Whistling

[Fat Lars]

Is Whistling a dying art? When I was a kid everyone whistled. It was a sign that all was well with the world. I'm not sure if it was the film the Great Escape or The Bridge over the River Kwai where the British POWs marched along whistling Colonel Bogie. It showed that their will was still strong in the face of adversity and their morale was still very high. I loved it. It came to me this morning when I suddenly felt the urge to whistle.
I think I remember Paul McCartney saying once that the thing he valued very highly was hearing the milkman whistling one of his tunes.

 

[Randomnerd]

Whistling data for you - I’m guessing that cyclists are more likely to whistle than other sub-groups, so this might not be a true picture of the state of modern whistling.

I’m keeping the art alive in my world. Mostly half-remembered Louis Jordan numbers, the odd bit of jazz, a little dab of freestyle. And to find the little dog of course.

Often to be found whistling - literally while I work. Quietly, I feel as though I’m part of a dying breed, like pipe smokers and hat wearers.

I’m 54. Young lads who sometimes come to work for me never whistle - it’s impossible to whistle when worrying about looking at a smartphone, or when looking at a smartphone. Or so it seems. The lads seem to find my whistling acceptable, but we have never discussed this.

 

[Fat Lars]

I could never master the loud whistle you can generate from putting your fingers in your mouth to create the right shape. You know I might still try again.

 

[PeteXXX]

I thought of this a while ago. Rarely do I hear anyone whistling a tune. Occasionally, at work, someone will deploy a loud one to attract a person's attention across the transport yard, but that's about it.

I've tried the 'fingers in the mouth' method, too, to no avail. In fact, I blew and blew until I got quite dizzy

Before I had dentures, I could whistle quite well, and loudly if necessary, but ever since, I can only produce a moose on the inhale, not the exhale..

Great thread @Fat Lars

 

[Salad Dodger]

I could never master the loud whistle you can generate from putting your fingers in your mouth to create the right shape. You know I might still try again.

I never could, either. I don't think I will bother to try and learn it now ...

 

[Fat Lars]

I did it. For some reason I can suddenly produce a loud whistle with my fingers. WTF just happened.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Why has this got me whistling “whistle whilst I work”?

 

[bagpuss]

Que sound track....

View: https://youtu.be/nLPp4u399DM?t=3

 

[Mo1959]

I often find myself whistling tunes. Mum did too. I always remember a lady telling me how it brightened her day when she went into the baker's shop where mum worked and she would be through the back whistling a tune.

 

[Randomnerd]

Somewhere, some urban fixie hipster will be adding "whistling" to his journal / life book bullet list right now, having guest-read this thread.

Meanwhile, I spent a good hour on my current wall whistling snippets from the Tuneyards CD that was my pick-up truck commute soundtrack. Whistlier than ever thanks @Fat Lars

Somewhere else, I'm certain a psychology post-grad nerd is finishing the edit on a paper about the neurochemical effect of whistling and the implications for health and longevity. Or if not, they should be.

As an aside, and synchronously, Chater Lee have just posted on Insta a new brass cyclist's whistle for sale at £49. It does have a mammoth sound to it. I might save up.

I used to be a shepherd, twenty years ago. We had great sheep whistles you would whack under your tongue, and, once mastered (and not swallowed!) a great nuanced range of tone and pitch was at your disposal. Sadly, my first dog seemed unwilling or unable to share them all with me. But the next dog was a genius, and could be made to move one leg at a time with the softest "toot". Amazing.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

Tuneyards

Excellent choice, sir.

 

[Chief Broom]

I once worked as council tree surgeon in London, one day up a tree i started whistling the theme from the Adams Family.... this caught on and the length of the street we were working on resounded to the inexpert whistling of de dee de dee de de dee de.....

 

[Fnaar]

I whistle a lot while I'm out walking... Also while pottering around the house. I used to be able to do a VERY LOUD whistle with fingers in me gob, but I haven't tried it for years now. I could never do that one where you draw your lower lip into your mouth, but I always thought it was cool.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

It's a very irritating, and mercifully dying out, habit. Imo.

 

[Randomnerd]

It's a very irritating, and mercifully dying out, habit. Imo.

Your coat is over there, Spokey old chap. On the peg, there. Next to the door. Close it gently please; whistlers are a sensitive bunch.