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artphoto by TheophileEscargot
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07 November 2010

Common People comic. A graphic illustration (from the creator of Tank Girl and Gorillaz) of possibly the angriest pop songs ever written.
"You'll never watch your life slide out of view . . ."
posted by jason's_planet 07 November | 09:13
This is where I admit that I never heard that song until William Shatner re-did it.
posted by octothorpe 07 November | 09:48
I love the way the song lulls you into a false sense of security with its innocuously pleasant start to its furious crescendo.

I never forget that I'm one of the common people. If we had poor white trash in the UK, that's my tribe of origin.
posted by Senyar 07 November | 09:51
I literally cannot hear that song without hearing the Shatner version.
posted by The Whelk 07 November | 10:29
Shatner did that to the song for me too... he also did it to "Rocket Man".

This song IS an anthem for those of us who know the Rich always wages a Class War against the Poor, whether the Poor fights back or not. During the Period of Upward Mobility ('40s-'70s), my father worked his way up to Upper Middle Class, then, after I grew up and moved out and my mother died, slid back down (retired early, invested badly, etc.). That's how I learned that the need for money (not the desire) is based on one's responsibility for others. I never outearned my father's best years (even inflation-non-adjusted) and I'm cool with that. And as meager as my fixed income and side income are, it has become just fine for just me. I've never fit in with the Common People or The Upper Middle Class; I like to think I'm in a Class by Myself, but I know I'm just weird.
posted by oneswellfoop 07 November | 12:28
The irony in the US is that only upper middle-class college educated people will ever hear this song. Our working class whites (at least all the ones I've hung out with) are still listening to "classic" rock and haven't heard anything from Britain newer than newer than Jethro Tull.
posted by octothorpe 07 November | 12:51
I love that song, it really seems to have outlasted the whole of the Britpop thing and just got better.

Surprised that Americans get it, would have thought it was a bit too British to travel well.
posted by TheophileEscargot 07 November | 13:07
I was just thinking about that song. I think that as much as Americans like to think we have a "classless society" on some level we know that's not true for 99% of people. Yes, you can hit that one-in-a-million chance + hard work combo and become the next Oprah or sports star...but most don't.

My parents were working class, second generation Americans who were each the first people in their families to go to college. I grew up with some very mixed messages about class.
posted by JoanArkham 07 November | 13:25
Never knew Shatner did a version... will have to look it up later!
posted by Eideteker 07 November | 14:54
Oh... my.

(TAS is so underrated. I wish they'd reboot *that*.)
posted by Eideteker 07 November | 16:41
I wish I loved other songs as much as I love this song. Now all I want to do is listen to Pulp.
posted by ethylene 07 November | 18:34
Don't forget Jarvis Cocker's OTHER brilliant and angry song about class.
posted by BoringPostcards 07 November | 19:24
The Mystery of the Tainted Cocaine, Part II: || What will you bunnies who gained an hour do with the extra time?

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