Or is this not an appropriate song for a health food shop

[APairofScarletSequinedWings]

Hello Everyone,

I accept that I may be overthinking this, so happy to be handed a grip or three, but here is the situation.

I was in Holland and Barrett earlier, and was idly wandering around, when I realised that the song on their stereo was "Alone again, naturally", by Gilbert O'Sullivan. I have included the lyrics below for anyone not familiar with the song, but felt it was not the sort of thing to be playing where some customers may well be already feeling depressed and looking for remedies to help. I mentioned it to the young assistant, who was definitely not old enough to remember the song, but when I told her the first verse, she was horrified, and said that it could possibly trigger someone who was already in a dark place. One of my closest friends goes through periods of horrendous mental health lows, and would definitely think this song was meant for them.

Now, I absolutely know that you can't monitor every song in every shop on the high street, but those that are there to sell supplements supposedly to aid both physical and mental health (i.e. St. John's Wort or Valerian), would be better to either have more cheerful songs or general background music. I was about to write to the Customer Service Department and ask that they consider removing it from the play list, as I understand that the shops are sent USBs with the music already on there.

So, AIBU, write or leave it?

Lyrics
In a little while from now
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promise myself to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower
And climbing to the top
Will throw myself off
In an effort to
Make it clear to whoever
Wants to know what it's like When you're shattered
Left standing in the lurch at a church
Were people saying, My God, that's tough
She stood him up
No point in us remaining
We may as well go home
As I did on my own
Alone again, naturally
To think that only yesterday
I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to who wouldn't do
The role I was about to play
But as if to knock me down
Reality came around
And without so much as a mere touch
Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt
Talk about, God in His mercy
Oh, if he really does exist
Why did he desert me
In my hour of need
I truly am indeed
Alone again, naturally
It seems to me that
There are more hearts broken in the world
That can't be mended
Left unattended
What do we do
What do we do
Alone again, naturally
Looking back over the years
And whatever else that appears
I remember I cried when my father died
Never wishing to hide the tears
And at sixty-five years old
My mother, God rest her soul
Couldn't understand why the only man
She had ever loved had been taken
Leaving her to start
With a heart so badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever
And when she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again, naturally
Alone again, naturally

Seasalt plays the worst songs of any store. Pointer Sisters 1940's retro-type covers or warbling women with songs that seem to meander along. I often do walk out because I can't stand it (and their clothes are too big for me).

YABU, any song could trigger anyone anywhere for any reason. The prices in Holland and Barrett are far more depressing than a bit of muzac!

Gosh some of these responses are a bit harsh. I am depressed at the minute and avoid sad songs, movies and books where people are harmed as it makes me anxious. You can buy very non-descript music for playing in public places, however, its virtually impossible to police music in public as you can overhear it from car radios, on tv programmes etc.

But one last question; have none of you ever been in a shop when going through a bad time, a bereavement or breakup, and heard a song that brought back a memory that made you well up? I know it has me. That sort of thing can be amplified for some people

So what do you suggest? That all music is banned just in case it upsets someone? I have a DC who has had serious MH problems spanning years. Funnily enough, H&B was rarely a port of call for treatment; we preferred doctors, psychiatrists and therapists.

YABU, any song could trigger anyone anywhere for any reason. The prices in Holland and Barrett are far more depressing than a bit of muzac!0

^ This x 100

Erm... it's a song, written by a man who writes lots of songs about the human condition (and a dog!). This one is a lonely, suicidal man being left at the altar and then telling the listener about the death of his parents.

Everyone has momnets in their lives like that. ALone again, naturally can be read as very depressing or just as the natural state of every human being, in the end! You can commiserate witht he caharacter or feel lucky it ain't you!

But to complain because a song has lyrics about life is just bloody stupid!

And Clair is not a paedophile song. As she herself says, it is a lovely song written by a man about his manager's daughter, who calls him Uncle Ray (it's in the lyrics). Next you'll be saying he and Brotherhood of Man were all in a ring... their child was only 3 years old too!

I was in specsavers the other day and they played Don’t Fear the Reaper. I’ll admit I was a bit because it’s so explicitly about suicide and makes suicide sound like a positive act, but I didn’t think it was worth complaining about.

I did once complain in a hairdressers where I taken my DD, who was I think 6 at the time, to get her hair cut. They were playing explicit rap music with lots of very audible swearing, references to sexual acts and drug taking. That wasn’t piped in though, the very young stylists had put it on and apologised and changed the cd.

It would never have occurred to me that Holland and Barret customers are more particularly prone to mental health issues than the customers of any other type of shop.

They sell a whole range of products.

Would you have objected if the song had been played in Boots? Who also sell St John’s Wort...

I always thought Don't Fear the Reaper was about eternal love, in the here and now and in the afterlife. More Kathy and Heathcliff than a suicide pact!!!

It’s a beautiful song but just thinking about it makes me cry. But that’s not always a bad thing.

I have to disagree with you OP. We cannot police real life like this. My daughter has some serious mental health issues and things she might hear can be triggering to her but learning to cope in the real world is all part of her recovery process.

Seriously?! get a life you are being VU

Definitely need a hobby

Not sure if YABU or not- I don't understand why depressed people are any more likely to be in Holland & Barratt than anywhere else that plays random music.

But it has occurred to me that I've heard snippets of that song in Stuart Little - which, taking into account the lyrics (that I hadn't bothered listening to before), is definitely a bit inappropriate for a film aimed at young children.

I have posted about this before but every time I am reminded it makes me laugh again...

I was on hold to the A and E department. For me it wasn’t a serious phone call but for someone else it could have been. The song choice? Knocking On Heaven’s Door.

Having looked it up I was wrong, from Wikipedia

Don't Fear) The Reaper" is a song by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult from the band's 1976 album Agents of Fortune. The song, written and sung by lead guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, deals with eternal love and the inevitability of death. Dharma wrote the song while picturing an early death for himself

I feel a bit more comfortable liking the song now.

I didn’t know the song (first thought was it was from a music but that’s the wrong Gilbert/Sullivan). I’ve google it and without the lyrics in front of me I don’t think I’d have the first clue what he was wittering on about! It’s quite a jaunty tune, so I doubt anyone who didn’t know the song well would have any idea it was quite so dark.

And anyway, as so many PPs have said, music is completely subjective. You cannot expect a shop to take responsibility for someone’s personal triggers!

I just went and bought some jelly beans from Holland and Baratt after reading this.... op don’t be so ridiculous

I associate Holland & Barret with dried fruit and multivitamins. It's not like they were playing it in a physiatrist's waiting room.

Lots of songs can be upsetting to people for various reasons. What about someone recently widowed who hears the charming upbeat love song that was their first dance?

Me and my mum were in A and E with my sister once and ‘Staying Alive’ came on. We couldn’t help ourselves, we were in stitches

This is so ridiculous it's made my day.

I think if you'd been left at the altar and then went to Holland and Barrett, it could be triggering.

Otherwise, no. And although I have huge sympathies (and experience) with mental health, I don't think you can censor the world to make sure all sad songs, references to death etc are not played in public.

I just went and bought some jelly beans from Holland and Baratt after reading this....

I think it's a lot more inappropriate that they're passing off jelly beans as health food!

I slightly agree with you OP.
I don't think it's an appropriate song to be played in a public place.

But anyone could object to any song ! Unless it's an instrumental... and even that may be triggering as it could remind you of something or be too happy/sad.

Btw dd who fancies herself as a bit of a trendy teen has just discovered Gilbert O'Sullivan. Listening to his music... it's very good! When I was young he was height of naffness.

Anyone with “serious mental health issues” will not be buying herbal placebo remedies from Holland and Barratt, they will have real prescribed medication. So for that reason alone YABU.