Whistle test

[barrywom]

I remember being told that there was a sensible reason for the very silly name of the now defunct - and sadly missed - 'serious' 70s and 80s music prog The Old Grey Whistle Test, but I can't for the life of me recall it might have been. Any ideas?

[mash101]

I remember hearing in an interview with the presenter that the origin of the phrase derives from the doormen at the bbc. A song was deemed to be a hit if these grey old men could be heard whistling the tune: Hence it had passed the 'old grey whistle test'.