Oranges and lemons

June 25, 2009 12:23 AM

London Sound Surveycollects the everyday sounds of the capital, including the bells of St Clement's, the call to prayer at the Whitechapel mosque, football fans outside Millwall stadium, a demo in Piccadilly, dubstep at the Notting Hill Carnival and a street preacher at Speaker's Corner.. not forgetting, of course, those ubiquitous sounds of London life, 'Big Issue! Big Issue!' and announcements of planned engineering works on the Tube. (Via.)
posted by verstegan (19 comments total)

Save our sounds - a global collection from the BBC.
posted by Phanx at 1:06 AM on June 25

I don't seem to be getting "oranges and lemons" from the bells of St. Clement's.
posted by The Tensor at 1:22 AM on June 25 [1 favorite]

I once ran a pub opposite the Whitechapel Mosque. All the regulars could, and would, mimic the call to prayer as it was blasted forth on the minaret's loud speakers.

(FYI, if anyone was planning on compiling a chart of the more bizarre sights and sounds you'll ever see or hear in your life.)

The longer serving staff could also differentiate between the different singers (if singer is the word I want.) The guy they had on Sundays lacked the panache of the guy you can hear on the recording in the link above.

Our favourite part was the bit you can hear at 1:52 above where he does a long note followed by an abrupt glotal stop which, when he was really going for it, sounded like he was doing an impression of a chicken through huge, over-amped and ragged speakers.

"AhhhhhhhHHHhhhhhhHHHHHhhhhhhhhhBUK!"

Yes. You'll be surprised to hear that the drinkers and staff of an East End pub could reduce the beauty and majesty of a 1500 year old religion to whether or not there were chicken-related lolz.
posted by Jofus at 1:30 AM on June 25 [3 favorites]

Americans are quiet.
posted by twoleftfeet at 2:16 AM on June 25

I don't seem to be getting "oranges and lemons" from the bells of St. Clement's.

"Well, I just don't know," says the Great Bell of Bow.
posted by eriko at 2:22 AM on June 25

Marvelous! Anyone know of something similar for NYC?
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 2:22 AM on June 25

Sounds of New York
posted by twoleftfeet at 2:35 AM on June 25

Marvelous! Anyone know of something similar for NYC?

There's also the lovely folksongs for the fivepoints site
posted by dng at 2:51 AM on June 25

"So we just make shit up?" Say the chimes of St. Chuck.
posted by Meatbomb at 3:17 AM on June 25

Not to derail, but it's really a coincidence that this showed up today. I just got email from my potential PhD supervisor saying that he's just put the final signature on my admission form for the program.

Long story short, HOLY SHIT I THINK I JUST GOT INTO KING'S COLLEGE LONDON, and there's a very real possibility I'm going to be hearing all these sounds for real for the next three years.

Sorry. Carry on.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 4:48 AM on June 25

announcements of planned engineering works on the Tube

I love how the announcer always sounds pleasantly surprised when announcing that everything is working fine and there are no disruptions
posted by Erberus at 4:52 AM on June 25

I hear "There is no interchange between Bank and Monument stations." in my sleep.
posted by vacapinta at 5:32 AM on June 25 [1 favorite]

They don't sound like "Oranges and Lemons," those bells of St. Clements. Hmmm. Who knew? Congrats Mr. Bad Example, btw.
posted by WyoWhy at 5:38 AM on June 25

Knock, knock.
Whose there?
Biggish.
Biggish who?
No thanks.
posted by Samuel Farrow at 6:26 AM on June 25 [1 favorite]

I can't believe they don't have 'Mind the Gap'
posted by Flashman at 6:33 AM on June 25

Reminded me of this:

http://www.kunstradio.at/HISTORY/WORKS/schafer_soundscapes.html
posted by humboldt32 at 8:30 AM on June 25

What Flashman said.

MIND. THE GAP.
posted by bright cold day at 5:53 AM on June 26

I would also add the new iBus system, which reminds passengers at 30 second intervals of which number bus they're on (despite such number being printed in large, bright, yellow numbers on the front, side and rear of the bus). Audio on YouTube.
posted by bright cold day at 6:07 AM on June 26 [1 favorite]

I really like the objective way they've presented it without hype. The map and historical sounds are nice touches as well.
posted by Not Supplied at 12:30 PM on June 26