# Why isn't whistling a bigger part of music? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-whistling-a-bigger-part-of-music/172858 "2003-05-03T15:14:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-whistling-a-bigger-part-of-music/172858/41 "2003-05-05T20:55:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MonkeyMensch \* > Does anyone else whistle on the inhale and exhale both? I do this and it allows me continue through long passages without the usual \*lunga[/] breaks as in choral renditions. I could never get through “The Marriage of Figaro” without whistling on inhales. 🙂 As for popular music, the J Geils Band song “Centerfold” has a whistled chorus at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-whistling-a-bigger-part-of-music/172858/42 "2003-05-06T01:50:19Z")
Another problem: how to mike the whistler. You need one hell of a pop screen on a mic to avoid the dreaded “whoosh” sound a mic makes when you blow in it. One way to avoid the “whoosh” is to use an old “ribbon” element mic about 2 feet away from the whiustler. A ribbon mic is designed to be used at 2-3 feet away from a speaker, and it’s use in capturing whistling is legendary. Want a great whistler? Try some old **Roger Whitaker** music. He’s the one who had the hit in the 70’s with _The Last Farewell_, but some of his songs are all him whistling with an orchestral background. It’s really not annoying at all. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-whistling-a-bigger-part-of-music/172858/43 "2003-05-06T06:50:35Z")
Gee whiz. I thought I was going to be one of the only posters to this thread. Go figure. A professional whistler was a friend of the family. Muzzy Marcelino. He covered for John Wayne in _The High and the Mighty_ for those of a certain age who can remember. He also did some of the lead work for Disnetland’s _Enchanted Tiki Room_. I can remember hearing him whistle and thinking how soft and pure the tone was. I haven’t thought of this in a while. I think now most of my whistling efforts have been to emulate Muzzy. Pure tone. Soft vibrato. Accurate pitch. Thanks for reminding me, folks… ---
**Author:** ![zorch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/50afbb/32.png) [@zorch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zorch)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-whistling-a-bigger-part-of-music/172858/44 "2003-05-06T10:50:01Z")
Don Robertson actually had a top 10 hit in 1956 with, “The Happy Whistler.” sample at: [http://www.westword.com/extra/jukebox/bh1-23.html](http://www.westword.com/extra/jukebox/bh1-23.html) ---
**Author:** ![herwono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/9f8e36/32.png) [@herwono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herwono)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-whistling-a-bigger-part-of-music/172858/45 "2003-05-07T03:32:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\*Bob Marley? Bobby McFerrin. \*\* Who sang the original version? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-whistling-a-bigger-part-of-music/172858/46 "2003-05-08T11:27:38Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Eats\_Crayons \* > \*\* > If you want to hear a really good sample, listen to the guy who does Snoopy’s little pal Woodstock. I think the best example of his Woodstock work was when Peppermint Patty competed in a figure skating competetion and her music died. Woostock went to the microphone and saved the day._\* That would be [Jason Serinus](http://www.planeteria.net/home/whistler/). I have a copy of the episode of the episode you mention, and it brings a tear to my eye. Serinus/Woodstock whistles “O mio babbino caro” every bit as expressively as I’ve ever heard it sung. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-whistling-a-bigger-part-of-music/172858/47 "2003-05-08T13:40:40Z")
Les Baxter had a major #1 hit in the 1950s with “The Poor People of Paris,” which included whistling. Charley Pride had some whistlin’ in “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone?” And, off topic, but Lawrence Welk included humming in his #1 hit “Calcutta.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-whistling-a-bigger-part-of-music/172858.md?page=2)