Young Folks

Everywhere from Aloft Haidian in Beijing to W Seminyak on Bali, the same whistling song seemed to be playing through the summer of 2011. Back then, I never managed to identify it, and over the years, I have only heard it on a few rare occasions.

But today, thanks to Chat-GPT, I finally tracked it down as “Young Folks” by the Swedish indie band Peter Bjorn and John:

“While older, this song had a very iconic whistling melody and remained popular in lounges, cafes, and hotels well into the 2010s, especially in trendy or upscale places”

Listening to it now, I am instantly transported across time and space. Before being thrown back out into the Pacific, I had spent the afternoon hiking with the kids in Kielers Park and made sweet potatoes with mint and feta for dinner – another throwback to summer adventures past.