Sing, sing a song.

If you are one of the 2 million shoppers, office workers and afternoon strollers who monthly amble the pedestrian thoroughfares of downtown Santiago, these days you hear music at every turn, light versions of well-known hits, like Homeward Bound by Simon & Garfunkel. At times imperceptible yet oddly omnipresent, neither obtrusive nor interesting yet strangely uplifting, the Muzak, it seems, has escaped the elevator.

"The center of Santiago is like a mall but it is an open mall, and in mails you have music to create a good ambience and improve the quality of life," says Pelayo Covarrubias, commercial director for the municipality of Santiago, which encompasses the capital's political and business areas downtown.

The city piloted the street-music project in 2003 on Paseo Huerfanos and, happy with the result, began rolling white speaker wire along building facades. Now 320 speakers cover 14 pedestrian blocks, including cross-street Paseo Ahumado. Retailers say it's good for business; other commercial areas are requesting mood-music coverage, too. "The Mercado Mapocho wants it, so we are extending it another three blocks," he says.

A Chilean company, Teleductos, installed the network and speakers, and the municipality awarded a content concession to radio entrepreneur Piro Morphino, with the provision that he can sell advertising over the system up to 10% of the schedule, daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. "This has become an important source of income for the municipality, one that enables us to do more social projects," says Covarrubias. "I would like to say it has reduced delinquency, but it has had no impact on crime."

Covarrubias approved a play list of over 1,000 songs that are suitably light and inoffensive. Inevitably, some are less than thrilled with the choices. "I don't like it. The music is boring. I prefer reggaeton," says Hector Mundaca, a 19-year-old shoe shiner on Calle Estado. Killing me softly indeed.