
We're little black sheep who have gone astray
We're like black sheep who have wandered away from the herd
Gentleman songsters off on a spree
We're sophisticated singers enjoying a night out
Doomed from here to eternity
Our wild and carefree ways will continue forever
Lord have mercy on such as we
We ask for mercy for our sins and mistakes
Baa, baa, baa
(sound of sheep)
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TOD GALLOWAY, TOD B GALLOWAY, MOSS HART, MEADE MINNIGERODE, GEORGE S POMEROY, RUDY VALLEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fox8945
I'll never betray your blood promise.
@adambolger3269
Swans somehow made this beautiful old song sound absolutely sinister.
@adambolger3269
1:23
@arafatnote92
To the tables down at Mory's
To the place where Louie 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 it's 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 Louie while life and voice shall last
Then we'll pass and be forgotten with the rest
We're poor little lambs who have lost our way
Baa, baa, baa
We're little black sheep who have gone astray
Baa, baa, baa
Gentleman songsters off on a spree
Doomed from here to eternity
Lord have mercy on such as we
Baa, baa, baa
@jwippernaut7148
Ha dang thanks for posting this. I've always wondered what song was looped on the live version of Blood Promise.
@Petrichor_bleu
Happy to find Swans' lovers here. Love ya
@disc1513
Great sound. Thanks for sharing
@takashimizutani1808
We are poor little lambs who have lost our way
@ShredCo
Neat.
@inxygold
michael u gold