“Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John became an unexpected global phenomenon, instantly recognizable for its infectious whistling melody and charming duet vocals. This indie pop earworm propelled the Swedish trio to international fame, a journey they almost didn’t embark on. Björn Yttling, the band’s bassist, producer, and the whistler behind the iconic tune, recounts the serendipitous creation of this beloved track.
Yttling recalls the genesis of “Young Folks” during the creation of their third album, Writer’s Block. After five years of relentless touring and performing in unconventional venues, Peter Bjorn and John were on the verge of calling it quits. “We probably would have quit if Young Folks hadn’t become the hit that it did,” Yttling admits. The initial melody sparked from a piano improvisation, surprisingly evoking the sophisticated jazz of Duke Ellington. Transitioning to guitar, the tune morphed into a more pop-oriented direction. The now-famous whistle was initially just a placeholder. “I whistled a placeholder for the melody just so we could remember it, intending to replace it with an instrument later, maybe an organ or something.” Experimentation with a tape delay machine unexpectedly cemented the whistle as a defining characteristic. “Then we put the whistle through a tape delay machine. We couldn’t afford to record on tape, so we recorded everything with a delay effect. Then it was like: ‘Oh, it sounds good, let’s keep it.'”
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The idea of transforming the song into a duet arose from a desire to create a conversational, cinematic feel, drawing inspiration from unexpected pairings like David Bowie and Bing Crosby, or the classic “Fairytale of New York.” This vision shaped the lyrical perspective of “Young Folks”. Victoria Bergsman from The Concretes was chosen as the female vocalist, her “almost childlike voice combined with Peter’s more Beatles-type voice” adding an undeniable magic to the track. The recording session itself was remarkably casual and swift. On a hot Midsummer’s Eve, Yttling and Bergsman laid down her vocals in about an hour in Yttling’s apartment studio, equipped with modest gear including a Craigslist drum kit. “This was not gear for making a hit record, but that’s our sound I guess,” Yttling reflects.
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Initially rejected by Swedish labels, “Young Folks” found its breakthrough when Wichita Recordings released it in the UK and Europe. Its US success followed, even charting as an import. The song’s platinum status in multiple countries and its profound impact on the band’s future were unforeseen. Despite the massive online play counts, exceeding 100 million on MySpace alone, the band didn’t become rich from “Young Folks”. However, its impact was undeniable, kickstarting Yttling’s career as a producer and solidifying Peter Bjorn and John’s place in music history. Yttling proudly mentions the song’s recognition in Rolling Stone’s list of the century’s best songs, placing it among iconic tracks like Beyoncé’s hits.
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Peter Morén, the band’s vocalist and guitarist, offers his perspective on the song’s themes and enduring appeal. Despite the title “Young Folks,” the band members were in their early thirties when they created it, reflecting a sense of relationship fatigue and the tentative hope of new connections. “The song is about people feeling a bit burned out on relationships, and then you meet someone new in a bar, say, and think, ‘Maybe this could be something.'” While Björn Yttling is responsible for the recorded whistle, Peter Morén took on the whistling duties in live performances. Initially a challenge, especially with hangovers and colds hindering his whistling abilities, Morén eventually mastered it through extensive touring. He humorously recalls audience members’ early criticisms: “This band sucks – they can’t whistle.”
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The song’s unique sound caught the attention of Kanye West, who sampled “Young Folks” on a mixtape. Peter Bjorn and John even shared a stage with West at a festival in Gothenburg, where Morén humorously recounts struggling to perform the whistle live after an earlier gig, compounded by West’s on-stage joke about “the whistling guy, not being able to whistle.” Morén reflects on “Young Folks” as a precursor to later indie sounds and its unexpected crossover appeal, bridging the gap between indie and hip-hop in the mid-2000s. He describes it as a “strange and melancholy and happy-sad kind of song,” a “club song for dorks” rather than a typical macho club anthem.
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While Morén admits to briefly disliking “Young Folks” due to its overwhelming popularity, he now appreciates its lasting impact. “But now it’s many years in the past, and it’s wonderful to have been a part of an evergreen thing.” The song’s success allowed Peter Bjorn and John to sustain their music career, diverting Morén from his pre-band path of becoming a librarian. “I still haven’t had to become a librarian, so that’s a good thing,” he quips. “Young Folks” remains not just a hit song, but a career-defining moment for Peter Bjorn and John, an accidental anthem that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.
