This is a true British anthem and a poetic masterpiece in my opinion. The line “if you call your dad he could stop it all” is a commentary that sums up the class divide in just one line. Genius song.
The best bit is missing: "like a dog lying in the corner they will bite and never warn ya, so look out, they'll tear your insides out. Cos everybody hates a tourist, especially one who thinks it's all such a laugh, 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 that they burn so bright while you can only wonder why." Dylan Thomas never wrote anything better than that.
unfortunately this "music video edit" version misses out a whole verse: "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, especially one who thinks it's all such a laugh... 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're amazed that they exist and they burn so bright whilst you can only wonder why"
Yes, it's not just censored [drink and screw etc] but edited, to remove the crucial verses about "everybody hates a tourist" and having no shred of control over your life...a predicament we're all in now, having allowed neo-fascist living conditions to be imposed on us supposedly for the sake of public health.
@@Grithron2 The thing with the 'tourist' line is that it's meant in a metaphorical sense. In that they're talking about a rich person slumming it and pretending to be working class. Nothing to do with tourists in the literal sense. But when you get soulless corporate types who don't understand nuance and sarcasm you end up with the censors swooping in banning things that they don't understand.
Brilliant song A vicious attack on snobby tourist students who like to slum it just for kicks, and it's hidden inside happy, bouncy tunes. The contrast between the angry lyrics and the happy tune is fantastic for me. Sorted for E's and Wizz is another favourite of mine.
Fun fact: The lead singer wrote this song based on his real life encounter with a rich girl he met at the same college. She wasn't interested in him (unlike in the song) but her offhand comment about "living like common people" directly inspired
Even funnier fact is that the rich girl was Greek and was none else but Danai Stratou, daughter of the Stratou industtrialist family back in Greece who later became the 2nd wife of Yannis Varoufakis, the notorious Greek ex-minister of finance who in the previous governance back in 2015 clashed with german Chancellor Angela Merkel and her paraplegic german minister of finance Wolfgang Schäuble. Talk about high oligarchy, here, not at all "common people"! What is even more funny is that the song fits her image since indeed herself and her also wealthy husband Yannis Varoufakis (coming also from parents of high political-economic offices) are both pretending to be "common people" fighting the "system" when they were born as prime beneficiaries of the system they supposedly fight against. Talk about peak hypocricy. Good for Jarvis Cocker to call her out! For anyone wondering how is this verified - since Jarvis Cocker refused to name the girl, it comes from the lyrics. It says "she came from Greece" and "studied in St. Martin College" are extremely explicit. At the time, in St. Martin Arts College there were two ethnic Greek girls, one from mainland Greece, one from Cyprus and Jarvis met briefly both (though never been in couple with any of them contrary to the song). The girl from Cyprus was from a wealthy family too but nothing special, also not very good looking. However the girl from Greece was none else but Danai Stratou, the daughter of a multi-millionaire industrialist family (which at the time was selling out its industries as Greece had joined the EU and was getting de-industrialised...). Indeed a lot of money, very posh, and relatively good looking, hence it was bound she would make an impression on a young Jarvis Cocker. The Cypriot woman was asked on this and stated that she remembers vividly having said the phrase "I want to live like common people" during a discussion with Jarvis Cocker. However, she was not the pretty one, she would barely drag the interest of Cocker but maybe the phrase made an impression on him and stuck in his brain, especially so when the beautiful one, Danai Stratou was also pretending to be "a common girl". In an interview though he gave no names, Cocker said he was impressed by her and wanted to flirt with her but he had not chance with such a girl. The song thus is inspired by the persona of Danai Stratou but the phrase itself may had been uttered by the less known Cypriot girl with Cocker just combining the two Greek girls and using all that as an inspiration for his hit song.
This song still gives me chills (goosebumps). It’s great to see some Americans give their thoughts on it. I live in the USA now and I feel like for the most part Americans don’t realize that most white British people are “common people” and have a lot of economic struggles, and constantly deal with classism in society.
I identified with this song immediately. I'm what Brits would call "working class" but somehow ended up in a pretty exclusive university. My friends and I developed a deep dislike for the preening overbearing rich kids who went there, but our deepest disdain was reserved for the ones who wanted to "slum it" out with us, who thought they "understood" us by listening to our music, dressing like us and even mimicking our speech patterns. Then they go to Ibiza for winter break. We Americans have been taught to not acknowledge class difference, but these encounters in college formed the lot of us. There was no experience as radicalizing as that.
Pulp are from Sheffield in England. Absolutely amazing band. One of my favourites. Other songs I love by them are, help the aged, this is hardcore, babies and acrylic afternoons. I had the privilege of seeing them on their last ever tour in their home town. Close to Christmas. They gave everyone a Christmas card with a free song download. Which I thought was sweet.
saw Pulp at Leeds, live, they give you a run for your money. It was the first time they did year 2000 live. But I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.
4:43 is when you guys finally got the intent of the song. The second verse (cut out of the "Radio Edit" hits MUCH harder). This song is basically a British Anthem and I've seen pubs go wild when this song comes on (during my common person's life stationed in England in the military). Keep up the good work.
This was Pulp's only hit in the US, and not a huge hit. They were much more popular in Britain. They were the 90's version of the Kinks, with clever sarcastic lyrics, and social commentary, but with a lascivious twist. They did a lot of videos, I think British bands in the '90s made more than American bands did. "Help the Aged" is another sarcastic one.
You could say that most of the successful Britpop bands were versions of The Kinks in one way or another. Oasis and Blur were definitely influenced by them.
@@CoffeeConnected They may have all been influenced by them, but Oasis was rather openly more modelling themselves on the Beatles. I agree that Blur has some very Kinks influenced songs. But Pulp did the best job of capturing what made the Kinks stand out, which is to say the lyrics.
Absolutely brilliant Band from here in UK, literally everyone in the UK knows and loves this song, it was that big. The reference to St Martins Art School is in Central London is where anyone who became anyone in the Art's studied. Part of the very talented 'Britpop' music scene from the 1990's one of a whole host of top bands over here making great music.....😃 Nice reaction, glad to see the message travelled across the Atlantic ocean ok.
You will never understand, how it feels to live your life, with no meaning or control. That’s the line in this song that really stuck with me. And they cut it….
This song is my top 10 songs of all time! I got to see Pulp in 1995 in London. It was insane! You need to see the live video for this song from Glastonbury and watch an entire generation of kids having a great time. Great reaction, thank you!
A defining song of the mid 90s in the UK. A very important number 1 hit that said everything about the time. Their album Different Class is regarded as one of the greatest albums of the 90s. Not a bad song on there.
I've dealt with entitlement pretty much all my life and it made me HATE the upper class and the way they present themselves as "The better man." As for myself, I worked a job until my body basically gave up on me, actually making ends meet is a struggle and I still deal with chronic pains daily. But I'm still proud to be lower class, I'm one of the Common People Jarvis Cocker is talking about.
We live in a land of opportunity. Rather than condemn yourself to a life of jealousy why didn't you try to better yourself? Not all successful people are bad, many of them worked very hard to get where they are.
@@dopiaza2006 I agree with your comment, I too worked hard all my life, including shift work and heavy work. Retired at 55years old. Great pension, I still consider myself a member of the common people but now living amongst so called ‘privileged people’. Lower class is a different matter altogether, that’s a personal choice. BTW, I too have chronic pain. I should have been a pen pusher 😀
Sadie Frost is the woman in the video who used to be married to Garry Kemp from Spandau ballet and actor Jude Law.She was in Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1992.
Pulp and Suede were my favourite bands in high school. They sound very much like late 90s Britain but if you check out more, Pulp's Disco 2000 was a banger and from Suede Thrash, Beautiful Ones and Saturday Night.
@@CoffeeConnected totally agree!👍 Although these bands were more what my younger bro was into I still liked all these bands singles and suede are level with them
Incredible mix of funny and dark in this song. That moment when he says, "pretend you've got no money" and her response was "oh you're so funny" and his rejoinder was "well I can't see anyone else smiling in here" gives a hint of what it must be like to have nothing but be surrounded by plenty. Excellent song that illustrates the modern class divide
I'm a Sheffielder and of all the bands and songs that have come out of there, none says Sheffield like this song (but the Artic Monkeys first album run a close second!).
The radio edit cuts a couple of verses that hit harder, worth listening to the whole thing if you can: 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 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
Was coming to say that, a great job by Shatner with production by Ben Folds and a vocal assist from Joe Jackson. It's also easier to make out the lyrics, I may even like it better than the original. And while there were some good aspects to this video I think it takes away from the power of the song somewhat and bot just because of the missing verse.
@@ScottKornfeld First time I heard Shatner's version, I hadn't read the credits. When the actual singing starts, I'm like 'WUT? That can't be Shatner, can it?" No, it can't.
I love Pulp. My two favourite albums by pulp 'Different class' and 'His n Hers'. Brilliant band, they were going for years before their first big single 'Common People' came out, even though earlier songs like 'Do you remember the first time' were Brilliant, but didn't achieve the status of their later songs. I'm boring you now right? I'll get my coat and shut up haha. I just get excited about people finding out néw music that I love. Seeing you all listen to some of the best bands and songs ever, that some didn't even make it in America. I went to see the Charlatans last Friday in Manchester, then Happy Mondays and James the week before and I've got tickets for Ocean Colour scene on the 23rd (yes we put a u in colour to confuse people 🤣) I bought all these tickets pre lockdown and in-between the second lockdown and they've all been rescheduled within weeks of each other, so I've been having and will be having some good nights out ✌🤘 I really will shut up now. Peace and respect from Burnley, Lancashire, England UK 🇬🇧
PULP are a very special band - and Jarvis is a special poet. Have a lil look at "Must I Evolve?" a great song from his post-Pulp days. btw Pulp are from Sheffield, UK.
What an anthem. British genius from Pulp and Jarvis Cocker. Truly underrated. I'm so glad you reviewed this and great to see the American people like it. Another great video from you guys. Big fan from 🇬🇧
This is the edited version. Still great, but there's another verse in the longer version which is even more cutting than the previous verses (probably too real for the radio, hence the edited version).
This is the anthem of the British common people. This song is about class tourism (i.e. the wealthy slumming it with the poor people), and Jarvis Cocker hit the nail straight on the head. Common people have no way out. I know, I come from a common working class background. I saw the trials and tribulations my parents suffered in their struggle in life. Class tourists can never understand how common people survive and burn so bright because they always have a way out. Pity that this was not the extended version. There is a further verse that makes this songs statement even more prophetic. Pulp are from Sheffield, England.
Listen to Captin Kirks version. Im serious, William Shatner kills it hard core. The Pulp live version is spectacular as well. This is the dull version.
You were speechless! Yorkshire is the place, there’s nowhere else like it in the world. Try ‘I predict a riot’ by ‘the kaiser chiefs’, same Yorkshire sense of a humorous life. You probably won’t understand lyrics like ‘if it wasn’t for chip fat she’d be frozen’. The song is about night life in Leeds, Yorkshire. It mentions ‘Smeaton, an old Leodensian’. Give it a try. 👍
Read the lyrics. Just about THE perfect pop song. Catchy as hell, but incredibly profound. A perfect union of message, melody, lyric, music and performance. I am not a huge fan of Pulp (liked their singles, but didn't get passed them), but this song is superb.
This is a true story based on a girl he met a university. Apparently it's a popular thing for rich kids in Britain to do things like this for a bit after high school. They live amongst the lower class kids for a year or so pretending they're one of them but they go back home to their money once the novelty wears off.
The Brits are known to make socio-realist material in films and music videos, where the message always show socio- economic differences, and the government failing them. "The Full Monty" is a fine example of a film.
There’s so much more to Pulp than this song even though it’s one of their most well known ones. They’d been a band for years producing great, quirky lyrics and music before this hit. They also made a couple of excellent albums after this one. Try “Sunrise” or “This Is Hardcore” as well as “Disco 2000” and “Lipgloss” or “Pink Glove”
I always thought Pulp were really British and I never thought they’d translate to the US but it’s just a story of a rich girl from a good background wanting to live like the ordinary folk. Dad could always get her out of it though. A great video. Also the melody has a huge build up to it. Great song.
