I stopped at the grocery store on the way home for cold medicine. (I think I figured out why I felt so crappy Monday...I'm actually sick. Sore throat, puffy eyes, aching joints...mystery solved.)
Anyway, store. I'm going up and down the aisles looking for cough drops and I realize the Muzak isn't Muzak. I'm hearing
This ain't no party
This ain't no disco
This ain't no foolin' around
I know it's been a long time since canned music was 1001 Strings, but usually it is light, middle-of-the-road music.
Years ago in Washington there was a radio station with the call letters WGAY. When I was a kid my grandparents listened to it. I think they actually played 1001 Strings. The call letters and the extremly un-hip music made "You listen to WGAY!" a playground taunt.
Just a few years ago I wrecked my car and borrowed my father's station wagon to drive while mine was being repaired. Driving it home I heard Stephen Bishop, Carly Simon, and Glen Campbell. I turned up the radio, thinking, wow, I haven't heard this in years. Then the DJ came back on with "You're listening to WGAY..." and I damn near wrecked dad's car.
But I admit I like light, MOR music. And it's not that I don't like Talking Heads. I do. I own Fear of Music (on vinyl). It's just that...Talking Heads are alternative. Talking Heads are something to make your parents say "What the hell are you listening to?"
Talking Heads are not about buying milk and bread.
P.S. I tried to check out the Muzak site. It confused me...
Posted by Nic at July 28, 2004 04:50 PM