Stop singing at me

Joe DiCicco
Jul 27, 2017 · 2 min read

I don’t watch TV. When I’m home, I’m either writing, or online, or cooking, or occasionally I’ll play video games. But I don’t watch TV. The main reason? Commercials. I can’t stand them. But sometimes, you just can’t avoid them. When visiting family or friends, in the doctor’s office waiting lounge, and on the car radio. I won’t even get into the ridiculous, aggressive pharmaceutical commercials that blast at all hours of the day and night. I just don’t like being talked at. Maybe I’m too sensitive. I’ve tried to ignore it, to tune it out. But I can’t. I just can’t stand being talked at, being told, commanded even, what to buy. But worse than being talked at is being singed at. Come on, we’ve all heard them; corporate jingles. Some old hit song slowed down and sung a cappella. A beautiful ballad with intricate lyrics, lyrics that were written from the heart and held a trove of meaning, cheapened and used to sell beer or car insurance or diapers. Maybe it’s just me being a music fan. I’ve always been sensitive to music, especially to lyrics. To me, music is not cheap. It’s a crucial part of my life. It evokes memories and emotions, inspires, soothes and comforts in times of doubt.

It’s not cheap.

I don’t want to hear that beautiful old song gutted and replaced with different lyrics, plastic and disposable, deformed and made to sell me product. That’s not what music is to me. Not anywhere close.

I don’t want my heartstrings tugged over chewing gum or a home equity loan. That’s not the point of music. It’s not what those emotions are meant to for. Music is meant to come from the heart. It’s expression. It’s imagination and creativity. It’s free to love a song. Music was never meant to push product. Great songs were not written for the purpose of making us associate that song with something for sale.

Stop pushing product on humanity from every corner and upside and down. Stop singing at me.

Joe DiCicco

Written by

Author of horror, dark scifi, dark fantasy, thriller and dystopian genres, as well as non-fiction social and environmental issues. Jeep is life. Feed me pizza.

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