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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

143 replies

APairofScarletSequinedWings · 06/02/2019 11:05

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

OP posts:
RavenLG · 06/02/2019 16:16

Ffs.

I’m going through a horrendous depressive period at the moment and for the first time have almost verged on suicidal thoughts. It wouldn’t even cross my mind to police songs on the radio. Yes we’ve all been in public when something has sparked an emotion but this obsessive need to create safe spaces is making us all worse.
When I had a miscarriage years ago, I would ache inside when I saw new mums pushing their new bundles of joy around, should they just all stay at home as to not offend? No of course not! There are a lot of unfortunately timed situations that happen every day, but people who suffer with mental health need to manage how they deal with the real world as we can’t bubble wrap ourselves every single day!

tor8181 · 06/02/2019 16:21

ok!!!!

you think that people only go in for depression and feeling low

i go in their for my fertility tablets(herbal version of clomid)seeds and popcorn kernels

we also get adult vitamins and vitamins for the kids,my mother goes in there for her menopause tablets

not one of us are low or depressed

you have to much time on your hands if your walking around shops thinking this

morningconstitutional2017 · 06/02/2019 16:35

I wouldn't go so far as to complain about it.

Yes, it's quite a miserable song but if you were really depressed I think it would take more than a sad song playing in a shop to get you down even more. If you were truly down in the dumps you wouldn't go out shopping, would you? Cheerful songs can perhaps be irritating too if you're in the wrong state of mind. I'd go home and put a cheerful record on to pep me up if necessary.

Amanduh · 06/02/2019 17:15

Oh my god 😂😂😂😂😂 yeah, make a complaint 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Dieu · 06/02/2019 17:20

Seriously???? Grin

edgen2019 · 06/02/2019 17:23

Raven - hope you feel better soon.

Mummyshark2019 · 06/02/2019 17:24

Hahaha. This post made me laugh. Yabu. Grin

myohmywhatawonderfulday · 06/02/2019 17:26

I don’t think society can function at all if censorship is taken to the ....we must not do/say/play/sing/make comedy about/make art about xxxx because it may offend/trigger someone at some point...this becomes thought police territory.

Polarbearflavour · 06/02/2019 17:28

😂 this thread has made me laugh so much! And the dentist with Phantom of the Opera...😂

WFTisgoingoninmyhead · 06/02/2019 17:30

Could have been worse it could have been Get Down by Gilbert O’Sullivan😂. Now those lyrics are ‘summin else’

winsinbin · 06/02/2019 18:18

Lol at Gilbert O’S songs being royalty free. He is still alive so even if he were to die tomorrow his songs won’t be royalty free in the U.K. until 2090. Of course I hope he doesn’t die, I hope his life has perked up since he wrote that song and he is enjoying a healthy, happy old age.

April2020mom · 06/02/2019 18:34

Seriously please look at the bigger picture here. That song is the last of your concerns. I was at the gym yesterday morning and I watch the TV on the wall as I exercise. They show all kinds of things. Do you have any hobbies or not?

Forken · 06/02/2019 18:40

Wow.

YABU and “triggered” on behalf of someone who wasn’t even there to hear it.

Alienspaceship · 06/02/2019 18:42

It’s the least of your problems. You’re nuts.

OrigamiZoo · 06/02/2019 18:48

I once told the manager of a soft play area in a shopping centre that 'Blurred Lines' wasn't suitable ....he didn't get what I meant so I said listen to the lyrics and then quoted them at him.

MrMeSeeks · 06/02/2019 18:52

Yabu, you know H&B do sell a lot of other things don’t you?
As a person who has suffered, yabu still

SilverySurfer · 06/02/2019 18:52

YABU and definitely over-thinking. Please don't write to complain - it will just give them a good laugh.

Mmmhmmm · 06/02/2019 18:53

YABU...for shopping at H&B. 😁

PCohle · 06/02/2019 19:22

To be fair OP did say within about 2 posts that she was being unreasonable and would get a grip.

CanadianJohn · 06/02/2019 19:33

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!

Green jelly beans count as vegetable. They're beans, they're green, of course they are a vegetable.

My sister says that jelly beans count as protein, because they contain gelatin. But she's wrong.

RomanyRoots · 06/02/2019 20:33

Eh, I live with depression and have states of mh illnesses.
I love that song, wouldn't have bat an eye lid and I know the lyrics. Half the time you can't hear the lyrics, it's just background noise.
YABU.

Bloodybridget · 06/02/2019 21:45

I was in a local (poncy, expensive) wholefood shop a while ago when a song came on with violent, misogynist lyrics. I told the guy at the till that I didn't want to hear "you fucking whore" or whatever it was, while I was shopping. The staff hadn't noticed of course, he apologised and switched the soundtrack. I wouldn't have complained about something like the Gilbert O'Sullivan song, but I guess if I was feeling really depressed or suicidal, it wouldn't have helped.

Perc0lator · 06/02/2019 21:50

I love Alone Again (Naturally). It’s so sad it makes me laugh at the sheer unending misery of it all.

IAmNotAWitch · 06/02/2019 22:04

I don't usually pay attention to this stuff.

But I am very pleased that whoever decides on the music at my local supermarket is clearly my kind of person.

Plenty of 80s/90s rock played far too loud. A clever marketing move given the demographic here. [Grin]

RavenLG · 06/02/2019 23:47

Thank you @edgen2019 Smile I’ll get there eventually!