The BBC’s late-night music TV show The Old Grey Whistle Test lives long in the memories of those with eclectic tastes. It was named after a Tin Pan Alley phrase that meant if the elderly office doormen could whistle a tune after hearing it once, it was likely to be a hit. First presented by “Whispering” Bob Harris, Whistle Test was only a minor hit at first – until Focus played a two-song set in 1972 and ensured it stayed on air until 1988. We told the story in 2020.
