Piped Christmas music in the supermarkets

HAL9000

That time of year when all the department stores and supermarkets try to bring us a bit of festive Cheer by piping Christmassy music into the shop. Strikes me it's always the same old same old. That risible Chris de Burgh song gets its annual outing, along with Mariah Carey singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town etc. 

It struck me though that there's some perfectly good Christmas songs that never see the light of day in the shops. For instance when was the last time you popped into Tesco and they were playing Tom Waits' Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis? Or Captain Beefheart singing There Ain't No Santa Claus on the Evening Stage?

 Come on guys. You can do better than Chris de Burgh. Well can't you?

Panama_Jack666

Wisdom

Alnico

Slade.

/ Christmas.

Adam_MD

It's the people in the store I feel sorry for. Most companies only send in 1 or 2 CDs which they have to play continuously for about 6 weeks.

richardhomer

Fairy Tale of New York....

Bucket

I don't think we've ever done piped music in the shop I work at - but we did have a little stereo playing while we were stacking shelves, before the shop opened last Sunday. Felt strange... and I definitely wouldn't want to listen to that shite on a loop for three weeks.

"Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney being the worst offender... it's unbelievably shit, isn't it. Can't stand it.

boogieman

I like that Tom Wait's one with the old tramp singing. (Jesus never failed me yet?) Not exactly Xmassy, but Robert Elms always plays it Xmas week on BBC London so it's got associated over the years. Superb stuff.

RocknRollDave

OK, I'll bite:

Hands up - I'm a compiler of background music, and as such, yes that includes Christmas music.

Mostly restaurants and hotels for us, though, not shops, although we do a hairdresser's salon, if that counts?

I do try and get creative with it where the client's brief allows, but then if you don't include the usual suspects, people miss them, so what can you do?

Have to say that back in the day when I did music for a Spanish-themed restaurant chain, doing the Christmas music was effing difficult!

Drew_TNBD

I wonder what Christmas music North Korea pipes into their ... er.. well they don't have supermarkets... I guess internment camps will have to do!

axisus

I only like xmas music 2 weeks before the day. Hate it right now.

Fuzzdog

Bucket said:

"Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney being the worst offender... it's unbelievably shit, isn't it. Can't stand it.

I would agree to listen to Chris De Burgh on a constant loop if it meant that I never had to hear that McCartney track ever again.  It's just horrible.

RocknRollDave

Fuzzdog said:

Bucket said:

"Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney being the worst offender... it's unbelievably shit, isn't it. Can't stand it.

I would agree to listen to Chris De Burgh on a constant loop if it meant that I never had to hear that McCartney track ever again.  It's just horrible.

That reminds me of the issue of the NME many moons ago, where the reviews section included the Phil Collins and Sting albums released that week. One line for each review:

Sting album: "I bet even the Phil Collins album is better than this".


Phil Collins album: "I bet even the Sting album is better than this"

UnclePsychosis

I have probably a good dozen of excellent Christmas music cds. I hate the usual slade, McCartney, de burgh bollocks though, so I listen to the good stuff on my mp3 player whilst shopping.

stickyfiddle

I really like all the classic christmas stuff, including McCartney and Wham and Mariah Carey. You're all just bunch of miserable gits!

Phil_aka_Pip

axisus said:

I only like xmas music 2 weeks before the day. Hate it right now.

If it were played only in the few days running up to Christmas day, I'd probably quite like it. As it is, I'm totally naused out by it way before Christmas actually happens.


On the plus side, people very often use Christmas as an excuse to drag out really old music, and as an Early Music fan it's a chance to hear stuff that you're denied the rest of the year. And another excellent excuse for Messiah, Christmas Oratorio et al.

IanSavage

Reminds me, I need to get the full kilowatt PA set up for this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB2l6UESSyo&list=PLcZMZxR9uxC8nhBY9Jn6kihqK9suWiuBQ

 

HAL9000

At 1:10 is he singing 'hail the son of righteous knees'? Certainly sounds like it.

mudslide73

The Spector Christmas album for us at work on the last day. It's like being in Home Alone. 

chillidoggy

richardhomer said:

Fairy Tale of New York....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHoJ3BD6xas

 

NSFW

RocknRollDave

Whilst we're on the subject of supermarket music, hands down the best in my opinion is Co-op. No idea who does their music, but it's not just your usual dross.

Bucket

richardhomer said:

Fairy Tale of New York....

Also NSFW.

From the makers of the London Underground song.