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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:
Curlyshabtree · 07/02/2019 07:25

I remember hearing Who Wants to be a Millionaire in the dole office....

floribunda18 · 07/02/2019 12:42

I remember suddenly noticing how many songs had the words "heart attack" in them after a family member died from one.

Pinkbells · 07/02/2019 15:40

If we all worried about the lyrics of every song we happened to hear we'd be all be offended!

MumsTheWord92 · 07/02/2019 19:29

Oh my word... Are you for real?! Get a hobby please.

Cabininthesnow · 07/02/2019 19:49

I have bipolar, so get severe depression- I would firstly not be looking for anything in there- that would be my pharmacy, and secondly I wouldn’t think anything about background noise. Just me 🤷🏻‍♀️

AliyyaJann · 07/02/2019 19:51

YANBU. I don't hear shops playing objectifying rap or music with explicit content to it.

Pawsandnoses · 07/02/2019 20:54

'Roses' by Outkast playing in Tesco at about 6pm on a Saturday. I did email Tesco customer services about that one as not really appropriate (despite having a bit of a giggle through the bakery aisle)

goodomens830 · 07/02/2019 22:23

Is Holland and Barrett that bad? 😂

GottenGottenGotten · 07/02/2019 22:24

I once had to listen to Robbie Williams singing 'come and have a go if you think you are hard enough' when I hold to hmrc Grin

GottenGottenGotten · 07/02/2019 22:25

When I was on hold...

IrmaFayLear · 08/02/2019 13:56

I was in Holland & Barratt this morning. Sadly no music - I hope OP's complaint hadn't filtered through!

Thinking about it, Alone Again Naturally is surely a good song to play? Better to be alone naturally than all by oneself and full of artificial additives.

BirthdayCakes · 08/02/2019 14:36

I was handing a dead dog back over to an owner once and ‘I’m horny’ came blaring on the radio

Brilliant!!!

ScreamingValenta · 08/02/2019 14:43

Gilbert O'Sullivan is fabulous.

There are songs that trigger bad thoughts for me, but that isn't one of them. If it happens, I just leave the shop/pub/restaurant and come back when the song will be over.

DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops · 08/02/2019 14:45

Not the best song choice but probably not worth complaining about. Honestly, most people don't notice or care. When I was in retail we were all a bit unsure about the breathy sounds in Fleetwood Macs "Big Love" but no one complained. We only thought about it because we heard it so often.

Weirdly the only complaint we ever had was from someone who thought a particular track was by Michael Bolton. She proceeded to explain how she HATED Michael Bolton... and it wasn't even one of his songs.

Jaxtellerswife · 08/02/2019 14:50

When we got the call that my Nan had passed my mum and I were skipping channels and received the bad news to the delicate 'thong song' blaring out.
That song now reminds me of my Nan Grin

GooodMythicalMorning · 08/02/2019 14:58

waaay overthinking this. It could just be randomly generated like where I work.

Ginghampanther · 08/02/2019 15:06

The radio is usually on in my gp’s waiting room and I remember once the verve’s ‘the drugs don’t work’ came on. It was so depressing it was funny!

I work in retail and need to hear my dad’s funeral song about 4 times a day as it’s on the cd we play. First of all I kept skipping the track when it came on, but now I’m becoming a bit numb to it!

Beeziekn33ze · 08/02/2019 15:12

Shutityoutart - M&S had something with a similarly Anglo Saxon track when they had the grand opening of a new store. The place was packed with local dignitaries, extra staff, Twiggy, and hordes of customers. An assistant and I eyerolled and giggled but I'm sure very few people cared or even noticed.

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