I was just wondering what tunes, other than the traditional ones, fellow chiffers think sound good on the whistle. Also, what key do you use for the tune?
I added a Generation F to my cache and think that marching tunes associated with the fife sound good on it, like Gary Owen, Waxies Dargle and Yankee Doodle. I also think that Ashkon Farewell plays well on a D whistle.
No particular tunes, but I love playing along with Yusef Lateef on the Bflat and Joni Mitchell on the E. Those happen to be two of my favorite Weasels.
I play the following non-ITM tunes on a D whistle:
Wildwood Flower
Wayfaring Stranger (though I prefer singing this one)
Amazing Grace
Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go (hey, it’s Scottish, not Irish)
Loch Lomond (Scottish)
The Ash Grove (Welsh)
I’m also learning a few Shaker hymns to play at my sister’s wedding in October:
Lovely Love
Star of Purity
I’m On My Way To Zion
Tree of Life
I’m sure there are other non-ITM tunes I’ve played off and on, but the names aren’t coming to me at the moment.
Just about anything really. The only things I don’t play are heavily chromatic pieces.
I play a lot of Scottish, Township jive, general British folk, blues, jazz that isn’t too chromatic.
I don’t think of music as being key specific. Since I sing, and accompany myself and others in whatever key best suits, I’ll just play whatever whistle is handy. When I practice, I might play exactly the same tunes on low D, low F and high Eb in the same practice session.
Mostly, I play my own original material. For those looking ahead, this is about the time to start learning Christmas tunes, if like me, you are not that quick learning new songs (hence, the need to write original tunes). The curious can find some of my songs are at: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/9/billchinmusic.htm
Quite a few Scottish tunes (Loch Lomond, Scotland the Brave, Wi’ A Hundred Pipers etc.)
Some Northumbrian tunes (John Peel, Bobby Shaftoe etc.)
Annie’s Song
Singing In The Rain
Bye Bye Blackbird
My Way
Red Red Wine
Tom Hark
Wonderful Tonight
Dancing Queen
Day For Peace (Jennifer Armstrong)
Travis John (Kate Power)
Hey Jude
Killing Me Softly With His Song
She’s Not There (The Zombies)
And countless others.
Key depends entirely upon the circumstances.
I broke my Howard low D’s cherry last Saturday on a big Muddy Basin Ramblers show where 400 people heard me do “Summertime” with the piana player that opened for us. I just love how easy it is to bend and slur notes with that whistle.
The people clapped and cheered so I guess they liked it too.
Little Sparrow (Fair and Tender Ladies)
Sweet Sunny South (minor version)
Moonshiner (Jean Ritchie)
Old Hog in the Wood
Over The Waterfall
Midnight on the Water
Barbara Allen
Railroad Boy
Pretty Polly
Omie Wise
Shady Grove
Greenland Whale Fisheries
The Cruel Mother
Henry Martin
Charming Polly
I Once Loved a Lass
Gae T’ the Kye wi’ Me
Johnny Lad
Summertime
St. James Infirmary
Sweet Georgia Brown (in C)
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Bully of the Town
Streets of Laredo
Roving on a Summer’s Night
Historia de un Amor
Malagueña Salerosa
Lots of Old-Timey songs don’t have choruses, making them a bit short to play as instrumentals, so I like to play them on the A whistle, so that I can alternate playing and singing.
Arrival by Abba
Anything from musicals
Beatles songs
Lots of Buddy Holly songs.
I paticularly like the ones where my sons are happy to join in. The theme from Wallace and Gromit’s The Wrong Trousers is a great favourite. They also like stuff that one person can play on two whistles at once, so I’ve taught them to play Da Doo Ron Ron and they’ve taught me one that starts with the lyric ‘My friend’s got a girlfriend and he hates that bitch’.
Some interesting responses. Thanks everybody! I also enjoy playing hymns, Christmas carols, Beatles and Scotish tunes. Some of Simon & Garfunkle’s music sounds good on the whistle, also. Now I just need to get my hands on some sheet music for some of your suggestions. It’s relaxing to have something else to fall back upon when working on a particular reel or jig gets frustrating.
When I was in Dingle over the summer there was a woman who looked a lot like present day Joanie Mitchell (only with shorter hair) playing folk songs on a Susatto D while her husband played the guitar. It was a nice sound. I might add, her singing also sounded a lot like Joanie.