Common People
Shatner Lyrics

She came from Greece,
The woman he met is from Greece.

She had a thirst for knowledge.
She was interested in learning.

She studied sculpture at Saint Martin's College.
She studied art at Saint Martin's College.

That's where I caught her eye.
That is where they met each other.

She told me that her Dad was loaded.
She informed him that her father was wealthy.

I said, in that case I'll have a rum and coca-cola.
He offered to have a drink and attempted to impress her.

She said fine, and in thirty seconds time she said,
She agreed and then quickly changed the subject.

I want to live like common people.
She expressed her desire to live like an ordinary person.

I want to do whatever common people do.
She wants to experience and participate in things that normal people do.

I want to sleep with common people.
She desires to have romantic relationships with individuals who are not wealthy.

I want to sleep with common people, like you.
She specifically wants to sleep with him.

Well, what else could I do?
He was unsure how to react to her statement.

I said, I'll see what I can do.
He tries to help her find a way to experience life like a regular person.

I took her to a supermarket.
He showed her what it was like to go shopping at a regular grocery store.

I don't know why, but I had to
He doesn't know why he felt compelled to bring her to a grocery store but he did.

Start it somewhere, so it started there.
He used the supermarket visit as a starting point to teach her about being a common person.

I said, pretend you've got no money.
He suggested she pretend to be broke while in the supermarket.

She just laughed, and said
She laughed at his suggestion.

Oh you're so funny. I said, yeah?
He jokes with her about his suggestion.

Well, I can't see anyone else smiling in here.
He can't see anyone else who is happy in the supermarket.

Are you sure you want to live like common people?
He questions her desire to live like ordinary people.

You want to see whatever common people see?
He wants to confirm she's interested in experiencing what common people see.

You want to sleep with common people?
He wants to confirm she's interested in having sexual relations with regular people.

You want to sleep with common people, like me?
He wants to confirm she wants to sleep with him specifically.

But, she didn't understand,
She didn't seem to comprehend the deeper meaning of things.

She just smiled and held my hand.
She smiled and held his hand despite not fully understanding his point of view.

Rent a flat above a shop.
He tells her to rent an apartment that is above a shop.

Cut your hair and get a job.
He suggests that she change her appearance and get a job.

Smoke some fags and play some pool.
He suggests she hang out and participate in activities like smoking cigarettes and playing pool.

Pretend you never went to school.
He suggests that she pretend she never went to school.

But still, you'll never get it right.
He believes she will never truly understand what it is like to be an ordinary person.

When you're lying in bed at night
In moments of solitude, such as when lying in bed at night.

Watching roaches climb the wall,
Observing roaches climb the wall.

If you called your Dad he could stop it all.
If she called her wealthy dad he could help her out of the situation.

You'll never live like common people
He believes she will never be able to truly live like an ordinary person.

You'll never do whatever common people do.
He believes she will never really experience and participate in things that normal people do.

You'll never fail like common people.
He believes she will never experience failure like an ordinary person.

You'll never watch your life slide out of view
He believes she will never lose control of her own life.

And dance and drink and screw
He refers to activities people engage in for fun, like drinking, dancing, and having sex.

Because there's nothing else to do.
He thinks people engage in these activities because they have nothing better to do.

Sing along with the common people.
He encourages her to sing along with ordinary people.

Sing along, and it might just get you thru.'
He thinks singing along with ordinary people might help her survive in life.

Laugh along with the common people.
He encourages her to laugh along with ordinary people.

Laugh along, even though they're laughing at you
He tells her that it's okay to laugh even if others are making fun of her.

And the stupid things that you do
Referring to things she has done which others might find silly.

'Cause you think that poor is cool.
He believes that she assumes it's cool to be poor.

Like a dog lying in a corner,
People will ignore her like she is a neglected dog.

They'll bite you and never warn you.
Ordinary people may hurt her without warning.

Look out.
He warns her to be careful in those situations.

They'll tear your insides out
Ordinary people may hurt her so much it feels like her insides are being ripped apart.

'Cause Everybody hates a tourist,
He thinks normal people don't like tourists.

Especially one who thinks
Especially a tourist who expects

It's all such a laugh.
To find everything amusing.

Yeah, and the chip stains' grease
And the stains of greasy fried food like chips.

Will come out in the bath.
Will come off in the bathtub when trying to wash it away.

You will never understand
He thinks she will never comprehend what it is to experience life as an ordinary person.

How it feels to live your life
The experience of living one's life.

With no meaning or control
Feeling like one lacks purpose, and like they are not in control of their life.

And with nowhere left to go.
When everything seems to be at a deadend.

You're amazed that they exist
She is in wonder about how ordinary people survive despite their struggle.

And they burn so bright,
They are full of life, burning bright despite their circumstances.

While you can only wonder why.
She wonders about her purpose while ordinary people seem to have a clear one.

You want to sing with common people, like you.
She wants to sing and be one of the ordinary people.

I want to sing with common people, like you.
He also wants to sing and be one of the ordinary people.