Members pogo97 Posted March 20, 2016 Members Share Posted March 20, 2016 Played organ at a funeral today for a prominent man in the area. There was a bagpiper, fire trucks, cops, firefighters, etc. etc. And a full church. After the communion, there was a period of silence. And someone in the congregation started whistling some random tune. Up in the choir loft, we were completely baffled. The priest was baffled, and anyone I talked to was baffled. I googled "whistling at a funeral" to see if it carried any meaning. What I found was that in the 1800s, there was a standard expression"whistling at funeral" which meant making a ghastly and public social gaffe. I wonder if someone in the congregation has some turette's-like behaviour that, when there is silence, they fill the void with whistling. Maybe unconsciously. Maybe? Strange. What would a person do if they were sitting beside that person? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted March 20, 2016 Members Share Posted March 20, 2016 Unless they were some poor befuddled person that had wandered in off of the street, I would assume it was intentional. A not so subtle way to make a statement. Hell hath no fury, or something along those lines... Too bad for the family, but rude seems to be the in thing these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted March 20, 2016 Author Members Share Posted March 20, 2016 Turns out that we're both hopelessly old-fashioned. The priest found out it was a lady's cel phone. Took her about 30 seconds to find it and turn it off. I do hope she was completely mortified. But I giggle every time I think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 20, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 20, 2016 Why are people so clueless these days about when turning off their phone is appropriate? Like at a wedding, funeral, baptism, theatre, playing on stage, dinner at a nice restaurant, getting it on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted March 20, 2016 Members Share Posted March 20, 2016 Either she was so overcome with grief she didn't think about it, or she didn't care enough to turn it off. BTW I am old fashioned, and believe a phone should sound like a phone - whistling phones.... sheesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted March 21, 2016 Author Members Share Posted March 21, 2016 Here's the whistle. (I recorded the service for... whatever.) Anybody know this tune? I don't, but the priest thought it was Sicilian. whistling at a funeral.mp3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 21, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 21, 2016 if it is Sicilian, then fuggedabowtit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members trevcda Posted March 21, 2016 Members Share Posted March 21, 2016 I know many things for I walk by night... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted March 21, 2016 Author Members Share Posted March 21, 2016 I know many things for I walk by night... Good one!! Not the tune, but sent me on a nice chase. I think my father had an LP with two episodes on it. [video=youtube;Nd3LovrCUIM] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members trevcda Posted March 21, 2016 Members Share Posted March 21, 2016 I'm way too young to have heard them when they were new, but I spend a lot of time on the road and Sirius/XM has the Radio Classics channel that plays old time radio stuff 24/7, including The Whistler on a regular basis. Great story telling on many of those old shows and the miles go by a lot quicker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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