Context[]
"Whistle At Me" is a duet in Act 1 of Starlight Express. It was added to the show for its 30th anniversary. It is when Pearl sings about her dream engine, but Rusty, now having developed a crush on the new coach, tries to convince her that he'll race with her. In the song, we learn how Pearl appreciates Rusty because unike Greaseball and the Nationals, who are rough, Rusty is very gentle.
The song – which adapts much of the melody of "He'll Whistle At Me" – is sung by Pearl and Rusty. It is sung after "I Am Me" and before "Freight".
Its title in German is "Pfeife für mich".
Lyrics[]
2018 Bochum Lyrics + Translation[]
RUSTY: | Jetzt haltet euch ran, das Rennen fängt an. | Now hold on, the race is starting. |
DINAH, CARRIE, BELLE: | Dann bring uns sofort auf die Bahn! | Then get us on the track now! |
PEARL: | Er ist wirklich lieb, | He‘s really nice, |
Nicht wie dieser schmierige Typ. | Not like that greasy guy. | |
Hat er etwa eben den Pfiff abgegeben? | Did he just blow the whistle? | |
Das war so ein freundlicher Ton. | That was such a friendly tone! | |
Heut pfeift keiner mehr, so veraltet wie er. | Nowadays nobody whistles as outdated as he does | |
Aber süß ist es irgendwie schon. | But it's kind of cute. | |
Ich mag den Pfeifton so sehr, | I like the whistle so much, | |
Auch wenn er nicht mehr „in“ ist. | Even though it’s not "in“ anymore. | |
Ich mag ihn sehr, | I like it very much, | |
Weil so viel Seele drin ist. | 'Cause there's so much soul in it. | |
Kam der Pfeifton eben von dir? | Did that whistle just come from you? | |
RUSTY: | Sag’s bitte keiner weiter. | Please don’t tell anyone. |
Wenn das rauskommt, | If this gets out | |
Macht mich das hier sofort zum Aussenseiter. | It will make me an outcast | |
Das wird hier nicht gerne gehört. | They don't like to hear that around here. | |
PEARL: | Doch von dir, mag ich es sehr. | But from you I like it a lot |
RUSTY: | Alle sagen, dass es sie stört. | Everybody says that it bothers them. |
PEARL: | Das bist du, drum steh dazu. | That's you, so stand by it. |
Und pfeife für mich! | And whistle for me! | |
Von mir aus auch ganz leise. | Quietly, if you like | |
Pfeife für mich! | Whistle for me | |
Auf deine süße Weise. | In your sweet way | |
Pfeife für mich! | Whistle for me! | |
RUSTY: | Woo-woo | Woo-woo |
PEARL: | Das war schon fast zu heftig. | That was almost too strong. |
Ganz behutsam, | Very carefully, | |
Pfeife für mich. | Whistle for me | |
Nur bitte nicht zu kräftig. | Just please not too hard. | |
RUSTY: | Wenn du traurig bist and allein: | When you’re sad and lonely: |
Pfeif den Ton, dann komm ich schon! | Whistle the sound and I will come! | |
PEARL: | Kann ich das? | Can I do that? |
RUSTY: | Na klar, kannst du das! | Of course you can! |
Woo-woo | Woo-woo | |
PEARL: | Woo-woo | Woo-woo |
RUSTY: | Das könnte unser geheimes Zeichen sein | That could be our secret sign. |
PEARL: | Warum bist du so nett zu mir? | Why are you being so nice to me? |
Du kennst mich doch kaum. | You barely even know me. | |
RUSTY: | Ich denke, wir werden einander noch brauchen. | I think we’ll need each other. |
PEARL: | Pfeife für mich! | Whistle for me! |
RUSTY: | Kannst du’s wirklich leiden? | Do you really like it? |
PEARL: | Ganz bestimmt | Definitely |
Dein Pfeifen ist toll. | Your whistling is great. | |
Das gehört uns beiden. | It belongs to us both. | |
BOTH: | Woo-woo, woo-woo | Woo-woo, woo-woo |
Keiner kann es besser als die Dampflok. | Nobody can do it better that the steam train. | |
RUSTY: | Freunde? | Friends? |
PEARL: | Freunde. | Friends. |
RUSTY: | Mehr als freunde? | More than friends? |
PEARL: | Nein, nur Freunde. | No, just friends. |
Aber freunde mit einem Geheimnis. | But friends who share a secret. | |
CONTROL: | Hier ist Control. | Here is control. |
Rusty, hol den Frachtzug. | Rusty, go get the Freight train. | |
Los, jetzt! | Come on! | |
PEARL: | Woo-woo, woo-woo | Woo-woo, woo-woo |
Keiner kann es besser als die Dampflok. | Nobody can do it better than the steam train. |
2024 Wembley Lyrics[]
The song is titled "Whistle At Me"
RUSTY: | Woo-woo, woo-woo |
Hey coaches come on! | |
It's time we were been gone! | |
TASSITA, BELLE & DINAH: | So hitch up and take us to work! |
PEARL: | He seems kind of nice |
And not like that great oily jerk | |
I'm wondering who | |
Did that funny "woo-woo" | |
Only steamers can whistle that way | |
So could it be Rusty? | |
CONTROL: | I guess that it must be |
PEARL: | It might not be "cool" |
CONTROL: | But, hey! |
PEARL: | I love that whistling sound |
They say it's had it's time | |
I love that sound | |
It's not like it's a crime | |
Was that you, that whistle I heard? | |
RUSTY: | Shhh! I'm not supposed to do it |
Next time just pretend it's a bird | |
I'm sorry if I blew it | |
I've been told that it's incorrect | |
PEARL: | Done your way, it sounds okay |
RUSTY: | They all say it shows disrespect |
PEARL: | It's your song, that can't be wrong |
So whistle at me | |
It's okay done discreetly | |
Whistle at me | |
You do it oh-so sweetly | |
Whistle at me | |
RUSTY: | Woo-woo! |
PEARL: | That starts to sound aggressive |
Keep it gentle | |
Whistle at me | |
But nothing too excessive | |
RUSTY: | Any time you're lost or alone |
Make that sound, I'll be around | |
PEARL: | I don't know |
RUSTY: | It's easy, just blow! |
Woo-woo-woo | |
PEARL: | Woo-woo-woo |
RUSTY: | It'll be our secret signal! |
PEARL: | Why are you so nice to me? |
You hardly know me! | |
RUSTY: | I just think... |
Maybe we're going to need each other | |
PEARL: | Whistle at me |
RUSTY: | It isn't sort of dusty? |
PEARL: | No, no trust me! |
Whistling's okay | |
If it's Pearl and Rusty! | |
PEARL & RUSTY: | Woo-woo! Woo-woo! |
Nobody can do it like a steam train! | |
RUSTY: | Friends? |
PEARL: | Friends. |
RUSTY: | More than friends? |
PEARL: | Just friends. |
But! | |
Friends with a secret! | |
CONTROL: | Ewww! Enough already! |
Control, Control! | |
Rusty to fetch the freight trucks! | |
Now! | |
PEARL: | Woo-woo, woo-woo |
Nobody can do it like a steam train... |
Video[]
(Ignore video translations as they are incorrect)
Pfeife für mich (Whistle for Me) - Starlight Express Bochum July 2019 (w- English Lyrics)