"Whistle" is a song by American

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

Flo Rida from his fourth album '' Wild Ones'' (2012). It was released on April 24, 2012, as the third single from the album. "Whistle" was written by Flo Rida, David Glass, Marcus Killian,

Justin Franks Justin Franks, known professionally as DJ Frank E, is an American DJ and record producer from Denver, Colorado. Frank E started working closely with Adelio Lombardi, founder of Side 3 Entertainment and owner of Side 3 Studios in Denver, while ...

, Breyan Isaac and Antonio Mobley while production was handled by

DJ Frank E Justin Franks, known professionally as DJ Frank E, is an American DJ and record producer from Denver, Colorado. Frank E started working closely with Adelio Lombardi, founder of Side 3 Entertainment and owner of Side 3 Studios in Denver, while ...

and Glass. "Whistle" is an electropop song characterized by a

whistling Whistling without the use of an artificial whistle is achieved by creating a small opening with one's lips, usually after applying moisture (licking one's lips or placing water upon them) and then blowing or sucking air through the space. The a ...

melody. Upon its release, the song received mostly mixed reviews from music critics. They generally praised its pop sound, noting that it had the potential of becoming another hit with its "catchy" hook. However, several critics gave a negative review for the lyrics, interpreted as a thinly veiled euphemism for

oral sex Oral sex, sometimes referred to as oral intercourse, is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a person by another person using the mouth (including the lips, tongue, or teeth) and the throat. Cunnilingus is oral sex p ...

, calling it "the least subtle song ever". The song peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming Flo Rida's third number one hit and his first since 2009's "

Right Round "Right Round" is a single performed by American rapper Flo Rida featuring guest vocals from American singer Kesha. It was released as the lead single from his second studio album, '' R.O.O.T.S.'' (2009). It was released to radio on January ...

". Outside of the United States, "Whistle" topped the charts in several other countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Republic of Ireland, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in many others, including Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. An accompanying

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...

for the song, directed by

Marc Klasfeld Marc Klasfeld is an American music video director. He has directed over two hundred music videos for artists such as Slipknot, Sum 41, Katy Perry, Jay-Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Britney Spears, Kid Rock, Michael Bublé, Nelly, Foo Fighters, Kelly ...

, was released on May 24, 2012. It was filmed in Acapulco,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

and makes use of

split screen Split screen may refer to: * Split screen (computing) Split screen is a display technique in computer graphics that consists of dividing graphics and/or text into adjacent (and possibly overlapping) parts, typically as two or four rectangular ...

at various points. It mostly shows shots of Flo Rida and several girls on a beach. Upon its release, it received positive to mixed reviews from critics, who noted that it was a perfect accompaniment for the song. Flo Rida also promoted the song by performing it during the finale of the talent show, ''

The Voice The Voice may refer to: Fictional entities * The Voice or Presence, a fictional representation of God in DC Comics * The Voice (''Dune''), a fictional ability in the ''Dune'' universe * The Voice, a character in the American TV series ''Cleo ...

''. This song is the second track on '' Now 44''. The cover image of the single also drew praise for its subtlety and originality.

Background and composition

"Whistle" was written by Flo Rida, David Glass, Marcus Killian,

, Breyan Isaac, and

Antonio Mobley Antonio Clarence Mobley, otherwise known as Jovii Hendrix, is an American music producer, vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for supplying his pen and background vocals to the Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit, ''Whistle (Fl ...

while production was handled by DJ Frank E and Glass. The song premiered online in April 2012. During an interview with '' Billboard'' magazine, Flo Rida described the song as "the biggest record I've done yet". Later, during an interview with MTV News, Flo Rida revealed that the lyrics of the song are sung in a

metaphor A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often compared wi ...

ical way, saying that it had sexually suggestive lyrics. He noted, "Well, put your own swing on it, but for the most part I keep it clean, but if you listen to it, you can take it another way as well". When asked how does he know where to draw the line between sexually suggestive and downright dirty lyrics, he acknowledged that when he's in the studio, "I have my boys in there and they'll tell me and give me their suggestions and what they think..... If it's too much I'll go back." "Whistle" is an electropop song written in the key of A minor, instrumentally complete with a

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...

and a

melody. The guitar riff has been noted for its similarity to the final track on the Silent Hill 2 OST, "Promise", by

Akira Yamaoka is a Japanese composer and music producer. He is best known for composing music for several video games in the '' Silent Hill'' series by Konami, among other games. Yamaoka also worked as a producer on the series, as well as composing for the ' ...

. It opens with a whistle heard in the background. Robbie Daw of the website

Idolator An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry. Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books *''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music * Idolator (website), an American music blog * ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...

, Kevin Rutherford of ''Billboard'' magazine and Katherine St Asaph noted that the use of whistling throughout the song was very similar to Maroon 5's and

Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...

's 2011 song " Moves like Jagger". Rutherford further compared it with OneRepublic's 2010 song " Good Life".

Meaning

The song makes numerous references to

fellatio Fellatio (also known as fellation, and in slang as blowjob, BJ, giving head, or sucking off) is an oral sex act involving a person stimulating the penis of another person by using the mouth, throat, or both. Oral stimulation of the scrotu ...

. However, Flo Rida himself has stated that the song is about getting attention.

Critical reception

Upon the release of the song, it received polarized reviews from music critics. A writer of '' Rap-Up'' described it as "catchy" and further wrote that it contains a whistling chorus, "that you won't be able to get out of your head". Kevin Rutherford of '' Billboard'' '' magazine'' praised the song, writing: "The result is a sun-drenched, happy-go-lucky tune, that's sure to provide Flo with a horse in the summer anthem race... Flo's not a formidable singer, so his latest offering may lack the pop pizzazz of ' Good Feeling' and ' Wild Ones.' But with the track's care-free vibe, the rapper's transgressions are easy to forgive." Robert Copsey of Digital Spy was negative about the song, grading it with two out of five stars and adding, "Even more surprising is that in this instance, the

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

-born rapper hasn't relied on an accomplice to bolster the song's commercial appeal. He's not even dug out a song from yesteryear to sample. In that sense, 'Whistle' could be the most

original Originality is the aspect of created or invented works that distinguish them from reproductions, clones, forgeries, or substantially derivative works. The modern idea of originality is according to some scholars tied to Romanticism, by a notion t ...

song Flo Rida has turned out to date; even if the

dreamed up by its thirteen co-

producers Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

is anything but." Upon the

release Release may refer to: * Art release, the public distribution of an artistic production, such as a film, album, or song * Legal release, a legal instrument * News release, a communication directed at the news media * Release (ISUP), a code to iden ...

of "Whistle", many

music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...

commented on the song's sexually suggestive lyrics, with many claiming that the chorus is a subtle reference to

. Daw and Rutherford described it as "the least subtle song ever". Rob Markman of MTV News noted that he makes "catchy tunes that appeal to

the masses ''The Masses'' was a graphically innovative magazine of socialist politics published monthly in the United States from 1911 until 1917, when federal prosecutors brought charges against its editors for conspiring to obstruct conscription. It was ...

, but Flo is also a master of the

double entendre A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially ...

, masking some pretty suggestive lyrics with a candy-pop coating. His latest single, 'Whistle,' is a perfect example." Markman further noted that Flo Rida's 2009 hit "

" contained sexual suggestive lyrics. Katherine St Asaph of the website Popdust, gave a negative review for the song, grading it with one-and-a-half out of five stars and writing:

"The gimmick here, as you've probably guessed, is a whistled hook. This is a problem. Whistling was last year's trend, and a certain pair of Jagger-movers made it overplayed. Whistling the melody to ' Just Can't Get Enough' is not an improvement. Nor is pairing it with a double-entendre ripped off near-verbatim from Lauren Bacall–a metaphor ruined by being made more explicit. Flo's obvious enough to taunt 'blow my whistle, baby,' but his quoted instructions would not literally work. 'Whistle while you work it,' later, ''might'' have worked–it's a snowclone just stupid enough to stick as a hook–but Flo smothers it in a bunch of Flo Rida delivery."

Chart performance

"Whistle" debuted at number 64 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. For the week dating August 25, 2012, the song reached number one on the chart, selling 317,000 copies and overtaking Carly Rae Jepsen's " Call Me Maybe", which had been at the top for the preceding nine weeks since June 23, 2012. The following week, however, it was overtaken by

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...

's crossover hit "

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her fourth studio album, '' Red'' (2012). It was released for digital download and to U.S. pop radio as the lead single from ''Red'' on A ...

". On the week of September 8, 2012, "Whistle" once again topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for another week, until once again being overtaken by "

." The song has sold 3,372,000 copies in the US as of November 2012. On May 6, 2012, the song debuted at number eight on the ARIA Singles Chart. It moved to number one on the chart the next week and it kept the first position for the next seven weeks. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted and peaked at number two on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

on June 10, 2012 – for the week ending date June 16, 2012 – beaten to the top of the chart by " Sing" by

Gary Barlow Gary Barlow (born 20 January 1971) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He is the lead singer of the British pop group Take That. Barlow is one of the United Kingdom's most successful songwriters, havi ...

& The Commonwealth Band featuring Military Wives. For the same chart issue, it debuted at the top of the

UK R&B Chart The UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (also known as The Official UK Hip Hop and R&B Charts, the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Singles and the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Albums, or simply the UK Urban Chart) are 40-posi ...

. According to the

Official Charts Company The Official Charts (legal name: The Official UK Charts Company Limited) is a British inter-professional organization that compiles various "official" record charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France. In the United Kingdom, its charts in ...

, "Whistle" sold 620,000 copies in the United Kingdom in 2012, making it Britain's 15th best-selling single of that year. In the Republic of Ireland, for the chart issue dated May 31, 2012, "Whistle" debuted at number eight on the Irish Singles Chart. For the next two weeks, the song moved to number three on the chart. For the chart issue dated June 22, 2012, "Whistle" moved from number three to number one on the Irish Singles Chart removing

Cheryl Cole Cheryl Ann Tweedy (born 30 June 1983) is an English singer and television personality. Born and raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, she rose to fame in late 2002 upon winning a place in Girls Aloud, a girl group created through ITV's '' Popstar ...

's " Call My Name" from the top spot of the chart. As of August 14, 2012 the single has sold over 4 million copies around the globe.

Music video

The

for "Whistle" was directed by

and premiered on May 24, 2012, at 4 p.m. EST. A preview of the video was released on May 21, 2012. It was filmed in Acapulco,

. A behind-the-scenes video was released the next day on May 25, 2012. It makes use of

at various points. It mostly shows Flo Rida lying on a bed on a beach singing the song. Hamish Macbain of ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' described the video, "The video setting: Flo Rida, topless, head shaved, shorts on, on a cliff edge. Other video personnel: women in bikinis, some allowed to whistle to take Flo Rida’s dream outlined at the beginning of this track one step closer to reality." Becky Bain of Idolator reviewed the video positively, saying: "Flo Rida's thinly-veiled sexual euphimism, 'Whistle', gets exactly the type of video you’d expect: shot in sunny Acalpulco, the ... vid ofeatures boobs, babes, bikinis, and little else. The clip also acts as a video pamphlet for any millionaires out there looking to find the next location for their luxury vacation. Flo Rida and his booty-shakin’ ladies not included, but with an unbelievable setting like this, you can do more than just whistle the night away." A writer of ''Rap-Up'' noted that "Water, women, and wild parties rule" with the video and further wrote that viewers will "escape to paradise with Flo". Katherine St Asaph of Popdust gave a mixed review for the video, writing that "it's fitting that the 'Whistle' video is basically an update of 'Wild Ones,' with less Sia and more whistling". However, she praised the landscapes in the video, saying that "This could double as a travel commercial–a commercial for the very idea of travel.".

Can You Blow My version

The week before Flo Rida's version entered the UK Singles Chart, a

pre-release cover version In the music industry, a pre-release cover version is a type of cover version that arises when a cover artist releases a version of a song before the original artist does. This practise takes advantage of a 'release window'; it occurs when an upc ...

by a tribute collective under the name of Can You Blow My, entered the chart at number 55, moving up to number 38 the following week.

Track listing

*;Digital download #"Whistle" – 3:45 *;CD single #"Whistle" – 3:48 #" Wild Ones" (Alex Guesta remix) – 6:59

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the liner notes of '' Wild Ones''. * Flo Rida – songwriter, vocal *David Glas – songwriter, producer, recording *Marcus Killian – songwriter *Adam Privitera - whistler *

– songwriter, producer *Breyan Isaac – songwriter * Antonio "Jovii Hendrix" Mobley – songwriter, background vocals *JP "The Specialist" Negrete – recording *

Manny Marroquin Manny Marroquin (born September 21, 1971) is an American mixing engineer.Daley, Dan (May 2005).Manny Marroquin. ''Sound on Sound''. Retrieved February 10, 2007 He has received ten Grammy awards for his professional audio work. Life and career ...

– mixer *Chris Galland – assistant mixer *Delbert Bowers – assistant mixer *Pat Kraus – mastering *Trent Mazur - guitar

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

Radio and release history

References

External links