In my humble opinion

As I was strolling through Hobby Lobby last week, I was reminded of an 8 track (1 of 2 or 3 we owned) that was played all. the. time., in my youth.  My dad would turn it up full blast, no doubt, to tune out the 6 girls (flock of geese) in the back of the brown, wood paneled, Ford Station Wagon.We had no choice but to listen.  I don't think there is a one of us that doesn't know every word to Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits Album.  Also, several Anne Murray hits, and every Neil Diamond song.

So, fast forward to this week when I am in Hobby Lobby and I hear a familiar melody line.  I immediately recognize it as Kenny Rogers',  "The Gambler".  It was an instrumental version and instead of a Kenny Rogers singing, there is a flute playing (could have been a piccalo) the melody line. The "elevator music people" could just simply not have picked a more inappropriate instrument to use to carry the melody.  Imagine in your mind, to the whistle of a flute, "You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em", etc.  Do these people just have free reign of music to turn into elevator and "on hold" music?  In my humble opinion, some selections should be off limits.  Like, completely off limits.  One song that comes to mind immediately is Rag Doll by Aerosmith.  That would be the last straw for me.  I would wage a revolt at that point.

A similar situation occured this summer at a Braves game, when the organ (Could be a calliope?  Seems more appropriate that it would be called a calliope at a baseball game.  Organs are for church.) that plays the CHARGE! call, and other little ditties, suddenly starts playing "Hey Yah" by Outkast.  Out of the blue.  I love it when stuff like that happens.  It tickles me to no end.  Kevin and I still have a bet as to wether or not there is a great "Oz" behind a curtain somewhere in the staduim, playing the organ, or if it's all pre-recorded.  I like to tell myself it's live, because the image that conjures up of someone running out of appropriate sheet music and settling for "Hey Yah", by Outkast is priceless.  In my humble opinion.