Whistling
Was driving along in the car and listening to XTC’s Fossil Fuel when Generals and Majors came on, at which point it struck me that you just don’t seem to hear anyone whistling in songs any more.
While the art form undoubtedly reached its peak with Brian Ferry’s nonchalant pursing of the lips in Roxy’s cover of Jealous Guy some 40 years ago, surely the rest of the world can’t have given up.
Anyone think of more recent examples or perhaps foolish enough to argue that Whistling Jack Smith’s I Was Kaiser Bill’s Batman is somehow superior to RM’s Lennon tribute?
Diddley Farquar says
2006? Young folks
Twang says
James Taylor on the wonderful “Hourglass” album.
Those with my”Decades” album will hear the Twang whistle on track 2. On Spotify, kids.
myoldman says
Heard this on the radio the other day for the first time in an age. Top whistling !
Vincent says
Surely AW icons?
bigstevie says
It’s not a ‘lost’ art to me..It’s a ‘never been able to’ art to me. 2 songs in my little repertoire require whistling – “It’s Saturday Night” by The Proclaimers and “Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard” by Paul Simon. I make my excuses before playing them, and tell the audience to fill in for me.
fitterstoke says
Bit of Roger Whittaker, then…
Martin Hairnet says
Multi-track whistling from Peter Gabriel, Hugh Padgham and Steve Lillywhite evokes a military mood in Gabriel’s first UK top ten hit.
Eyesteel says
Recent, you say? How about last month? A lovely bit of exotica from Molly Lewis…
Lemonhope says
March was a good month for whistling
This is the new one from LP, I think this would make a good Eurovision song
Lemonhope says
This is her most well known [and Afterword friendly] track, with some nice dog calling whistling
Rigid Digit says
I can’t whistle – just do a passable impression of Pob when I try.
So I damn to hell anyone who can make a chirpy noise through pursed lips
(not really …)
May not be the best, but first one I thoght of
Guns n Roses – Patience
Twang says
I’m actually really good at whistling. I can whistle Charlie Parker bebop solos. And do!
Moose the Mooche says
What do you want to bother with that rubbish for? Why don’t you whistle some proper tunes?
…er….
Gary says
And piss on the goons in the jungle.
Rigid Digit says
Noah And The Whale – 5 Years Time
Beezer says
Sapristi nabolas!
Moose the Mooche says
Not to forget The Whistling Spy Enigma….
Billybob Dylan says
featuring Otis Redding on whistling solo.
Sewer Robot says
One of the greatest ever and Otis does all the heavy lifting with the vocal, but I thought it was a matter of record that he couldn’t do the whistling bit and a stunt whistler was subbed in..
Moose the Mooche says
The seasons don’t fear stunt whistler
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain
Billybob Dylan says
Have you heard the outtakes? I’ve got a version of SOTDOTB somewhere and Otis fails miserably at the whole whistling thing. Maybe the released version did feature a stunt whistler?
Moose the Mooche says
There are outtakes on It’s Not Just Sentimental. Can’t remember whether the ’tis pulled up at Whistler’s Brook.
moseleymoles says
House classic from Frankie Knuckles obvs a sample but a great group whistle
davebigpicture says
Paul Simmonds’ take on Farage and Brexit
TMTCH: The Amazing Carrier Bag
Martin Hairnet says
I’m not sure whether it is real or synthesized, but the plaintive whistling interlude during Underworld’s ‘And I Will Kiss’, played during the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, was a truly beautiful and memorable moment.
Starts around the 8.30 mark on this vid.
Kaisfatdad says
Excellent thread!
I googled and came up with this..
And was reminded of the mighty Toots Thieleman.
Duetting and whistling with a great Dane: Birgit Lystager.
Kaisfatdad says
The wikipedia page on Whistling is excellent.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistling#In_music
There re quite a few superstitions conned with whistling. Not least The Seven Whistlers.
Whistling is so big in India that there is an Indian Whistlers Association.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa7YlLGSvqM7aaMM2u8S_6Q
Here’s Swetha Suresh
Nibin
Goodness Gracious Me! That was impressive!
Moose the Mooche says
Uncharacteristically sweet stuff from Parliament. George Clinton can’t sing but he can sure’s hell whistle. Yes sir.
Kaisfatdad says
He certainly can! Exquisite!
Locust says
I’m guessing you’ve never listened to Andrew Bird then?
Moose the Mooche says
I only recently got round to this album. It’s quite magnificent.
Locust says
Indeed – some of his finest work (yet)… 😉
duco01 says
Yeah … all ten tracks are superb. It’s very rare that you get that in an album.
Black Celebration says
Is there a Beatles song with whistling in it? If there is I can’t think of one right now.
Mrbellows says
We don’t write about mountains, George.
Jaygee says
@Mrbellows
That’s right.
As any fule kno, Donovan invented mountains
SteveT says
Donovan really needs to make his mind up.
Kaisfatdad says
Good question Black!
The article below mentions how Macca whistled at the end of a track, When the Wind is blowing. Pretty tune.
Interesting story.
https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2015/05/watch-paul-mccartney-whistle-the-melody-from-all-day-15-years-ago
Martin Hairnet says
There’s whistling at the end of The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill.
Mrbellows says
Whistling in popular songs is easy compared to actually speaking a line, now that is dicey and I don’t know who has managed to pull that off mid drift without the audience collectively cringing. I’m looking at you, Martin Fry.
bigstevie says
Try John Prine. Lake Marie.
Jaygee says
Or Phil Oakey in the Human League’s Louise
fentonsteve says
Or in Love Action. “This is Phil talking…”
Moose the Mooche says
And then there are those fellows in caps and jackets that just talk all the way through their songs, with no singing at all! I don’ know how it’s allowed.
retropath2 says
Strangely missing from the Dave Edmunds version….
Timbar says
The 12 inch Warp Mix shows off Madness’s whistling skills.
Jaygee says
Thought there was sure to be whistling hidden away somewhere amongst Frank Sinatra’s or Bing Crosby’s biggest hits, but there’s hardly anything.
Moose the Mooche says
Bing Crosby whistles towards the end of one his his minor hits, er, White Christmas.
Jaygee says
White Christmas!
White Privilege more like
Diddley Farquar says
I think there could be some whistling on Metal Machine Music, if you listen carefully. Might be a kettle.
hubert rawlinson says
Looking for an album that one of our number had posted elsewhere.
I found that Andrew Bird had recorded this.
Whistle along.
Leedsboy says
Fannies whistling is always a treat.
Lemonhope says
The words, ‘Fannies whistling’ are written in this forum and go unremarked upon – I never thought I’d live to see the day.
Have an up, Sir.
Moose the Mooche says
I missed Fannies whistling.
On this thread, and generally.
Leedsboy says
There are videos on the internet…
Leedsboy says
It’s a cracking song as well.*
* pun intended
VernierCaliper says
Can’t post a clip, but the the track Jesse on the Janis Ian album Stars features very mellow whistling courtesy of, if memory serves, one V. Martin Fink.
Kaisfatdad says
There you go @VernierCaliper.
Beautiful song which I’d never heard before. The whístling gives it a rather spooky feel.
Some very heartfelt comments under the clip. Several people who had a dog called Jessy.
Pessoa says
Remember that there is whistling on this?
Moose the Mooche says
A bit of whistling at the end of this gawge tune.
Kaisfatdad says
That Gawge tune was not available in Sweden. What was it?
This slightly less gawge tune was…..
Die Woodys ought to bring us all down to earth!
Kaisfatdad says
This gorgeous Japanese song by Kyu Sakamoto has a whistling bit in the middle. In fact it’s a song about whistling.
The notes are rather good.
“The title Sukiyaki, a Japanese hot pot dish, has nothing to do with the lyrics or the meaning of the song; the word served the purpose only because it was short, catchy, recognizably Japanese, and more familiar to most English speakers. A Newsweek columnist noted that the re-titling was like issuing “Moon River” in Japan under the title “Beef Stew.””
The only song in Japanese to ever top the Billboard charts.
Mrbellows says
Here’s your actual Paul McCartney. I don’t know if he did anything with this but he should have if he didn’t.
https://fb.watch/5oukrAQxXD/
Black Celebration says
Nice – thanks for that👍
fentonsteve says
Molly Lewis was on Radio 4 this morning.
Kaisfatdad says
That is quite astounding, Steve.
Exotica lives!
Moly would be very at home with Peruvian star Yma Sumac!
Lando Cakes says
Surprised no mention of Betty Boo’s whistling classic, Where Are You baby?
Beezer says
This is one of the best pop records ever made.
I have danced to this on more than several occasions. I might do so again.
Lando Cakes says
And the Beach Boys short but lovely Whistle In:
Lando Cakes says
Lastly, here’s Jackie Leven doing a marvellous rendition of Marble City Bar, complete with some ace whistling:
retropath2 says
This intriguing singer specialises in whistling at loose moments in her songs.