Number 23
Song & Artist: Common People - Pulp
Album & Date: Different Class - 22nd May 1995
Nationality of band: English
Members at release: Nick Banks (Drums - English), Jarvis Cocker (Vocals/Guitar - English), Candida Doyle (Keyboards - Northern Irish), Steve Mackey (Bass Guitar - English), Mark Webber (Guitar - English)

YouTube:

My rant;

I am rather partial to BritPopRock. It must have the word Rock or we end up stuck with The Spice Girls and I have a little cry.

This song, much like Song 2 (Blur) is an archetypal and quintessential example of this wonderful genre that dominated the rock airwaves from the death of Grunge (circa April 1994 perhaps) until the post grunge/alternative revival emerged from America in the shape of Matchbox 20, Third Eye Blind and bands like that.

I know that a Muppet like me throwing around words like quintessential probably seems a bit over the top, but how else do I say that it grabs you by the balls and wrenches you back to mid '90's England?

This track has certain parallels with films of the era such as Trainspotting, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. I kind of feel that Renton could have been dancing with Diane listening to this track.

I know that I heard this track during its heyday, but as in most things I was probably still mourning Cobain and it would take me a couple of years to breach into any other BritPopRock than that of Oasis.

In actual fact, I only recently came across it on my iphone when I copied a 'Teen Spirit' compilation album across and this little gem was on it.

To the track itself, it is a haunting tale that we all know something about. Everyone has that girl or boy that something could have, should have, might have happened with. And generally there always is real reason why it didn't happen. In this case, slumming it didn't really work.

An upbeat start, a spoken start. A early laid back section until the brilliantly accented "I'll see what I can do" at 50s. The music steps up as they head towards to the super market. We're heading up-tempo as the accent kicks in and we discover that no one else is laughing.

Once we're done trying to figure out if she sure that she wants to sleep with common people, at 1:45 the song bangs up another level as the guitars slide in.

Then it's all about trying to fit in, something we have all struggled with at some stage and the realisation that this person is just not right.

Then the drums arrive in force and we are getting an idea of the disparity of two people lives. At 2:55, Cocker is literally pouring his heart and soul into the vocals and if you're not feeling it, give up.

I firmly believe that what makes this track excel is the combination of the heart wrenching lyrics and the undisputed brilliance of Candida Doyle on the keyboards. She makes the track mirror every word, every feeling and every undercurrent that Cocker is trying to slap us with.

At 3:45 the song becomes a desperate plea and ends on a sharp stop that always makes me long to hear it again.

The video clip is off the fucking map. Scroll back up and watch it. Even if you have seen it before, just check it out again.

Bands: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)

12 - America
11 - England

Band Members Country of Origin: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)

47 - England
45 - America
3 - Germany
1 - Tanzania
1 - Australia
1 - Japan
1 - Northern Ireland

Decade Released

14 - 90's
5 - 70's
2 - 60's
1 - 00's
1 - 80's

Year Released

3 - 1991
3 - 1994
3 - 1995
2 - 1997
2 - 1993
2 - 1971
1 - 1975
1 - 1965
1 - 1979
1 - 1968
1 - 2006
1 - 1987
1 - 1992
1 - 1970


Genre:
7 - Alternative
5 - Rock
4 - Grunge
2 - BritPop(Rock)
1 - Punk
1 - Glam Rock
1 - Post Grunge
1 - Hard Rock
1 - Metal/Rap