What is this?
December 23, 2013 8:17 AM   Subscribe

Is this *trigger warning terrible whistling* the theme song to something? If not, what is it?

I've been whistling this with various friends for many years and yet we're all damned if we know where it comes from. Can you help?
posted by h00py to Media & Arts (14 answers total)
 
I am feeling like 70's teevee show or game show theme song. Definitely have heard it. Will troll YouTube for inspiration.
posted by jessamyn at 8:27 AM on December 23, 2013


Best answer: It's A Taste of Honey. Covered by many, but the most famous version is Herb Alpert's.
posted by O9scar at 8:27 AM on December 23, 2013 [4 favorites]


Best answer: It's Herb Alpert's "A Taste of Honey"
posted by gyusan at 8:28 AM on December 23, 2013


Response by poster: Thank you so much!
posted by h00py at 8:32 AM on December 23, 2013


Yeah, that particular rhythm is Alpert's version, which was also strictly instrumental, unlike earlier ones (like the Beatles'). Not sure if it was used on a particular show or commercial, etc.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 8:33 AM on December 23, 2013


Response by poster: I'm convinced I heard it in conjunction with a tv series or movie or something. Maybe it's just a memory lodged in my brain as a result of being a child of the '70's. I've searched Wikipedia now that I know the name but nothing is stirring a memory.
posted by h00py at 8:36 AM on December 23, 2013


You're not in the UK are you? It was the theme song to Hardware. Another song off the same album was the theme song to the Dating Game.
posted by jessamyn at 8:57 AM on December 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Probably The Dating Game. They used a lot of his music.
posted by empath at 9:01 AM on December 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


It was the theme song to the UK comedy series "Hardware" starring Martin Freeman.

It's not a song Herb Alpert wrote, by the way. Their version was a cover. The Beatles covered it, too.
posted by inturnaround at 9:17 AM on December 23, 2013


I've always been very fond of Peggy Lee's version.
posted by Dr. Wu at 9:36 AM on December 23, 2013


I've always known the Beatles version of A Taste of Honey.
posted by oceanjesse at 10:32 AM on December 23, 2013


Best answer: You want to give the original credit to Bobby Scott:

In 1960, Bobby Scott wrote the title theme for Shelagh Delaney's play "A Taste Of Honey", and the song was made famous by pianist Martin Denny. Being transformed, the instrumental tune was given lyrics for Tony Bennett to sing by Ric Marlow. The Beatles were so taken by the combination, they included "A Taste of Honey" on their first UK album. Bobby's big hit won a Grammy in 1962. Then, 3 years later, Herb Alpert took the song to even greater heights winning three more Grammys with their US Top 10 hit.

Shelagh Delaney's play was turned into a movie in 1961, with the song as it's theme song. (The movie was pretty gritty, and still holds up fairly well.)
posted by gudrun at 11:00 AM on December 23, 2013


Then there's Allan Sherman's take on it.
posted by bink at 6:07 PM on December 23, 2013


Shelagh Delaney's play was turned into a movie in 1961, with the song as it's theme song. (The movie was pretty gritty, and still holds up fairly well.)

Don't know how long this link will last, but for now you can watch it here.
posted by marsha56 at 6:43 AM on December 24, 2013


« Older Purchase used iPhone on Amazon?   |   I crash later in the day, and need this to stop. Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.