The original song is very well known. I think the majority of you will already know the cover too. It’s Jarvis v Captain Kirk:-
mp3: Pulp – Common People
mp3: William Shatner – Common People
The former is, arguably, the greatest of all the Britpop era anthems. The latter is 2004, in which Ben Folds hooked up with the veteran actor to help write and then to arrange and record the album Has Been. They also settled on recording a cover of Common People, for which Joe Jackson was also brought in to assist with the chorus.
I don’t see the latter as a comedy or novelty record – the music is too well handled for that while Shatner delivers the lines in the way you would expect from an actor. It’s different and, for the most part, it’s an entertaining few minutes, probably introducing the song to an American audience wholly unaware of its significance in the UK and Europe some ten years earlier.
The result from the Villain Towers adjudicating panel?
A win for the original. It’s one of those songs which will never be bettered no matter who tries and in what way they make the effort.
Once again, this verdict can, should you choose, be overturned on appeal via the comments section……
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 