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Where have all the whistling man gone

(51 Posts)
BlueBelle Tue 08-Mar-22 22:18:15

I don’t mean wolf whistles I mean men in the street whistling tunes
I always knew when my dad was nearly home as you would hear him whistling away as he cycled home from work
Even out in the garden pulling up weeds or mending a puncture he d be whistling
You never ever hear anyone now do you? I can’t remember the last time I heard a man whistle

BigBertha1 Tue 08-Mar-22 22:31:03

I am glad people aren't whistling so much it makes my ears hurt.

Floriel Tue 08-Mar-22 22:39:21

You’re so right Bluebelle, whistling has gone the way of many things you don’t notice have gone until something reminds you. Another one is men lying under their cars on a Sunday morning tinkering away with the engines. I rather miss a cheerful whistle.

Grannynannywanny Tue 08-Mar-22 22:53:46

I know what you mean BlueBelle. My Dad was a great whistler.

BlueBelle Tue 08-Mar-22 22:55:04

I used to love to hear it the men cycling out from the factory gates after the hooter went all whistling away we have become a dour lot
Oh dear BB that’s so sad and so miserable
I live in a fishing town (well it was) and on New year eve at 12 all the boats used to honk their horns t was wonderful to hear they all had their own sound and we used to go in the garden and listen till the last one had finished They stopped doing it years ago I miss that too

Bellanonna Tue 08-Mar-22 22:56:16

My dad too. Are people more often than not tuned into their music? Perhaps that’s had an effect on the spontaneity of whistling.

Kalu Tue 08-Mar-22 23:28:22

An elderly man would walk passed our house every morning whistling, mostly, 40’s songs as he and his dog strolled along to collect his morning newspaper. Sometimes I had an earworm for a while if I recognised the tune.

Sadly I haven’t heard him since covid arrived. ?

Mamissimo Tue 08-Mar-22 23:29:37

I live with a whistler......would you like to borrow him? ?

maddyone Tue 08-Mar-22 23:43:06

Mamissimo

I live with a whistler......would you like to borrow him? ?

I do too. It’s piercing and annoying when you hear it regularly, especially first thing in the morning.

Doodledog Wed 09-Mar-22 00:03:20

Our milkman used to whistle. Milkmen are rarer now too.

Whistling men could never hold a tune in my recollection. They just whistled away, making it up as they went along.

SueDonim Wed 09-Mar-22 00:06:51

Probably drowned out by the instrument-wielding people inflicting music onto passers-by whether they want to hear an out of tune version of Pete Seeger’s ‘Turn, Turn, Turn.’ or not.

Also piped music everywhere.

Pepper59 Wed 09-Mar-22 02:46:31

Im glad it's gone. My neighbour had the most tuneless, annoying habit of whistling and it went on for hours. Drove us nuts.

MissAdventure Wed 09-Mar-22 03:03:26

I'm a whistler. smile
I don't realise I'm doing it most of the time.
I'm quite good at it, too.

rosie1959 Wed 09-Mar-22 05:03:10

My dad used to whistle wish I could hear him just one more time

BlueBelle Wed 09-Mar-22 05:53:24

Me too Rosie
I m not really looking for a bloke, whistler or not but thanks for the offer marmissimo I ll give it a miss
Seriously though I miss what to me was a happy sound enormously, somehow the air seemed a happier place less traffic, more birds, people on cycles, whistling men and I use to leave my house door unlocked now I wouldn’t even go next door without locking it and when I go away it’s double locks window locks …. sad I don’t often mourn the past I m more of a forward thinker but maybe it’s because I m stuck in with CoviD and reminiscing too much ?

nanna8 Wed 09-Mar-22 06:47:14

Fine if it is in tune- many are not though. I know this lady with dementia but she still can whistle and remembers many tunes.

fairfraise Wed 09-Mar-22 07:42:28

I wish I could whistle. I try to out on garden but can't do it for long.

GrandmaSeaDragon Wed 09-Mar-22 07:58:07

Hope you’re not too poorly with covid BlueBelle. I remember my Dad, Grandad and Uncle whistling while they painted and decorated, tinkered with cars etc. Those were the days, it’s good to reminisce sometimes!

ginny Wed 09-Mar-22 08:13:17

My Dad had a lovely singing voice and he was also a whistler. Always in tune and never shrill. He was a postman and his customers would say that his whistling cheered them up.
I’d love to hear him again.
However, one of the builders who has been working next door for the last 4 months is a whistler and sound awful. No tune just random ( off) notes.

MerylStreep Wed 09-Mar-22 08:28:37

I’m a whistler. I don’t realise I’m doing it until OH tells me how awful I sound ?

Teacheranne Wed 09-Mar-22 08:32:32

Not quite the same thing, but I am an expert at whistling with my finger and thumb in my mouth to make that piercing whistle to get attention. It’s not very ladylike but very useful at times - to get my children's attention when tea was ready for instance.

3dognight Wed 09-Mar-22 08:35:55

There’s still a few ex miners, of a certain age whistling round here.
Plenty of men and women of all ages under their cars still. I don’t know how they dare, when all the cars are parked on the street, and it’s a bit of a ‘rat run’

Iam64 Wed 09-Mar-22 09:05:33

I miss whistlers but can’t imagine it returnin

Oopsadaisy1 Wed 09-Mar-22 09:14:38

My Dad used to cycle 6 miles each way to his work in the Docks and whistled most of the way! Bless him.
He would whistle around the house and when he was gardening. We were so used to it that we didn’t notice it, but noticed the silence after he died.
But I miss it and him.

Grannybags Wed 09-Mar-22 09:25:57

Teacheranne

Not quite the same thing, but I am an expert at whistling with my finger and thumb in my mouth to make that piercing whistle to get attention. It’s not very ladylike but very useful at times - to get my children's attention when tea was ready for instance.

I've always wanted to do that!