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Whistling aloud to bear his courage up...

Posted by Bruce Kahl on June 05, 2004

In Reply to: Whistling aloud to bear his courage up... posted by ESC on June 05, 2004

: : : I am trying to find the origin / definition of the phrase "whistling past the graveyard"... I found whistle in the dark (close) but not quite. please share what you know!! thanks. john b

: : I'm posting this because it does mention "grave."

: : WHISTLING IN THE DARK -- "Be cheerful or optimistic in a situation that doesn't warrant cheer or optimism. It is a great temptation to try to cheer oneself up by whistling or singing in a dark and lonely place...The notion that one should whistle in difficult circumstances to show that one is not concerned or frightened can be found in Robert Blair's 'The Grave' : 'The Schoolboy...Whistling aloud to bear his Courage up." From The Dictionary of Cliches by James Rogers (Wings Books, Originally New York: Facts on File Publications, 1985).

: Excerpt from "The Grave":

: ".Oft in the lone church yard at night I've seen,
: By glimpse of moonshine chequering thro' the trees,
: The school boy, with his satchel in his hand,
: Whistling aloud to bear his courage up,
: And lightly tripping o'er the long flat stones,
: (With nettles skirted, and with moss o'ergrown,)
: That tell in homely phrase who lie below.
: Sudden he starts, and hears, or thinks he hears,
: The sound of something purring at his heels;
: Full fast he flies, and dare not look behind him,
: 'Till, out of breath, he overtakes his fellows,
: Who gather round and wonder at the tale
: Of horrid apparition tall and ghastly,
: That walks at dead of night, or takes his stand
: O'er some new-open'd grave; and (strange to tell!)
: Evanishes at crowing of the cock."

: www.poemhunter.com

Your phrase means to "ignore the current situation".

From a very simple rock and roll song:

Whistle Past The Graveyard

We walk in hollowed halls, our shirts are so white.
Our ties always perfect, our opinions so right.
We whistle past the graveyard at night.

We don't see the danger, we don't know what's going on.
We have perfect isolation as we sing our little song.
Walking past the graveyard we whistle all along.

We make contact on the telephone as the air conditioner hums.
Soundproof walls insulate us, we can't hear the distant drums.
If we whistle as we walk everything will be all right.
If we whistle past the graveyard at night.

We don't see the ghost and goblins, nor see the spooks and ghouls.
Perfect isolation and perfect contempt, breeds perfect fools.
Walking past the graveyard we whistle all along.
We know we are safe if we just whistle our little song.

We don't understand money, we don't understand wrong and right.
We're extremely educated but we're not very bright.
We whistle past the graveyard.
We whistle past the graveyard.
We whistle past the graveyard at night.

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