Oh How the Music Affects the Mood

Ahhhhh nice music. I am fascinated by the spectrum of people’s musical tastes, and how much the choice of tunes affects my mood and the ambience of a place. I often commandeer the Pandora selection here at the cafe, and switch it to a playlist that includes Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, the Cowboy Junkies and Brazilian bossa nova. A customer agreed with my selection today that pleased me. But I’m sure as soon as I am outta here, it will again flip back to more Led Zeppelin or The Eagles. Sigh.

My son in law Francisco Cosme told me that at the Yankee Candle Distribution Center where he works, they have a rule that calls for changing the music every few days. In order to be fair, they blast country, then classic rock, and then country again, according to a schedule. I’d hate to have to listen on the country music days, I’d slip on my iPhone.

I remember another edict that was thrown down by a cafe owner in Easthampton. She decreed that the only music allowed would be classical or country. Again, eeek, that would horrify and scare my ears. Once a woman I lived with wrote a fiction piece and she mentioned how happy she was that the classical music she had played was recognized by young son Sam. “I heard it on a commercial,” he explained.