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Where are all the whistlers?

(97 Posts)
Sago Thu 25-Jul-24 09:10:15

This morning laid in bed, I heard someone working on a neighbours house whistling.
It was really quite uplifting.

It then occurred to me I cannot remember the last time I heard someone whistle.

Is it a generational thing?

Perhaps when wolf whistles were deemed inappropriate men stopped bothering to hone their skill.

grandtanteJE65 Mon 29-Jul-24 15:15:49

It isn't only whilstling, nobody sings at their work now either.

Frankly, I seem to remember both going out when walkmen came in.

No need to make your own music if you can listen to others making professional music while you work, seems to be the thinking.

If indeed, anyone actually thought about it. Probably the change just occured.

I was told the proverb as " A whistling woman and a crowing hen are neither good for God or men"" Girls were allowed to whistle for a dog, but not to whistle tunes, and it was frowned on if you whistled in your fingers, or stuck a (grubby) finger in your mouth and whistled.

Etoile2701 Mon 29-Jul-24 11:40:58

I can't and never have been able to whistle. My dear late grandfather used to whistle all the time but I rarely hear anyone whistling nowadays.

MissAdventure Mon 29-Jul-24 08:46:03

grin

pooohbear2811 Mon 29-Jul-24 08:39:43

my husband does it, nearly all day every day.........tempted to dig a hole in the garden for him to fall into.

Greciangirl Sun 28-Jul-24 20:13:32

I read somewhere that if workmen whistle at ladies, it’s classed as harassment.
Personally, I would feel complimented.

All this PC nonsense.

Freshair Sun 28-Jul-24 20:04:11

I love hearing whistling, it's joyful

jerseygirl Sun 28-Jul-24 18:56:47

My grandson talk himself to whistle and he is 7. Mind you its a bit tuneless at the moment !!

arum Sun 28-Jul-24 18:47:57

I also whistle while I work in a care home. The seniors love it. But, one colleague told me that women who whistle are disgusting. Ha, ha! I'm 69 and will continue to whistle at work. Even when I am cycling.

ninamoore Sun 28-Jul-24 15:53:41

I once worked with a brilliant deputy headteacher at the end of play time she was the only teacher who didn’t need the bell, she would put her fingers in her mouth a produce a stoning whistle. The kids loved it, really upped her street cred. 👍

MissAdventure Sun 28-Jul-24 15:28:59

I whistled a rather rousing rendition of Sweet child 'o mine, by Guns 'n' Roses this morning.

I'm quite out of practice, though.

BettyBoop49 Sun 28-Jul-24 15:26:15

I’m currently whistling Hymn to Love ( Edith Piaf!) having watch the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Also, I taught my oldest grandchild to whistle the theme tune from Postman Pat and shame oh shame, I found myself whistling through my fingers in my mouth when watching Tom Jones at the Piece Hall in Halifax ( my son looked aghast😕) Im 75 and keeping whistling alive!!

Divi Sun 28-Jul-24 15:18:53

I equate whistling with feeling happy.

PilgrimQuill Sun 28-Jul-24 15:11:48

I whistle quite a bit - mostly in the garden. A short while ago I was whistling a merry tune as I cleaned the bathroom. Then I caught sight of myself in the mirror. And wished I hadn't. I still whistle though...

mulberry7 Sun 28-Jul-24 15:08:37

I just looked on Google, putting in 'teach yourself to whistle', and there are heaps of lessons. I might try it! I'm 76, it's never too late.

Lizhol77 Sun 28-Jul-24 14:56:12

My 17 year old Grandson whistles, when I hear him I know he's happy 😊

Buttonjugs Sun 28-Jul-24 14:50:38

I find whistling disconcerting - it always makes me feel that the person doing it wants to be acknowledged and I am socially phobic 😥

Cateq Sun 28-Jul-24 14:38:21

Shinamae, haven’t heard A whistling woman
And a crowing hen
Is neither good to God nor men? 😜 for more years than I care to remember. My great aunt used give me in trouble when I tried to whistle, whilst my darling papa tried his best to teach me just to annoy her😂😂😂

Greyduster Sun 28-Jul-24 14:26:29

I would dearly like to be able to put my thumb and finger in my mouth and whistle but I could never get the hang of it!

Greyduster Sun 28-Jul-24 14:23:47

I’m afraid I’ve been a whistler - quite a tuneful one I’m told - since I was a child. My older sister use to say “You’ll never be a lady!” And do you know? She’s been proved absolutely right!😁

MissAdventure Sun 28-Jul-24 14:11:33

How awful, repressing females from even whistling.

Granra2 Sun 28-Jul-24 13:06:14

I went to a convent school where the nuns told us that girls who whistled made the Blessed Virgin sad. I could never get the hang of it anyway.

Eddieslass Sun 28-Jul-24 13:02:48

One of the friendly drivers on our local bus whistles almost nonstop. It’s great to hear.

LailaAnn Sun 28-Jul-24 12:55:33

And my partner has taught our grandchildren to do the blade of grass whistling.

LailaAnn Sun 28-Jul-24 12:53:34

Now read all the other comments and see that lots of us remember a version of the whistling girl saying. I think, c1971, it made me want to whistle precisely because it was unladylike 😀. An early expression of feminism!

LailaAnn Sun 28-Jul-24 12:45:58

Shinamae

I’ve whistled since I was a little girl, I even get comments about it where I work in a care home, the residents will say,”was that you whistling”and I say yes,most times I don’t even know I’m doing it,sometimes they say it sounded good.
I’m 71 and I’ve been whistling since I was a little girl, but my aunt may used to say
A whistling woman
And a crowing hen
Is neither good to God nor men? 😜

Love it that you remember that line about a whistling girl. I remember whistling not very well when I was about 11 and Nanny (who was not my grandmother, but had been my mum’s nanny when she was a child and was like an extra grandmother to us) very tartly saying that rhyme. It made me think a whistling girl would be a thoroughly good thing and although I stopped then so as not to annoy Nanny, I practised and practised when she wasn’t around until I got good at it - and I still whistle!
Nanny was full of old-fashioned views and sayings - another favourite of hers was ‘joints on the table are meant to be carved!’ - in response to elbows on the table when we were having dinner. She was lovely and we loved her but didn’t grow up doing what she said! I still miss her home baking though - meringues and rock cakes especially.