When I was a lad most grown ups whistled – at the risk of turning this post into a ‘70s comedy sketch caricature it was true that the majority of the usual suspects – postmen, milkmen, bus drivers would be at it (ooh you are awful!). Seems to be a bit of a dying art these days at least publicly.
I’m no great whistler; to be honest it’s less Roger Whittaker and more an insipid tongue between the teeth ‘ssss’ sound. But when doing mundane tasks say morning ablutions, emptying the washing machine (hey I’m a modern man I’ll have you know) I often find myself whistling and it’s always Fly Me to the Moon. I occasionally add in some jaunty tempo changes and jazzy runs which in my head are mighty impressive although to anyone unlucky enough to be in earshot is probably more akin to air leaking out of a party balloon.
So what’s your go to tune?
He’s half barmy, so’s his army!
Possibly because he was one short in the testicular department…
I can modestly say I’m a rather good whistler. I like jazz tunes – Charlie Parker solos, the sax from Take 5 etc.
I used to be able to emit an ear piercing whistle with fingers in the corner of the mouth but I can’t do it any more.
Can’t go wrong with a bit of siffleur superbe Ronnie Ronalde. Worth reading for his effect on Roy Roger’s Trigger*
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/ronnie-ronalde-music-hall-artiste-famous-for-his-whistling-and-yodelling-9993733.html
* not a euphemism.
I always pick up CDs by David Morris whenever I see them in charity shops. Try whistling this tune.
That’s not normal.
At the risk of cliché, I tend to fall back on a range of Workers’ Playtime style light classics, made for whistling…
…oh: and So What – and, inevitably, whatever I’ve been listening to most recently…
Me too, such as this…love the sudden splurge of blue notes in the middle.
Or indeed this.
Or this.
It’s extraordinary how many of these BBC radio themes live rent-free in my head, ready to be summoned up at a moment’s notice. Unfortunately a symptom of COPD is whistling under your breath, all the time – drives my nearest and dearest nuts.
I hadn’t heard this for so many years, but at the mention of whistling, the horror came rushing back.
Here is Whistling Jack with an audience joining in
I am no good at whistling, my dad was brilliant though
For some unknown reason I often whistle the sax riff from South African musician Basil Coetzee’s ‘African Jazz Dance’. This usually happens at night and outdoors (again, I don’t know why) but whenever I do it I know that I am the only person in the whole wide world whistling that tune at that point in time, which I find affirming.
The singer LP has a tendency to whistle in her songs and she does it very well. Not a lot but perfectly placed, IMO.
I always attribute her, sorry, it’s their, whistling, to a Touretty like tic. very off putting, but Mrs OP love it.
You whistle this ?? We are not worthy !
I never been able to whistle, or not well enough to carry a tune, but always wished I could.
Me neither, any attempt just results in a high pitched raspberry.
From a peeved passing greengrocer?
Indeed, doused in spittle
An early SLF b-side?
I’ll tell you who’s a top whistler. Eliza Carthy, rather to my surprise for some reason. Possibly it’s because I don’t usually associate whistling with women. (‘A whistling woman and a crowing hen are neither fit for God nor men.’)
Skip to 2:45 if you want to get straight to the puckering action.
I do whistle a lot. There’s so much time when there’s a tune in my head which I then want to whistle. It might just be something someone says which reminds me of a song title or lyric and I’m off.
I’ve had work colleagues ask me if I’m okay if I’ve not whistled for a while. Others, though, find it annoying. You can’t please everyone I suppose.
Tricky business.
Someone in a queue behind me… erm… whistling.
I’m going…
Man.
Brexit.
Reform.
Utterly shite record collection.
Haikus aren’t what they used to be.
Up!
Whistling in public is a social no no…IMHO
This is the correct answer! It’s actually worse at work because, generally, I try to stay as civil as I can with my colleagues and moaning about it is not a good look.
I used to whistle in the office and got told off for it.
I used to be able to whistle. Twenty odd years ago I had some bridge work done and it took away my ability to offer up my stellar rendition of the theme tune to Terry & June. A small loss for me but a disastrous loss for mankind.
My actor friend Dan has a sideline in whistling and has been top 25 in the Global Whistling Championship on a number of occasions:
We look after our two year old Grand-daughter on a Tuesday, and on the car journey home, she always asks me to whistle Old MacDonald.
Thankfully our drive time is only twenty minutes.
Of course it can be taken to extremes.
Erm….. Suite des Gavottes des Montagnes by Sonerien Du. Really.
Unless I am wishing to alert someone while I am cycling, in which case it’s Bitter Sweet Symphony.
Here’s one to whistle along to.
Dear oh, dear. No-one posted this yet? Literal, and none-more AW: I expect frollicking, gambolling, and even the occasional minuet by those of you who routinely wear doublet, hose, and a codpiece..
Brilliant song.
Can’t see it – what was it?
The Whistler off Songs from the Wood.
Have you tried a VPN?
I have a theory about why everybody whistled, back in the ’60s, and hardly anyone does now.
Back then there were no music players and not a lot of truly portable radios, so whistling was the only way to carry music with you as you went about your day.
Now anyone can have music anywhere at all anytime, with bluetooth headphones or earplugs.
I was never an especially good whistler but I could, and frequently did, carry a tune. David Sinclair of Caravan’s organ solos a speciality.
Good point.
We sold a car yesterday, two no longer a necessary indulgence, to We Buy Any Car. A 13 year old car we didn’t think would appeal to the open market and we weren’t trading in against any new one. A fair price, but the man there nearly lost his sale, due to his incessant whistling, as he filled in the details. My wife is very noise averse and found his tuneless tune a potent irritant. Mentioned only as it is something so seldom encountered anymore in the wild.
Note to self “Do not whistle next Tuesday”
I’m with your wife on this one. Whistling is anti-social behaviour of the worst kind, right up there with hanging bags of dog shit on trees and parking on pavements.
I’ve been an out of tune whistler all my life. Family and friends occasionally ask me to desist. I don’t.
It’s quite a cheery thing to do , isn’t it?
Well I think so. Nowhere near as bad as talking loudly into a phone on loud speaker.
Or hanging bags of dog shit on trees tbh.
Totally agree. That is disgusting behaviour and the people who do it should be required to eat it.
I don’t whistle so much as quietly blow air through my only half-pursed lips, but only when I’m alone. I can hear the tune, nobody else have to. Sometimes accompanied by some soft percussive sounds made by my tongue against the roof of my mouth.