Grocery Store Piped-In Music: I'm Feeling "Sandwiched" ...

[Jack Flash]

I can remember as a youngster being in the grocery store and hearing the most gosh-awful music you can imagine. I think they made an elevator music version of every cutesy hit from the '40s. You know, like "Lambsy Dotes and Dosey Dotes" played by a full orchestra. Nothing ever had a short version, I can tell you.


Today I was in the grocery store and they were playing some breathless babe whining on and on about some guy who forgot Sweetest's Day or something like that. Are you kidding me?


Did I miss the years when they played the Rolling Stones, the Doors, Tangerine Dream, etc. ?


===Edited to add:
OOPS! It was "Mairzy Doats and Doesy Doats", but you know what I meant!

 

[rwsmith]

Muzak in stores......

When you were working in a store you get tired of hearing 'Yellow Submarine' orchestra style. But yeah, there's a lot worse.

I was in a convenience store yesterday and they were playing the most god-awful rap music with not only explicit words, but the explicit ideas that went with them. I would hated to have brought a kid in there.

Also 'music on hold'. One business I talk to a lot has what sounds like very loud 'soap opera' music from the 50's/60's. And the music isn't even more than a minute or so long before it loops to the beginning over and over and over. I keep the phone away from my ear while waiting.

 

[jeffsmith]

You must go to the Wrong Stores
Around here its Classic Rock not only in stores
but the Eye Drs office too

 

[Jack Flash]

I probably do go to the wrong stores, but they are the cheap ones.


As I was thinking about it, I realized there is an exception to every rule. When I worked for a defense contractor in a large office area, I was in with a small group of software developers surrounded by a bunch of older guys putting in time till their retirement.


They had enough pull to get Muzak piped in. Most of it was horrible, but I learned to look forward to three o'clock, when the music loop got around to "Ride Captain Ride". I always liked the original version of that song, but darned if I didn't come to like the Muzak version better!

 

[kwselke]

People must like it, they pay for it.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdJWZxPW45c[/ame]

 

[Rustyt1953]

Mall music

In the early 70's, a late friend got his start demoing home organs at the mall Wurlitzer store (wedged in between Spencer Gifts and Orange Julius).

He suffered from "Boom-Chicka-Boom" syndrome the rest of his life.

 

[LVSteve]

As I was thinking about it, I realized there is an exception to every rule. When I worked for a defense contractor in a large office area, I was in with a small group of software developers surrounded by a bunch of older guys putting in time till their retirement.

They had enough pull to get Muzak piped in. Most of it was horrible, but I learned to look forward to three o'clock, when the music loop got around to "Ride Captain Ride". I always liked the original version of that song, but darned if I didn't come to like the Muzak version better!

I have worked in a few places where the radio or computer muzak are verboten. The reaction of new hires to this news can be quite interesting. Me? I love the peace and quiet, but definitely freaks out some folk.

 

[rwsmith]

Subliminal message....

In a going out of sale deal, a store was playing this music that went, a very deep, "thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump" continuously. I realized after a while it was like fast walking or a somewhat fast heartbeat. I believe it was designed to 'pump up' the customers. You felt like you had to move along with the beat and they never changed the music.

An older guy, when I was a younger guy, played instrumental Big Band at work and he would point out to me various spots that were very well done and I was pretty impressed and developed a liking for it. He complained about the muzak versions saying for one thing, "There's just to many STRINGS." and I thought, "Yeah, that's it." The stuff sounds so syrupy with overdone strings.

 

[Chuck24]

The pawn shop I work in has switched to Christmas music, my ears are bleeding. I snuck the South Park Christmas cd in the mix, that didn't last long.

 

[reddogge]

The weirdest experience was years ago I was on an elevator and heard my niece's husband's song with him singing. He had a Christian rock band in Nashville at the time. What are the chances of that?