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Tooting Your Own Horn: Pop Music’s Ten Most Notable Whistling Solos

Since humans first developed mouths, we’ve tried to speak like the birds. In ancient times, humans used whistling for more utilitarian reasons, like signaling to their dogs to round up the herd, gawking at beautiful ape-women, or in bizarre pagan bird-sacrificing rituals. It is a little known fact that the Civil War was started by a Northerner, angered by someone whistling Dixie; after this, there was no public whistling in America for almost a century. Whistling returned to the Western World when Bing Crosby recorded a controversial whistling solo for his White Christmas album. Thanks to Bing’s bravery, whistling is now a worldwide phenomenon; "whistle-offs" are more popular than Trivial Pursuit, with many new whistling clubs popping up in the strangest places, like rock songs. Sadly, whistling still remains illegal under the Taliban regime. Keep the freedom fight alive! So go on! Try puckering up for the world and let them hear what you got! People say yawns are contagious, but have they ever tried whistling? Huh? Have they?


Otis Redding's "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay":
The absolute classic. As breezy and cool as the warm clouds you’re floating in.

Guns 'n' Roses' "Patience":
Also an absolute classic, because it’s the same exact solo used in "Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay."

Ween's "Don't Get Too Close To My Fantasy":
Hands down the spookiest whistle solo I’ve ever heard. Then again, I was so high, it could have been my neighbor in the shower.

The Scorpions' "Wind Of Change":
How did that Snow White song go? Whistle while you tear down the wall? Where do you suppose that wind came from anyway? You’ve heard that theory: Someone whistles in Central Park and a year later the Berlin Wall crumbles.

The Beatles' "Two of Us":
A love song from John to Paul. You knew those chaps would be in here somehow.

Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy":
Once a symbol of my carefree childhood; now the theme song to my ongoing bout with post-dot.com collapse suicide attempts.

Peter Gabriel's "Games Without Frontiers":
I haven’t checked in a while... Is Peter Gabriel considered "cool" now, or what? This song is actually pretty rad, and not only strongly features whistling -- he also sings about whistling.

The Bangles' "Walk Like An Egyptian":
Though they easily could have taken the synthesized whistle route, they made the right choice and used their mouths. Ahem.

Ennio Morricone's "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly":
Quite possibly the first thing you ever whistled, and maybe the last.

J. Geils Band's "Centerfold":
I’m not sure if there’s whistling in this song, but damn! There should be. (There is. - Ed.)

-- Ed Anderson


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