HISTORY
Thoughts By JS Lane
It was a grand Chivaree.
How many remember Chivaree back in the 1940s early 50s? I was an observer of two of them
but had nothing to do with the organizing of them. Not much organizing anyway, kinda like
lightning – it just happens. They were designed to disturb and rouse newlyweds. Chivaree comes from
the Louisiana French and migrated throughout the south.
On the wedding night the family and friends would gather outside the newlyweds house and
serenade them. The serenade consisted of banging on pots and pans, sometimes a siren, with an
occasional shot gun blast skyward. Some of the celebrants may have been a bit tipsy and became more
so as the Chivaree progressed.
This is one Chivaree that I remember and, so as not to embarrass their progeny, I will use only initials.
This was the marriage of J.N. and R. along about 1950 or 55. Sometimes things ran a bit slow in Boca
Grande, and they (the organizers) didn’t get around to the Chivaree until four or fi ve nights after the
wedding. The instigators (that’s better than organizers) were going down the streets announcing the
Chivaree.
These were mostly adults and they managed to stir up a
goodly crowd. I was 15 or 16 and joined right in, although
I didn’t have a clue. As I recall, J.N. and R. were living in an
apartment or small house behind Wickman’s. Along about
8 p.m. there was 60 to 70 people gathered outside their
house and the serenade commenced.
Banging on pots and pans, someone had a bugle,
fi recrackers, and there was lots of hollering, “COME OUT,
COME OUT, COME OUT.” From inside the house we
heard, “GO AWAY, WE AIN’T COMING OUT.” And the
reply, “WE’LL COME IN AND GET YOU.” Back and forth,
the gentle repartee went, all of it in good humor until
about 11 p.m. Then things began to get a bit more vocal
and a little ugly.
82 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE January/February 2020
Compiled by Marcy Shortuse
Photos from Boca Beacon archives
Jim Lane was 13 months older than the author (at right), John
“J.S.” Lane.