Don't Shop the Reaper

We went to Somerfield today and lo and behold what was the background music - "Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult. I couldn't believe it - I have blogged about this before - last time they were playing it in the department store Jarrolds. I find myself wondering what is it about this song that it has suddenly become so popular as backing music for shoppers. Blue Oyster Cult were never exactly mainstream and it's a song about death for chrissakes. Either someone hasn't listened to the lyrics properly or they are being ironic. I mean supermarkets do have something grim reaperish about them don't they. What next will we buying underwear accompanied by "Paranoid" by Black Sabbath or "The Lemon Song" by Led Zeppelin - "squeeze me baby, till the juice runs down my leg..."

Don't shop the Reaper

Long time - no blog.

Now I know I've posted about this before but what is it with shops and music? Today I went into Jarrolds (Jarrolds is Norwich's equivalent of Harrods but without the exotic produce and ice sculpture!) and the piped music was Blue Oyster Cult. Blue Oyster Cult! I was into heavy rock as a teenager in a big way and I can remember some parents throwing us out for being into bands like Led Zeppelin and Blue Oyster Cult. It was in NO way mainstream, and now years later here they are piping it round Jarrolds.

I'm not sure that that the Jarrolds generation really appreciates what that music is about - and does it aid or enhance their shopping experience? Or maybe it is aimed at my generation, the 40ish boys and girls, a bit of nostalgia to get us to linger within their retail walls a little longer and perhaps to part with a bit more money. I can't imagine that the old ladies in the tea shop really had any deep appreciation of "Don't fear the Reaper".