Obscure Singles Heard at CVS

Sparks: "This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both of Us"
Indeep: "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life"
Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah: "Lake Shore Drive "

At Chuy's

Bob Dylan’s “From a Buick 6,” over the loudspeakers at Radiator Springs in Disney’s California Adventure.

Madonna: "Beautiful Stranger" at IHOP (not obscure, but kinda forgotten)

I've paid for you with tears
And swallowed all my fries

Da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da, dum
Philly Cheese Steak Stacker

Not obscure, but I heard Bryan Adams's "Straight from the Heart" at CVS this morning and thought it really was the essential shopping background song.

Forlorn chemical lovesick vapors waft the clearance Halloween nightmare shelf while Santa sits with malicious windows in the bathroom

Willie Dixon: "The Seventh Son"
Georgia Satellites: "I Dunno"
Wilson Pickett: "Fire and Water"
Big Momma Thornton: "Hound Dog"

All at Slim Chickens

Joe Jackson - “You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)” in an actual CVS rn.

Thai restaurant I'm in right now has played back to back singles by Michael Learns to Rock

Correction, everything has been Michael Learns to Rock for 20 minutes

Joe Jackson - “You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)” in an actual CVS rn.

― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, December 29, 2022 7:41 PM (

I hear this at Publix at least once a week.

Probably doesn’t count because Whole Foods has been playing “edgy” music in its stores for a while now, but I was surprised when the ‘Mats’ “Swingin Party” came on yesterday as I waited for the oyster man to bag my oysters. (Here in Philly, at least, Fridays are 12 for $12 oysters at WF, great treat when one can swing it)

If being strong is what you want, I need help here with this oyster

Gary's Got An Oyster

Dwight Twilley’s I’m on Fire used to often (like I heard it more than once) be played at the Taco Bell on Claiborne in New Orleans

^^Dwight Twilley Band -- formally known as Oister

SPOOKY

Billy Joel: "Until The Night" at a local seafood place.

In CVS earlier, heard Chris Cornell (RIP) doing a godawful rendition of GNR‘s “Patience.”

― west coast heat dome blues (morrisp), Saturday, September 10, 2022 5:44 PM (four months ago)

Heard it again, same CVS, it irritated me almost to an irrational degree; forgot I had encountered it previously until searching this thread.

this is what you ppl get for going outside imo

🖤

My local WalMart turned up the music in the store and parking lot.

I like the serendipity of shopping to music, but all they play is butt rock in a mostly black neighborhood - i.e., no JAMS.

The other supermarket that closed played Motown.

the moment I hear Black Betty in a store of any sorts, i immediately vandalize the place no questions asked

Bam a lam, thank you ma'am

As I've mentioned here before, I hear butt rock all the time in my racially-diverse grocery store.

What, are they supposed to play "Flash Light" 24/7? Of course not. But I'm not sure why I hear "Battle of Evermore" or "Slow Ride" in there either.

Late-70s Yacht Rock/Hot Soul Singles. George Benson. Bob Welch. Commodores. This isn't rocket science.

Gotta say that one advantage of living in Philly is that the local chain grocery stores only play the most astounding music. I heard “The Grunt” in my closest store a few months ago, nothing like hearing James Brown yell “MACEO” while looking at the chip selection

Just heard Peggy Gou's "Starry Night" in KFC on Tottenham Court Road.

Margo Price: "Hurtin' (On The Bottle)" at Smokey Mo's BBQ

Beach Boys: "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)" in the lobby at Fairfield Suites

I'm waiting to donate blood at the local synagogue, and the Red Cross is playing classic rock. it's wild to think that I could be hearing the clash and the velvet underground alongside traffic and free, especially in this context.

Just heard Tenacious D - "Tribute" in a Thai restaurant.

OK, that's kind of a winner...

what is it with Thai restaurants playing less commonly expected music lately

I think the Thai place I went to a few weeks ago just like plays nothing but Michael Learns to Rock, that wasn't just a one time thing, from what my friend who went there told me

I once asked at our local Trader Joe's who picks the playlist, and iirc they said they just picked from the options of the neighboring gym's open streams.

We were puzzling over what station they were playing—or maybe it was a personal collection on shuffle. Selections also included:

Inner Circle - Bad Boys
The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
Elvis Presley - Viva Las Vegas
Dolly Parton - 9 to 5

Along with some dancehall, modern folk rock, and Imagine Dragonsy stuff.

JackFM XXTreme

I heard "Broken Wings" by Mr. Mister in a chicago liquor store the other day which felt weird because earlier that day one of the overpasses on the freeway into town had "mr. mister" spray painted on it.

R.E.M. “7 Chinese Bros.” at Nordstrom Rack

Not obscure, but was at CVS and heard Matchbox Twenty's "Real World" for the first time in years and realized how much I hate Matchbox Twenty's "Real World."

“Crazy Music” by disco duo Ottawan, at an Italian restaurant I’m eating at now

*I mean an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn

"Atlantis" by Donovan & "Psychotic Reaction" by the Count Five at Goodwill Select

Not obscure but waiting to get a steroid in the pharmacy is not where I expected to hear T-Pain "I'm in Luv with a Stripper"

Methylprednisolone? I just finished a course…

Yep!

Got a non-COVID viral sinus infection that fucked up my throat

Feel better! (I had a cough that wouldn’t quit, the med really helped.)

Full version of “Sweet Jane” (w/intro & bridge) @ Finney’s Crafthouse

“Beds are Burning” at a local brewery. Don’t know if that’s obscure, but I haven’t heard Midnight Oil in ages. Followed by Bowie “Heroes” which was a nice segue.

The Cars song I hear in the wild after "Drive" and "Just What I Needed" is..."You Are the Girl."