dan heaver

jeffrey lewis

A cautionary tale for you young artists.

Once you watch it a few times to get the words, you realise it's a really well directed music promo.

nice.

songs to whistle with a whistle within

I love whistling. Do it all the time. In the street. At home. At work. Anywhere and/or everywhere. I don't even know I'm doing it. I even whistle ringtones. Last thing I heard that resembles a tune ends up being whistled. It has to be better than playing music out loud from my phone. I think.

My Grandfather whistled beautifully. My Mum whistles too. Constantly. But as far as I can tell, not many people whistle. I'd like to add 'any more' to that, but i can't remember anyone whistling as much as my Mum and Grandpa. I do remember walking down a street in Aman whistling and getting some nasty looks. I think it may be bad manners in the Arab world.

Anyway. I was thinking about all this today (whilst whistling), and it struck me that most of the time I'm whistling melodies made by instruments or voices. But every now and again, I'll be whistling something that is a whistle. Not very often. But every now and again. So here's my top five songs to whistle with a whistle within to add a little bit more balance to the world.

Noah and the Whale - Five Years Time

My number one 'original whistling' track. Feel good factor turned right up here. If these young pups lose themselves to fame and drugs I'll weep.

Otis Redding - Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

Crash bang wallop what a video.

Interesting to note that soul music seems to have a particularly high 'legend' quota. Not many of them used the whistle effectively.

Peter Bjorn and John - Young Folks

The hooky tune of 2007. But no one seemed to notice they ripped the whistled riff from the beginning of Kung Fu Fighting...

Eric Idle - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

Yes yes yes. You're Brian.

Probably the first song with a whistle I whistled.

Bing Crosby - White Christmas

Well. It's Christmas.

From a time when women were so stupid men had to prompt them mid way through the song. This despite the fact she'd already joined in. Maybe he was worried about losing authority. 

If you don't know the words honey, you're on your own. Just like the rest of us. That's the kind of guy I am. 

So that's my top five songs to whistle with a whistle within. Others only just missed out. Step on by the Happy Mondays (though it's been suggested that was just to fill in for shaun rider's lack of lyrical memory). Over My Shoulder by Mike and the Mechanics. And who can forget the Scorpions with Winds of Change. Even if you want to.

I'm off to throw some shapes. In a bay (dockside).

i'm back

I've been away. Not that you'd notice. But I have. And now I'm back. I didn't really go away. I was taken. By the Norovirus. He's a nasty little bastard, but he can't hold on to you for long. And when you come back, you feel like you've been given a second chance.

In some ways, it's a bit like this.

And in others, it's not.

long live the queen

October is breast cancer awareness month. To support it, musical spinner of yarns Frank Turner is the giving the proceeds of his next single to the cause. 'Long Live the Queen', is one of the standout tracks on his new album 'Love Ire and Song'. It's a memorial to his friend Lex who died as a result of the disease. She was clearly a massive figure in a lot of people's lives, and if you're not moved by the song, you're made of stone.

In true Frank Turner fashion, he's devising a plan to storm the establishment through the back door by getting as many people as possible to buy the single from itunes as possible in the week beginning 20th October. A paltry 3000 downloads that week would get Frank into the top 40, and breast cancer awareness onto the airwaves.

79p to charity? I think we can all do that. And it's a damn good song too.

I'm in. Are you?