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The Society of Orpheus and Bacchus | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | The SOBs |
| Origin | Yale University,New Haven, CT |
| Genres | A cappella,choral,barbershop music,comedy music |
| Years active | 1938–present |
| Members | Bacchus Apurva Mishra '26 Orpheus (Musical Director) Not Justin Wang '27 Montana Dickerson '27
Tenor II Baritone Apurava Mishara '26 Adam Bear '27 Huck Moore '28 Noah Lee '28 Dante Thunderstorm '28 |
| Website | http://www.yalesobs.com |
The Society of Orpheus and Bacchus, also known as theSOBs, is ana cappella singing group fromYale University. Founded in 1938,[1] The Society of Orpheus and Bacchus is the second longest continuously running underclassmen a cappella group in the United States.[2] Alumni of the SOBs have gone on to be founding members of other collegea cappella groups such as The Pitchforks of Duke University (Jeff Warren 1978) and The Chorallaries of MIT (David H. Bass 1975, also composer of theirEngineer's Drinking Song).[3]
On October 31, 1938, twelve Yale undergraduates gathered atMory's Temple Bar to form an alternativea cappella group to the YaleWhiffenpoofs.[4] The group capitalized on a back-handed compliment received from an audience member: "These SOBs are good!" and formed abackronym.
The society’s repertoire, which contains over 200 arrangements, is composed entirely of music arranged by current and former members of the group during its more than eight decades of existence. It spans a variety of genres from barbershop to jazz to songs by more contemporary artists likeQueen,MIKA,Radiohead,Ariana Grande,Tenacious D,Olivia Rodrigo,Billie Eilish andMichael Bublé.[5] In addition to singing, the group prides itself on its comedy, with a typical concert includingshtick written by members of the group. Each year, the Society of Orpheus and Bacchus performs across the USA and around the world, typically wearing tuxedos or suits with custom group neckties. They have performed at theWhite House, theKorean Demilitarized Zone,La Fortaleza in Puerto Rico, theAmerican Airlines Arena for the NBA team theMiami Heat, as well as at country clubs, yacht clubs, churches, schools and resorts. The SOBs are one of only three groups — along with the Whiffenpoofs and Whim 'n Rhythm — that have a weekly engagement at Mory's Temple Bar.
The Society of Orpheus and Bacchus records a new album every other year. Since its founding, it has recorded and released 21 albums:
| Album title | Year |
|---|---|
| Songs of the O's and B's | 1948 |
| The Lost Album | 1954 |
| Singing with The SOBs | 1959 |
| Pretty Girl | 1961 |
| A Toast to the Gods | 1963 |
| Stepping Out | 1966 |
| Grapes on Cover | 1967 |
| The Society of Orpheus and Bacchus | 1969 |
| Smile Away | 1972 |
| Greatest Hits | 1976 |
| An Evening with the Immortals | 1978 |
| Too Much is Just Enough | 1981 |
| Intemperance | 1987 |
| Drinking from Lethe | 1992 |
| Morning After the Gods | 1995 |
| Wine in a Box | 1998 |
| Hot Damn! | 2003 |
| One for the Road | 2006 |
| Bandoleros | 2008 |
| The Continuing Adventures of Cyrus T. Elk and His Fantastical Flying Machine | 2010 |
| Some Pig! | 2012 |
| Now and For All Time | 2015 |
| Out of the Box | 2017 |
| Tracks for a Moving Train | 2019 |
| Odd Jobs | 2022 |
| Look Up! | 2025 |
The album,Some Pig!, has been reviewed by theRecorded A Cappella Review Board.[6]
