A couple of years ago I became quite taken with the song “Common People,” by a British band called Pulp. I had never heard it until my sister Marianne gave me a CD for Christmas that included a surprisingly effective remake by the unlikely pair of William Shatner and Joe Jackson. Hearing that made me want to seek out the original.
Although my upbringing was decidedly middle class, not working class, I can definitely relate to having a girlfriend in college who made me feel as though she was slumming just by going out with me.
“Common People” is from way back in ’95. It takes a long time for new stuff to seep in, because I’m not paying attention. I think “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a great anthem, although the whole heroin chic thing associated with Kurt Cobain really turns me off. Stupid, dumb, moronic.
One exception of my usual slow awareness of new stuff was Green Day’s “American Idiot.” I was on top of that within the first few notes I caught while station scanning in the car, two years ago.
Yikes! The new “Boy George!” Still, a REALLY good song!