Peter Bjorn and John, the Swedish indie-pop trio, might have become a footnote in music history if it wasn’t for “Young Folks.” Before this infectious tune, the band was grinding through the typical struggles of an emerging act – self-built stages at obscure Stockholm festivals, gigs in Chinese restaurants, and opening slots on tours. After five years of this hustle, they were close to calling it quits. Then “Young Folks” emerged from an unexpected place to become a global phenomenon, altering their trajectory irrevocably.
Björn Yttling, the band’s bassist, producer, and the whistler behind that melody, recalls the song’s genesis. Initially conceived on piano, Yttling thought it might evolve into a jazz piece, reminiscent of Duke Ellington. Switching to guitar, a pop sensibility emerged. The now-iconic whistle? It was merely a placeholder melody, hummed to memory’s sake, intended for replacement by a more conventional instrument, perhaps an organ. Experimentation with a tape delay machine, a workaround due to budget constraints, serendipitously cemented the whistle’s place in the final cut. “Oh, it sounds good, let’s keep it,” they realized.
Watch the video for Peter, Bjorn and John’s Young Folks
The concept evolved to include a duet, inspired by the unlikely pairings of David Bowie and Bing Crosby, or the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s “Fairytale of New York.” This filmic, conversational approach shaped the lyrics. Victoria Bergsman of The Concretes was chosen as Peter Morén’s vocal counterpart. Her almost childlike voice, juxtaposed with Morén’s Beatles-esque timbre, became integral to the song’s enchanting quality.
The vocal recording session itself was remarkably low-key. On a sweltering Midsummer’s Eve, Yttling and Bergsman laid down her parts in about an hour in Yttling’s apartment studio. Equipped with a couple of microphones and a Craigslist-sourced drum kit – far from top-tier studio gear – they unknowingly captured lightning in a bottle. This lo-fi setup, born of necessity, became part of their signature sound.
Initial reactions from Swedish record labels were lukewarm; they passed on “Young Folks.” However, Wichita Recordings in the UK and Europe recognized its potential, releasing it to a wider audience. Its US breakthrough followed, remarkably charting on import sales alone initially. The subsequent platinum certifications across multiple countries and the decade-long whirlwind that ensued were completely unforeseen.
The sheer scale of “Young Folks”‘ success remains somewhat nebulous to the band. Over 100 million plays on MySpace alone hint at its reach. While not translating into immense personal wealth, the song undeniably boosted their careers, particularly Yttling’s production work. Its enduring impact is underscored by its inclusion on Rolling Stone’s list of the best songs of the 21st century, placing it among iconic tracks like Beyoncé’s chart-toppers. “You can be proud of that for sure,” Yttling reflects.
Peter Morén, the vocalist and guitarist, offers his perspective on the song’s themes. Despite the title “Young Folks,” the band members were in their early thirties when it was written, not teenagers. He describes the song as capturing a feeling of relationship fatigue, followed by the tentative spark of a new connection, perhaps sparked in a bar – the “maybe this could be something” moment.
While Björn Yttling is responsible for the recorded whistle, Peter Morén takes on the whistling duties in live performances. Initially a struggle, constant touring honed his whistling skills, though early gigs were sometimes marred by colds or hangovers, leading to audience critiques of their whistling abilities. The studio recording’s pitched-up whistle further complicated live renditions.
Kanye West sampled “Young Folks” on a mixtape, a testament to its cross-genre appeal. Performing with West at a Gothenburg festival, Morén recounts a humorous onstage moment where West jokingly called him out for struggling with the high-pitched whistle, amplified even further by West’s DJ, A-Trak.
“Young Folks” arrived at a pivotal moment, standing apart from mainstream radio sounds and foreshadowing the indie-pop wave of the mid-2000s, a period when hip-hop artists began embracing indie music. Morén describes the song’s paradoxical nature – “strange and melancholy and happy-sad,” a “club song for dorks,” not a typical macho anthem.
Despite a brief period of fatigue with their biggest hit, Morén now appreciates “Young Folks” for its lasting legacy. It has allowed Peter Bjorn and John to sustain their music careers. Reflecting on his pre-fame aspirations, Morén notes he was training to be a librarian. Thanks to “Young Folks,” that career path remains thankfully unexplored. Peter Bjorn and John’s journey, indelibly marked by this unexpected hit, continues to evolve, proving the enduring magic of a song born from humble beginnings and a simple whistle.
