Common People by William Shatner Lyrics Meaning – Exploring Class Disparity Through Unexpected Prose
Lyrics
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 a rum and coca-cola.
She said fine, and in thirty 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.
She just laughed, and said
Oh you’re so funny. I said, yeah?
Well, I can’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.
When you’re lying 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 dance and drink and screw
Because there’s nothing else to do.
Sing along with the common people.
Sing along, and it might just get you thru.’
Laugh along with the common people.
Laugh along, even though they’re laughing at you
And the stupid things that you do
‘Cause you think that poor is cool.
Like a dog lying in a corner,
They’ll bite you and never warn you.
Look out.
They’ll tear your insides out
‘Cause everybody hates a tourist.
‘Cause Everybody hates a tourist,
Especially one who thinks
It’s all such a laugh.
Yeah, and the chip stains’ 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 left to go.
You’re 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.
‘Cause When you’re lying 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 what 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
Because there’s nothing else to do.
I want to sing with common people, like you.
I want to sing with common people, like you.
I want to sing with common people, like you.
William Shatner’s ‘Common People’ emerges not merely as a cover but as an unexpected trove of social observation. Conveying the original Pulp song’s narrative through spoken-word, Shatner undrapes the romanticized mirage of poverty and the chasm between social classes.
Thrusting aside the trappings of Captain Kirk, Shatner delves into the raw fabric of everyday life. It’s a journey veiled with irony and caustic wit, engaging listeners to wade beneath the surface of seemingly mundane lyrics to discover its wry commentary on socio-economic divides.
From Space to Social Spaces – Shatner’s Unexpected Dive
Lifting off from the cosmos, where he’s best known for his exploits, Shatner anchors himself firmly within the earthly confines of class and social voyeurism. His rendition of ‘Common People’ repurposes the cult classic into a narrative enriched with his signature theatrical delivery, adding layers of poignant gravitas to the underlying class critique.
His voice, a vessel, transports the listener through a vivid tableau—a tale spun around a naïve young woman desiring the superficial charm of a life untasted. He captures the yearning for authenticity amongst the affluent, yet underscores the impossibility of their quest with sardonic resonance.
An Unflinching Gaze at Class and Privilege
‘Common People’ embodies the subversion of idyllic notions of poverty. Shatner’s enunciation spotlights the cluelessness embedded in romantic views of the common life. The song, serving as a socio-political commentary, draws a stark line between the lived experiences of the working class and the privileged’s inept attempts at approbation.
Throughout the song, the lyrics address the guttural realities of being working-class, presenting them not as lifestyle choices but as enforced ways of being—one can’t simply ‘pretend you’ve got no money’ or ‘cut your hair and get a job’ to genuinely grasp the essence of their struggle.
Doused in Irony – Echoing the Echoes of Common Lives
Shatner’s craft finds its mojo in the ironic interplay of tone and content. While the Greek woman sees the common life as an escapade, Shatner’s delivery is laced with a cynicism that serves as a wake-up call, a burlesque mimicry that distills the difference between choice and necessity.
This dose of irony isn’t just a stylistic device; it acts as the spoonful of sugar designed to make the sobering medicine of reality go down. As the narrative progresses, the chorus becomes a haunting refrain, a sardonic anthem for those who never had a choice to live otherwise.
Decoding the Hidden Class Critique Beneath Hummable Verses
‘Common People’ disassembles the engineered pretenses with scalpel-like precision, revealing the unpolished truths about disparity. Each stanza carries the weight of social critique, aimed squarely at those who appropriate the ‘other’ life without facing its inherent tribulations.
The heart of the song is the scathing exposure of privilege. When the woman is told that the ‘chip stains’ grease will come out in the bath’, it is made abundantly clear that her slumming is temporary, shallow, and ultimately, a choice—a luxury that true common people do not possess.
Memorable Lines that Pierce the Pretense
‘Laugh along, even though they’re laughing at you / And the stupid things that you do ‘Cause you think that poor is cool.’ These provocatively crafted lyrics extend an incisive critique of middle-class slumming and the misguided glorification of poverty. They underscore a farcical performance put on by the wealthy who, even when they attempt to blend in, are out of place amongst the authenticity of struggle.
But what truly encapsulates Shatner’s scathing mirth is the line ‘Everybody hates a tourist.’ Herein lies the essence of the song’s bite: the unabashed, blistering reminder that observing life from a pedestal is not, and will never be, the same as living it. Poverty isn’t a state of mind—it’s a relentless reality.
