Common People

I don't much like Britpop, bands like Blur, Oasis and the like. Heck, I don't really even like Pulp all that much, apart from a very few songs, chief amongst them this one, which just perfectly sums up the very essence of the division that class causes. It has a kickass tune to go with it too, and was a deserved massive hit for a group that had been around for years without much notice, and have now slipped back into relative obscurity. It is a great example of how a song can highlight a social issue.

Common People by Pulp

She came from Greece, she had a thirst for knowledge
She studied sculpture at Saint Martin's College
That's where I caught her eye
She told me that her Dad was loaded
I said "In that case I'll have rum and coca-cola
She said "fine" And then in 30 seconds time she said
"I want to live like common people
I want to do whatever common people do
I want to sleep with common people
I want to sleep with common people like you"
Well what else could I do?
I said "I'll see what I can do"

I took her to a supermarket
I don't know why but I had to start it somewhere
So it started there
I said "pretend you've got no money"
But she just laughed and said "oh you're so funny"
I said "Yeah, well I don't see anyone else smiling in here
Are you sure you want to live like common people?
You want to see whatever common people see
You want to sleep with common people
You want to sleep with common people like me?"
But she didn't understand
She just smiled and held my hand

Rent a flat above a shop
Cut your hair and get a job
Smoke some fags and play some pool
Pretend you never went to school
But still you'll never get it right
'cos when you're laid in bed at night
Watching roaches climb the wall
If you called your dad he could stop it all

Yeah
You'll never live like common people
You'll never do whatever common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view
And then dance and drink and screw
'cos there's nothing else to do

Sing along with the common people
Sing along and it might just get you through
Laugh along with the common people
Laugh along although they're laughing at you
And the stupid things that you do
Because you think that poor is cool

Like a dog lying in a corner
They will bite and never warn you
Look out, they'll tear your insides out
'cos everybody hates a tourist
Especially one who thinks it's all such a laugh
Yeah and the chip stain's grease
Will come out in the bath
You will never understand
How it feels to live your life
With no meaning or control
And with nowhere else to go
You are amazed that they exist
And they burn so bright
While you can only wonder why

Rent a flat above a shop
Cut your hair and get a job
Smoke some fags and play some pool
Pretend you never went to school
But still you'll never get it right
'cos when you're laid in bed at night
Watching roaches climb the wall
If you called your dad he could stop it all

You'll never live like common people
You'll never do whatever common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view
And dance and drink and screw
'cos there's nothing else to do
I want to live with common people like you.....