For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 03, 2019

You bring up a good point, El.

“It’s the Golden Rule: who has the hold, makes the rules!”

Exactly what music was this supposed to resemble?

I like the first panel where Mike tries to convince the guys he is meeting a girl in the mall and it’s his mother. It doesn’t get much more pathetic than that.

As for the store music, they don’t want your business Elly, even if you are buying for a teenager. They want the coveted 20-30 demographic. Your 40-50 demographic dominates the luxury item stores and I am sure you will love the music in those stores.

Never enter Hot Topic Elly

In-store music tempos are designed to keep one moving quickly through the shopping experience. Get your stuff and go so there is room for the next load. Don’t take time to think about the value or the price, just grab it, and head for the registers.

Elly, do what I did when my son’s favorite store in the mall refused to keep the store air conditioned: I stood in the doorway and he showed me the items he liked. After we agreed on the items and sizes, he got the sale all set up, came back to the door for my credit card, then brought me the slip to sign. The sales girl that helped him completely understood.

Now we know why Amazon is alive and well.

I don’t get these arcs, Ell was a pot smoking hippie, she totally gets this.

Hi, Mom! :)

Lynn’s Comments:

This strip ran long before the “trance-dance” mindless, auto-tuned, sampled, lyric-poor crud you hear in public places today. Oh. Right. I’ve done this rant before. So, I’ll just say this: where is the good stuff? Give me a list of good tunes played by a good band that writes good lyrics and can really sing! Where are the “Eagles” and the “Beach Boys” of 2019? Gotta be out there. Gimme a list!

“In my day we had these things called songs. They were 3-minute stories about burning down Atlanta or falling in love.” -Hank Hill from King of the Hill

In the 80’s, I went into one of those big mall stores that catered to teens. It had extreme music like this, but the thing that stands out the most, and made me run OUT of that store, was the rubber, bouncy cushioned floor throughout the entire place.

“When your man is hot, give him what you got”?!!!!!!!

Why do these stores feel the need to have background music in the first place? Especially one like this where someone can’t have a simple conversation without yelling? I realize they are attempting to create some sort of “ambiance” and thus appear “trendy.” But there is a point where they’ve crossed a line when one must shout to ask a simple question. I would think that would be a hindrance to the shopping experience.And why do supermarkets insist on running background music? Totally unnecessary and annoying.

That’s clearly Simon and Garfunkel in the 3rd panel. They rocked! Who knew?

Every generation manages to invent a style of music that drives their parents crazy. I used to think that would be nearly impossible for my (eventual) children to do to me, until my friend was over, and he had his sister’s cell phone, which he was taking back to the house for her. The ringer went off, and the ringtone, I assure you, was NOT music. Fairly sure the studio production process involved emptying the silverware drawer into an industrial trash disposal, and overlaying that with the sound of nine cats in a dryer. (It also took about two minutes to figure out how to mute the phone.)

Something you can never go wrong with: Yacht Rock!

And it gets even scarier – the salesclerk is a guy

To answer Lynn’s on-line request, here’s a song from 1998, by a group that is still active. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Nbxx4qExZo

Typical Millennial answer all right. She asked why is the music so loud? Not why you play that kind of music.

Of course, given the setting of the strip, perhaps Robin Sparkles’ “Let’s go to the mall” would be more apropos.

Everyone has their own tastes, such as:

Elly = “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell

Brian = “Godzilla” by Blue Oyster Cult

Lawrence = “It’s Raining Men” by the Weather Girls

SO MUCH THIS!!!

You tell em Ell!!!