1 week Ago
One such example was by the Rail Delivery Group, which commissioned research about our favourite rail commuter songs. Arguably, daily commuters would give up music, or even washing, if it meant they wouldn’t have to spend as much time standing in an overheated carriage with an armpit attacking from one side and halitosis from another as they pay the equivalent of a second mortgage for the privilege. The yardstick was ‘how geared' up do the following songs get you to ‘perform’ in the office.
There were some curveballs, including Born Slippy by Underworld, which always takes me back to watching the crack-addled Scots depicted in Trainspotting , which is as far away as popping into the office to do a bit of management accounts as is possible, but it made the top 30. As did Suspicious Minds by the Pelvis at 28, which sums up dog-eat-dog London corporate workplaces as good as any song is likely to. Brett Ellis says there are some curveballs in the list of favourite commuter songs Destiny’s child Survivor is uplifting, yet defeatist, as you wistfully look down jealously at Cheryl from Harpenden who managed to bag a seat and is chomping on a salmon baguette and guzzling a Costa as you struggle to stay upright and avoid the obese chap now impeding in your personal space for the next 40 minutes.
It is the song titles which are telling and cast a light on commuters as martyr like beings who really don’t enjoy their jobs, but are so hard wired to pay the mortgage and enjoy the bi-annual trip to the Dordogne, that they gear up for another year of corporate monotony whilst using music to soften the blow just a little. The top 5 include The Bangles Manic Monday , Dolly in 2, predictably with 9 to 5 and top of the shop: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor. Again, a song that is hard to listen to without associating it with a film, this time Rocky , as you shadow box Rachel in accounts upon arrival, having run up the steps and pranced around like a demented lunatic having reached the top.
And as another survey becomes forgotten and rendered pointless, it is left to Dr Michael Bonshor, a University of Sheffield course leader in music psychology, who states, “Commuters should consider introducing new music to help stimulate interest and continue benefiting from ‘getting in the zone’ on their train commute.” Maybe he has a point, and I now plan to ditch Absolute Radio and fully engage with Spotify as I force myself to get in the zone, as recommended by my kids, via the medium of Beabadoobe and Rex Orange County. Brett Ellis is a teacher.
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