He has since worked as a writer, producer, director, musician, writer, and celebrity pitchman (most notably for Priceline.com). He has worked with Ben Folds a great deal, both on Folds' Fear of Pop project, and more recently on Shatner's album Has Been (which also featured Joe Jackson on his cover version of Pulp's "Common People"). Shatner's other collaborators include Peter Frampton, Bootsy Collins, and Steve Miller among many others (with that just being on one album).
Upon reaching his seventies and beyond, Shatner still shows no signs of slowing down. His acting career reached a new peak when he won two Emmy Awards (in 2004 and 2005) for his portrayal of attorney Denny Crane in the television series The Practice and Boston Legal. In 2008, Shatner stared in his own talk show, entitled Shatner's Raw Nerve on Bio (the Biography Channel). It focused on the personal lives of celebrities stuff that is not normally discussed.
Real
William Shatner Lyrics
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So naturally there's folks who think I must know what to know
But just because you've seen me on your TV
Doesn't mean I'm any more enlightened than you
And while there's a part of me
In that guy you've seen
Up there on that screen
And I wish I knew the things you think I do
I would change this world for sure
But I eat and sleep and breathe and bleed and feel
Sorry to disappoint you
But I'm real
I'd love to help the world and all its problems
But I'm an entertainer, and that's all
So the next time there's an asteroid or a natural disaster
I'm flattered that you thought of me
But I'm not the one to call
And while there's a part of me
In that guy you've seen
Up there on that screen
I am so much more
And I wish I knew the things you think I do
I would change this world for sure
But I eat and sleep and breathe and bleed and feel
Sorry to disappoint you
But I'm real
William Shatner's "Real" speaks to his fans who may have elevated him to a higher status due to his roles in the movies and on TV. He acknowledges that his fans may think he's more enlightened than them, but in reality he's just a regular person who eats, sleeps, breathes and feels. Through the lyrics, he confesses his inability to help solve the world's problems like an actual superhero. He reveals that he's just an entertainer and has no real-life solutions to offer. Shatner is grateful for his fans' admiration but wants them to know that he is just like everyone else - a human being.
The song is about celebrity culture and how the media and fans often hold celebrities to a higher standard, expecting them to have a deeper understanding of the world's problems. Despite being a celebrity, Shatner wants to remind his fans that he is just a regular person who may not have any more insight than they do. He hopes that this message brings people back to earth and helps them to see celebrities as human beings and not as gods.
Line by Line Meaning
I have saved the world in the movies
Because I have acted as characters who save the world from danger in movies, some people assume that I possess actual knowledge and expertise about how to save the world.
So naturally there's folks who think I must know what to know
People believe that I have knowledge and expertise beyond acting because of the roles that I have portrayed.
But just because you've seen me on your TV
Being on television does not guarantee that I have any more insight or understanding than anyone else.
Doesn't mean I'm any more enlightened than you
Being on television does not mean that I have any special knowledge, insight, or enlightenment that you do not have.
And while there's a part of me
Although there is a part of me that appears on screen when I act.
In that guy you've seen
The character you've seen me portray.
Up there on that screen
Appearing cinematically on a screen.
I am so much more
I am much more beyond the character I portray on the screen.
And I wish I knew the things you think I do
Although I am not special or more enlightened than anyone else, I still wish that I had the knowledge and expertise people believe I possess.
I would change this world for sure
If I truly had the knowledge and expertise people believe I possess, I would do all that I could to help make the world a better place.
But I eat and sleep and breathe and bleed and feel
Despite the roles I've acted on the screen, I am just a living, breathing human being who experiences the same emotions and feelings as anyone else.
Sorry to disappoint you
I apologize for not being able to live up to the expectations that people have about me from the roles I've portrayed.
But I'm real
Despite my roles as a character on the screen, I am still a real person.
I'd love to help the world and all its problems
Although I cannot solve the world's problems as a character actor, I would still like to contribute to solving the world's problems if I could.
But I'm an entertainer, and that's all
My profession is only to entertain people, not to solve the world's problems.
So the next time there's an asteroid or a natural disaster
In the event of a natural disaster or asteroid impact, I appreciate being thought of to help, but my roles on screen do not translate to real-life expertise.
I'm flattered that you thought of me
I am honored that people think of me to help in times of crisis.
But I'm not the one to call
In reality, I am not an expert in disaster response, so I am not the best person to call for help.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRAD PAISLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind