Hey I found a whistle that hangs like a charm
and when my noose is tied I could blow it
and fall down into your arms
15 centuries of dissolution and grief
to return a yellow trickster and a thief

Yeah I found a whistle that works every time
that's when the trail escapes to nowhere
and the flood erases the crime
such conviction
to paint all the wall with the blood
of the young and the faithful and the good

Yeah I found a whistle as thin as a sheet
to split the dumbness of a vision
between asleep and a sleep
tiny axes
repeatedly raising the flag
all ignored, real emotion's such a drag

Hey I've got a pistol that's aimed at your heart
and on dark nights when the moon is right
I could show you
the head attached with a scarf
aerophane sorceress, at home obeying the fates
when it's gone, has it gone all the way?

This time
found a whistle
that works every time
Yeah, I found a whistle
that works
hangs like a charm
Yeah, found a whistle
that works every time
Yeah, I found a whistle
that works
closes my mind every time
a whistle
I've got it,
I've got it,
this time



Lyrics submitted by kerrigwen

Track duration: 03:40


I Found a Whistle song meanings
Add your thoughts

47 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +3
    My Interpretation:I think that this song could be about fame, a relationship or friendship. The first time I heard this song, the word whistle reminded of some one blowing a whistle for help. Also, many hunting dogs are trained to come to their masters by the blow of a whistle. In the first line he is definitely referencing that he could blow the whistle as he is hanging for a noose and some one (his fans, a friends, or a girl) would immediately be there for him. The whistle "hangs like a charm," meaning it is always there and reliable source of help.

    Hey I've got a pistol that's aimed at your heart
    and on dark nights when the moon is right
    I could show you
    the head attached with a scarf
    aerophane sorceress, at home obeying the fates
    when it's gone, has it gone all the way?

    I think that this part of the song refers to a relationship or friendship that has been polluted by fame. When he says that he has "got a pistol that's aimed at you heart," I think he telling that he is trying to force the same relationship/friendship to work out. He has to do this "on dark nights when the moon is right" because his fame gets in the way of it. In the last line, he is wondering if after his fame and popularity is over, will his relationship go back to normal?
    Flag haleyxoon April 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Sorry WillGolden. Some how I overlooked your comment. Great analysis!
    Flag NCKIDon April 10, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Am I the only one who immediately thought of the internet. Obviously none of us know for sure what he meant, but I thought of the information age/globalization when I first heard this song. I mean, something pretty important did happen 1500 years ago (end of the last information age).
    Flag NCKIDon April 10, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm pretty sure this song is about denial of many sorts.

    "Yeah, I found a whistle
    that works
    closes my mind every time"

    This is the most obvious statement in the whole song about the whistle.

    The whistle is his ability to shut off his mind from acknowledging various truths in his personal life and the world.

    "hangs like a charm
    and when my noose is tied I could blow it
    and fall down into your arms"

    Charm refers to the tempting nature of blocking out certain truths/denial. Noose refers to continuing with a situation, most likely a romantic relationship in this case, that he knows to be dangerous or bad, but if he blows the whistle (rejects this knowledge) he can fall back into the relationship.

    Also see "repeatedly raising the flag
    all ignored, real emotion's such a drag" for more confirmation of him, or people in general, ignoring obvious warning signs. (I'm guilty of this in previous relationships for sure..I think it's pretty common)

    "15 centuries of dissolution and grief
    to return a yellow trickster and a thief"

    I think this line refers to how most of the human race is in denial about many things, whether it be religion or the inherent corruption in politics etc.

    "and the flood erases the crime
    such conviction
    to paint all the wall with the blood
    of the young and the faithful and the good"

    This could refer to religious or political leaders abusing morality to control people, and the denial these so-called leaders must go through in order to drive so many people into senseless wars.

    "I could show you
    the head attached with a scarf"

    This again refers to denial. This image refers to a head that only looks attached to the body, but in reality is not physically connected.

    "Hey I've got a pistol that's aimed at your heart"

    This refers to the dangerous nature of denial.

    "aerophane sorceress, at home obeying the fates
    when it's gone, has it gone all the way?"

    This refers to how when one form of mysticism, or denial of reality, dies, it always gives way to another form of mysticism. Greek gods, gave way to the Christian religion. Everyone always looks at Greek mythology as ridiculous and false, but many people believe in Christianity, which is actually just as preposterous and false as Greek mythology.

    I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure this is mostly correct.
    Flag errorspendingon March 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I feel like it's so obvious that it's a satire on religion and people faith and reliance on it anytime something goes wrong, it's something they can run to and will protect them, it's a whistle that works everytime...

    Also doubt there is any connection but I always think of Sharon Tate and her friends being murdered when it talks about writing on the walls with the blood of the young faithful and good, and the pistol at your heart when the moon is full.
    Flag AfricanChildon March 28, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Ithink the song is about some sort of escape whether it bedrugs, a mental location,etc. and whatever this escape is it solves the problems of the singer
    "Hey I found a whistle that hangs like a charm
    and when my noose is tied I could blow it
    and fall down into your arms
    15 centuries of dissolution and grief
    to return a yellow trickster and a thief"
    The whistle is the drug, when hisnooseis tied-- when life gets hard
    i can blow it and fall down into your arms-- i can use thedruhg andfall away from the problems and fallinto asafeplace, someones arms

    between asleep and a sleep-- youare inthestate of being high or in a daze
    just how i take it
    Flag Tev429on August 08, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song is about finding some sort of escape, whether it be drugs, a mental escape,etc.
    Flag Tev429on August 08, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:First came the Pied Piper, who whistled the first call
    Romero's Night of the Living Dead scored the fall
    You all saw Matrix, Island, Logan's Run and Brazil
    But you couldn't see the chains for the song and the thrill.

    And still after 15 centuries of dissolution and grief
    we eat, drink, f*** and sleep in their belief.

    They built two pillars, one black and one white
    they built a door in between, all gleaming and gold
    and we went dancing through it and were sold
    freedom, democracy, knowledge and sight
    and blindly paid for it all with our souls.

    I stood with the few for the weak and the young.
    But they took away my life and ripped out my tongue.

    9/11, child abuse, God and fake wars,
    All painted with glamour, sex, goods and fashion stores
    Now they're online with their tyranny and crime
    Because they found a whistle that worked every time.

    Flag WillGoldenon August 06, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The whistle could also mean the act of whistling and therefore a song. Finding one that "works every time" could be their way of saying they've made songs that are highly popular, which they're probably being ironic about since Congratulations is about distancing themselves from the people who only like their popular songs.
    Oh, and if something happens to cast the band in a negative light, they could "blow that whistle", play the song, and everyone'll like them again ("the flood erases the crime").
    Flag blue.painted.tearson June 02, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is brilliant and beautiful, no matter what it's about. Some general impressions:
    1st stanza - love
    2nd stanza - loss of innocence
    3rd stanza - politics?
    4th stanza - love that is no longer love
    Last - whoooohooo whistles xD

    Whistles are often used to get out of dangerous situations. So maybe the whistle is his promise to himself to not go in too deep in a relationship if he knows it'll end badly? Or to be cautious about love in general? Or the discernment between who's worth it (the girl in the first stanza whose arms he'll fall into when he's about to be hanged) and who's not (the one whose heart he's got a pistol aimed toward).
    Flag blue.painted.tearson June 02, 2011   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain