Photo by Cirsty Burton
I am a huge proponent for the therapeutic benefits of using a creative outlet to deal with past trauma and my god, what is a service industry job if not a source of major trauma? “Memoirs of Working in a Bowling Alley” by Dropper is one of the few songs where I can understand every single one of the lyrics, allowing me to appreciate such mantras as “don’t talk to me” and “stop trying to get my attention.” It’s a single for anyone out there who has worked as a shitty waitress or in any customer service position really.
Of the single, frontwoman Andrea Scanniello shared, “We recorded “Memoirs of Working in a Bowling Alley” and the rest of our debut album with Andrija Tokic at the Bomb Shelter studio in Nashville. I’ve spent my entire adult life working in various service industry jobs- some more soul sucking than others. One of these jobs was spraying bowling shoes at the local lanes. “Memoirs” is about working these types of jobs and how at times it makes you question humanity and never want to speak to a soul ever again; that emotional drain that can only be experienced when you’re dealing with shitty drunk people night after night.”
The song itself is surprisingly upbeat given the content. It’s an incredibly relatable piece of music. I don’t think I have ever heard a song about the global experience of being a semi-abused service worker, after hearing this, I’ll certainly be on the lookout for more.
