The decline of whistling - why?

[Voley]

Here's an interesting one:

I just mentioned the original topic to my Mum and she said that her Gran used to give her a hard time if she whistled, saying:

"A whistling woman and a crowing hen
Will bring the Devil out of his den."

She also said that whistling was thought of as 'common' by her Gran's generation.

 

[dash_two]

My fave tunes to whistle:

'Midnight Cowboy' theme

'Jackson' by Johnny Cash/June Carter Cash

Muppet Show theme tune if I'm standing behind someone taking too long at the cashpoint machine or supermarket checkout.

 

[clandestino]

"Young Folks" by Peter, Bjorn and John is a modern-day whistling classic! I can think of quite a few indie songs with whistling in them actually.

Indie - it's the new type of music sweeping the nation, you know...

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

So yeah, do we know how to measure an octave then?

I count octaves by going as low as I can then going up an octave (1) then up another (2) etc.

 

[SubZeroCat]

What sort of music do you play?

I sing/song write

I'm such a moron - I read that as 'what sort of instrument do you play?'



Music style - indie/rock/country/folk

 

[Crispy]

And most people can only cover less than 2 octaves with their singing voice.

 

[SubZeroCat]

And most people can only cover less than 2 octaves with their singing voice.

Apparently Jeff Buckley could do 5! Not sure whether to believe it....although he did have impressive range.

 

[Crispy]

It's easier if you're amplified though. Opera singers tend to stick to quite narrow ranges to keep the timbre and volume constant (hence the splitting up of baritone, tenor, alto etc.)

 

[DeadManWalking]

I now have Guns and Roses' Patience in my head. Cheers.

 

[veracity]

Here's an interesting one:

I just mentioned the original topic to my Mum and she said that her Gran used to give her a hard time if she whistled, saying:

"A whistling woman and a crowing hen
Will bring the Devil out of his den."

She also said that whistling was thought of as 'common' by her Gran's generation.

Yes my Auntie Mabel used to say that to me every time I whistled as a kid.

No wonder I'm crap at whistling.

 

[Voley]

The end result of women whistling, yesterday.

 

[Orang Utan]

I really really fucking hate whistling.

I went spazmo with a perfectly harmless gentleman at work because he wouldn't stop whistling the Antiques Roadshow theme tune - it became a meme in their section until I had my "moment". He still teases me about it now

Whistling in songs is different though.

Why you no like whistling?
<whistles>
Great songs with whistling in:
Rod Stewart - Killing Of Georgie
Scorpions - Wind Of Change
Colonel Bogey
Bangles - Walk Like An Egyptian
Frankie Knuckles - Whistle Song
Happy Mondays - Loose Fit
Roger Whittaker - Durham Town
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry
Otis Redding - Dock Of The Bay
Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folk
J Geils Band - Centrefold
Roxy Music - Jealous Guy

Not so great songs:
Roxette - Joyride
that Goldflapps one

 

[SubZeroCat]

The end result of women whistling, yesterday.

Mum?

 

[sleaterkinney]

I *hate* whistlers. It just disturbs whatever I'm doing and I have to listen to it. Why do these people feel the inflict noise on other people as they go along?

 

[sleaterkinney]

It just sounds so lame as well, if you want to sing then sing, if you want to make some other sort of noise, get an instrument.

 

[Orang Utan]

I like whistling - fuck everyone else who has to hear it

 

[Voley]

Mum?

No.

You!

If you include the evil devil-tempting w-word in your vile, filthy singer-songwriter devil-worshipping Satanic rock 'n' roll.

You mark my words.

 

[pogofish]

It is the folk who whistle a few incomplete bars, then stop & start all over again. For hours on fucking end!

Silence is better than that!

 

[ddraig]

some mad bugger was just whistling here comes the sun in the next office during a downpour bet they think they is whacky!

i keep whistling something from a western or some film which i reckon is a classic bit of music but f'ed if i know what it's called

 

[SubZeroCat]

No.

You!

If you include the evil devil-tempting w-word in your vile, filthy singer-songwriter devil-worshipping Satanic rock 'n' roll.

You mark my words.

*whistles*

 

[Voley]

On your head be it, woman.

 

[sleaterkinney]

I like whistling - fuck everyone else who has to hear it

It's attitudes like that that will bring about the end of civilisation. Cunt.

 

[Orang Utan]

It's attitudes like that that will bring about the end of civilisation. Cunt.

<whistles The Wind Of Change>

 

[sleaterkinney]

<whistles The Wind Of Change>

<kills some kittens>

 

[El Sueno]

I'm always whistling. Fucking annoying it is for everyone too.

 

[Pieface]

Why you no like whistling?
<whistles>
Great songs with whistling in:

I said songs with whistling in are different - it's people whistling that's shit.

 

[Orang Utan]

I said songs with whistling in are different - it's people whistling that's shit.

Why? Let people have their fun!

 

[SubZeroCat]

Why? Let people have their fun!

Tbf, when teenage girls sing on the bus in that warbly r'n'b Mariah Carey way it makes me want to kill things.

 

[Pieface]

Why? Let people have their fun!

It does my nut - I don't run down the street putting my hand over their mouths but if I've got to sit at my desk and listen to the antiques roadshow theme tune I'm going to say something.

I've stopped someone who sat down next to me on a train once too.....and a new person who started at work

It's just a thing that winds me up.

 

[Orang Utan]

It does my nut - I don't run down the street putting my hand over their mouths but if I've got to sit at my desk and listen to the antiques roadshow theme tune I'm going to say something.

I've stopped someone who sat down next to me on a train once too.....and a new person who started at work

It's just a thing that winds me up.

Glad I don't work with you, or rather you should be glad I don't work with you