Soundtrack Of My Life

"The Finnish Whistler" - Roger Whittaker

There are whistlers, good whistlers, damn good whistlers, absolutely outstanding whistlers...and Roger Whittaker. It's one thing I've never been able to do well, and I find it fascinating listening to people like this who can do all sorts of effects seeming effortlessly.

Here he is way back in the day doing this piece at, of all things, the Finnish Eurovision Song Contest candidate finals - a strange place for a Brit born and brought up in Kenya (and who considered himself Kenyan) to turn up. I once read someone on YouTube describe the middle part of this as a spaceship taking off. I have no idea how he did it, but he did it well.

Roger Whittaker was a regular on British TV in the 1970's, either in his own show or as a guest in other light entertainment programs. He was a singer first and foremost, but it was his whistling ability that made him really stand out from the crowd. There are some great chat show moments when he talks about learning how to whistle during his childhood in Africa.

He died last year at the age of 87 - R.I.P.