The Great Pretender
Victor Wood Lyrics

In Victor Wood's song, "The Great Pretender", the lyrics depict a protagonist who is living in denial about their current fate. The singer is pretending to be happy and content with their life, but in reality, they are lonely and in pain. The first stanza highlights the singer's tendency to pretend that everything is okay even though it is not. The singer's need to pretend is so great that they are living in a world where they are the only one in it.

The singer's loneliness is depicted in the second stanza by using the word "drift". This term implies that the singer is aimlessly wandering in life without direction, and living in their own world that doesn't connect with the reality around them. The singer's life is thus, a game where they have to pretend in order to hide their real feelings. However, the singer's greatest shame is that they have been let down and are now forced to dream alone. The third and fourth stanzas continue the same theme of the singer pretending to be happy when they are miserable inside.

The song's lyrics highlight the acute loneliness felt by an individual, who decides to put on a façade of happiness to hide the pain they are experiencing. The song's theme of one's inability to face reality has resonated with many listeners since it was first released. Interestingly, the song was written by Buck Ram, who was the lead vocalist of the Platters. It became a breakout hit for the group in 1955 and was later covered by various artists including Freddie Mercury, who released a version in 1987.