Una Canzone, una band – Pulp

I Pulp sono una band inglese formata nel 1978. La carriera del gruppo prosegue abbastanza anonima, anche se si intravede un potenziale enorme fino al 1995, l’anno della consacrazione del movimento brit-pop in terra d’Albione.

Il successo di Different Class fu travolgente e in parte inaspettato, e i Pulp diventano la band più amata da critica e pubblico in pochissimo tempo. Canzoni come Common People e Disco 2000 trainano l’album a vendere 3 milioni di copie, tra cui ben la metà in madrepatria.

I sogni di gloria della band però durarono poco, perchè l’album successivo This Is Hardcore fu un flop inatteso. In ogni caso Common People rimane uno degli inni degli anni 90 e una delle canzoni più belle e divertenti nella storia della musica recente.

Eccovi il video (bellissimo) e il testo della canzone. Da notare anche quanto i Franz Ferdinand si siano ispirati al look e alle movenze dei Pulp ed in particolare di Jarvis Cocker, il cantante.

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 a rum and coca-cola”
She said “Fine”
and in thirty seconds time she said,

“I want to live like common people,
I want to do whatever common people do,
I want to sleep with common people,
I want to sleep with common people,
like you.”
Well what else could I do -
I said “I’ll see what I can do.”

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’ve got no money,
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 you want to live like common people,
you want to see whatever common people see,
you want to sleep with common people,
you want to sleep with common people like me.”

But she didn’t understand,
she just smiled and held my hand.
Rent a flat above a shop,
cut your hair and get a job.
Smoke some fags and play some pool,
pretend you never went to school.
But still you’ll never get it right,
cos when you’re laid in bed at night,
watching roaches climb the wall,
if you call your Dad he could stop it all.

You’ll never live like common people,
you’ll never do what common people do,
you’ll never fail like common people,
you’ll never watch your life slide out of view,
and dance and drink and screw,
because there’s nothing else to do.

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 laughing at you,
and the stupid things that you do.
Because you think that poor is cool.

I want to live with common people
I want to live with common people…