Grocery story serenader, part 2

Give a little bit
Give a little bit of your love to me

Making my way through Sunflower's frozen meat selections, I sing along with Supertramp. Softly, on and off. Just because I like singing in grocery stores doesn't mean anyone else wants to hear me.

There's so much that we need to share
So send a smile and show you care

The song isn't in my range. Even the people who've paid to hear me sing wouldn't listen now.

Now's the time that we need to share
So find yourself, we're on our way back home

I notice him in the produce section while scoping out cabbage and celery. He's a few feet away, shopping with his wife, also singing along. Quietly, surreptitiously.

See the man with the lonely eyes
Oh, take his hand, you'll be surprised

I sing a couple of lines to the guy, loudly this time, looking right at him. He smiles. Says something about it being a good song.

Another brief connection, made possible by music.

Grocery store playlists

A few days ago, while exiting a nearby Fry's, Supertramp started playing. This wouldn't have been worthy of note except that it wasn't "Give a Little Bit" or any of the other songs that get regular radio play. It was "Dreamer."

Dunno if "Dreamer" qualifies as obscure -- it hit the top 10 back in 1974 -- but it's definitely the first time I've heard it in a supermarket.

Then, today, Whole Foods played David Gilmour's "There's No Way Out of Here." I'm fairly certain I've never heard Gilmour in any grocery store, with or without Pink Floyd.

Could this be a trend?

And if so, is it happening because big corporate grocery stores are beginning to embrace better music? Or because classic rock has somehow become more nonthreatening to the shopping public?