For most viewers, bumper music between TV talk show segments is just filler; it might sound pleasant, but for most people, it's transitional music before or after an interview segment. For at least a few of us, though, it's more than that.
I've forgotten who the guest was, but I remember my ears perking up when I heard Earl Klugh's "Dr. Macumba" between segments of "The Late Late Show With Tom Snyder." I thought, "I have no idea who chooses the music for this show, but I'm impressed that (s)he chose one of Klugh's strongest uptempo guitar melodies. That Spanish-style guitar playing never wears out its welcome. If this doesn't prime people to watch the rest of the show, what would?"
"Well," I thought, "viewers still have to be interested in the guest's answers and the host's line of questioning. As prominent as music is in my life, to other people, it's just aural wallpaper or spice."
Still, kudos to whoever chose to use "Dr. Macumba" in that context.
