Rare examples of music I find hard to bear.

However much I love music there are occasions when I find it particularly hard to stomach.  Even if the song being played is one I love. 

I am thinking specifically of noisy neighbours who may play loud, intrusive music at socially unacceptable hours.  You may love the song with a passion, but if it is pumping out at 2.30am and you have work the next day it can rapidly lose its charm.  I actually find a level of conflict within myself at these times, as I can appreciate someone else loving music and wanting to play it loud and dance to it, but when it affects my life (and sleep) then I am less tolerant.  I am much more willing to put up with loud music from neighbours during the day, even if it is very intrusive and loud in my own house.  I have a personal policy of never playing loud music past 9 at night and often will slip on the headphones at a much earlier hour than this.  I’d hate to force my music on someone else and make them feel the frustrations and discomfort I have occasionally felt.

Another time I struggle with music is when it is played when I am on hold on the telephone.  To hear the same endless cycles of music slowly drives me insane and if the song has been adapted in any way to make it more ’phone friendly’ then my tolerance is pretty much zero.  To hear a much loved and cherished song mangled in such a brutal way offends my musical nature and I have to restrain myself from berating the operator, when they answer my call, for their companies heinous crimes against art and feeling.

Muzak in lifts is another bugbear although fortunately for me, based in the UK, I think it is more of an American phenomenon.  This doesn’t stop shops (notably supermarkets) playing music of a similar ilk whilst I peruse their aisles and it takes a great deal of self restraint and inner strength to not take my trolley and go careening down the aisles, knocking old ladies and tins of bean flying as I make my hasty exit.

Finally, music on adverts can be particularly upsetting.  When I hear a song I love and which moves me deeply being used to sell a car, a burger or some other product, then a small part of me dies inside.  To think I used to sit with my stomach aching with emotion or my legs jiggling with barely contained rhythmic spasm and then that same song is the backdrop to gaudy flashy images and ‘shouty’ slogans exhorting me to buy more of whatever product is being advertised, leaves a sour taste in my mouth so overpowering my mouth almost puckers at the thought.

I love music, I mean it truly is my life blood and one of the reasons I enjoy life so much and yet there are times, like the ones I’ve mentioned here, where it is intrusive or cheapened so much that I’d consider foregoing it just this once in the interests of art and integrity.  If only the neighbours or advertising execs felt the same way.