In one sense, it’s difficult to separate “Common People” from its moment of release, so emblematic as it was of an era when the Britpop tide was sweeping up any UK outfit with a skinny, stylish frontman– including a band of art-pop outsiders who’d been kicking about Sheffield to minimal acclaim sinc...
[Verse 1]
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 thirty seconds time she said
[Chorus 1]
"I wanna live like common people
I wanna do whatever common people do
Wanna sleep with common people
I wanna sleep with common people like you."
Well, what else could I do?
I said "I'll... I'll see what I can do"
[Verse 2]
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 got no money"
And 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"
[Chorus 2]
You wanna live like common people
You wanna see whatever common people see
Wanna sleep with common people
You wanna sleep with common people like me?
But she didn’t understand
And she just smiled and held my hand
[Bridge]
Oh, rent a flat above a shop
And cut your hair and get a job
And 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 laid in bed at night
Watching roaches climb the wall
If you called your dad he could stop it all, yeah
[Chorus 3]
You'll never live like common people
You'll never do what ever common people do
Never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view
And then dance, and drink, and screw
Because there's nothing else to do
Oh!
[Instrumental Interlude]
[Chorus 4]
Sing along with the common people
Sing along and it might just get you through
Laugh along with the common people
Laugh along, even though they're, they're laughing at you
And the stupid things that you do
Because you think that poor is cool
[Verse 3]
Like a dog lying in a corner
They will bite you and never warn you
Look out, they'll tear your insides out
'Cause everybody hates a tourist
Especially one who, who thinks it's all such a laugh
Yeah, and the chip stains and 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 are amazed that they exist
And they burn so bright whilst you can only wonder why
[Bridge]
Rent a flat above a shop
Cut your hair and get a job
And 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 laid in bed at night
Watching roaches climb the wall
If you called your dad he could stop it all, yeah
[Chorus 5]
Never live like common people
Never do what common people do
Never fail like common people
Never watch your life slide out of view
And then dance, and drink, and screw
Because there's nothing else to do
[Outro]
Wanna live with common people like you
Wanna live with common people like you
Wanna live with common people like you
Wanna live with common people like you
Wanna live with common people like you
Wanna live with common people like you
Wanna live with common people like you
A la la la la la
Ooooh, la la la la
Ooooh, la la la la
Ooooh, la la-la-la-la la, oh yeah
Common People - Full Length Version was written by Steve Mackey & Russell Senior & Nick Banks & Jarvis Cocker & Candida Doyle.
Common People - Full Length Version was produced by Chris Thomas.
Pulp released Common People - Full Length Version on Mon May 22 1995.
Jarvis Cocker told the story of the song to Uncut magazine August 2010:
It all started with me getting rid of a lot of albums at the Record And Tape Exchange in Notting Hill. With the store credit I went into the second-hand instrument bit and bought this Casio keyboard. When you buy an instrument,...