Songs to Listen to While You Cry in the Car Before Having to Work with the Public
/I worked at a certain Canadian coffee chain that will not be named for years. Every co-worker was always so stressed out that they just made every other one of us more stressed out; the turnover rate was remarkably high. Co-workers that had transferred to my store from another told me that the customers at our location were, “something else.” All of this is to say that it was an incredibly stressful job: it was not unheard of for someone to break down into tears at some point and walk off the floor (I’d even cried in the drive-thru once myself).
So, on my way to my early morning shifts, I listened to music to get into the right mindset. Working with the public is often a truly unpleasant experience — one in need of a proper soundtrack — so I offer three songs to consider adding to your pre-work playlist.
1) “I Just Wanna Die…” by FIDLAR
We’ll start off with the melancholic words but happy tones that FIDLAR so often provides us. Although the lyrics are mainly about a failed non-relationship, the chorus really hits when you’re on your way to a job you hate but need to pay the bills. Singing, “I just wanna die,” followed by some fun, “oo’s,” is simple, but it hits just right. Even outside of working with the public, I highly recommend this song (and all others by them).
2) “Help” by Pink Guy
Joji’s previous character, Pink Guy, is the singer of our follow-up song. You’re starting to get closer to work now, and are a little more desperate in your hopes that maybe when you arrive the store will simply be… gone. “Help” is an excellent soundtrack for this mood. Again, very troubling lyrics shoved over a happy-go-lucky and simple backing track. “Help” features the whimsical sounds of a ukulele that make for an absolutely fantastic sound that captures the mood of going to a shitty job while the sky is blue and it’s beautiful out.
3) “Square Up” by Zack Fox and Kenny Beats
This is it. You’re in the parking lot, the front door is within view and your feet want to turn you around and take you anywhere but here (which itself would require a whole new soundtrack). But you need your paycheque because you suppose that you do, in fact, need food to survive. It’s time to switch up the songs a bit and go for something that gets you ready to fight. “Square Up” fits the bill. The humorous nature of the lyrics and song kind of echoes conversations you’ve probably had with coworkers at some point when you were frustrated about something.
So, those are the three songs I offer for your pre-work playlist. Are they already on yours? And do you have any to recommend to add to mine?
Tess
Tess is a long-time attender of live music, from someone’s basement with questionable fire safety to sleeping in a muddy field for a week with tens of thousands of others and questionable fire safety. Her favourite sport right now is parkour.
