"Common People" is a song by the band Pulp. It was released as a single in 1995, reaching number 2 in the UK singles chart. It also appears on the band's 1995 album Different Class. The song is about those who were perceived by the songwriter as wanting to be "like common people" and who ascribe glamour to poverty. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as slumming or "class tourism".

The inspiration for the song came from a Greek fellow student Pulp singer/songwriter Jarvis Cocker knew at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. In the lyrics, the narrator explains that his female acquaintance can "never be like common people", because ultimately, "if called ^*" target="_blank" >lives slide out of view". However, Cocker admittedly embellished the incident[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/commonpeople.shtml BBC Radio 2 article and audio of September 1995 interview - in the song her character declares: "I want to sleep with common people like you." A BBC3 documentaryThe Story of Pulp's Common People, BBC TV, 2006 failed to correctly locate the woman, who Cocker also admits could have been on any fine art course but "sculpture" sounded better. The lyrics were partly a response by Cocker, who usually focuses on the introspective and emotional aspects of pop, to more politically-minded members of the band like Russell Senior.

Cocker's simple four-bar synthesiser line was championed by keyboardist Candida Doyle, and the final single was mixed down from over 40 tracks. Cocker sings in a crescendo of controlled indignation and rage, relieved only by two drum breaks. To keep the single at around four minutes, the final verses that begin "Like a dog lying in a corner" were omitted, although they appear on the album version. These include the peak of the crescendo where the singer paradoxically reduces to an intense whisper and describes the life of "common people"BBC3 documentary.

The song was Pulp's most popular single, and became an instant classic in the UK soon after its release. The accompanying video featured an early appearance from actress Sadie Frost, and a dance routine improvised by Cocker on the day. Different versions, including the recording from Pulp's headline act at Glastonbury Festival, a "Vocoda" mix and a radically different "Motiv8 club mix", also appeared on the Sorted for E's & WizzDiscography at acrylicafternoons.com singles.

The song was covered in 2004 by actor William Shatner on his album Has Been, with backing vocals by Joe Jackson complementing Shatner's spoken-word style.

Track listing

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CD1

1. "Common People"
2. "Underwear"
3. "Common People" (7" Edit)

CD2

1. "Common People"
2. "Razzmatazz" (Acoustic Version)
3. "Dogs Are Everywhere" (Acoustic Version)
4. "Joyriders" (Acoustic Version)

Pop Cultural References

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The St. Louis musical collective Common People takes its name from the song.

References

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1995 singles | Pulp songs