Love of the Common People#Paul Young version
{{Short description|1967 single by The Four Preps}}
{{for|the album by Waylon Jennings|Love of the Common People (album)}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Love of the Common People
| cover = File:Love of the Common People Four Preps.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = The Four Preps
| album =
| B-side = What I Don't Know Can't Hurt Me
| released = January 21, 1967[https://hitparade.ch/song/The-Four-Preps/Love-Of-The-Common-People-1126460 Date of Release in hitparade.ch]
| recorded = 1966
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop
| length = 2:35
| label = Capitol
| writer = John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins
| producer = Al De Lory
| prev_title = Let's Call It a Day Girl
| prev_year = 1966
| next_title = Draft Dodger Rag
| next_year = 1967
}}
"Love of the Common People" is a song written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins,{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/p5819|title=The Four Preps - Love Of The Common People|access-date=3 January 2019|website=45cat.com}} eventually released in 1970 on John Hurley's album John Hurley Sings about People,John Hurley Sings about People, John Hurley, with Ronnie Wilkins. RCA Records LSP-4355, 1970 but first sung in January 1967 by the Four Preps.{{cite AV media notes |title=You Heard It Here First! Volume 2 |year=2010 |first=Rob |last=Finnis |author2=Rounce, Tony |page=3 |type=CD booklet |publisher=Ace Records Ltd |id=CDCHD 1250 |location=London}} The Four Preps' recording was not a hit, but, later in 1967, the Everly Brothers and Wayne Newton would each issue their versions of the song, both of which "bubbled under" in the US charts; Newton's version peaked at No. 106, the Everlys' at No. 114. However, the Everly Brothers' recording was a major hit in Canada, peaking at No. 4. In 1968, Irish artist Joe Dolan with backing group the Drifters recorded a version which hit the top 10 on the Irish Singles Chart, but did not chart elsewhere.{{cn|date=May 2024}}
Soul group the Winstons recorded their version in 1969, where it peaked at No. 54 on the US Hot 100.{{cite book |title= Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012 |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2013 |publisher=Record Research |page=922}} A year later, Nicky Thomas had a UK hit (No. 9) with a reggae version, and Paul Young had a No. 2 UK hit (and No. 1 in several European countries) in 1983 with his interpretation of the song.
Lyrics
{{unreferenced section|date=September 2022}}
The lyrics tell a bleak story of poverty and unemployment. There is a mention of "free food tickets," a reference to government food stamp and welfare programs, in the first line, and the lyrics also describe the subject family as having holes in their clothes, their roof and their shoes. The last verse advises the subject family to keep their faith strong and to maintain hope for improvement.
Nicky Thomas version
Nicky Thomas recorded a Joe Gibbs-produced reggae version of the song in 1970, which sold over 175,000 copies in the United Kingdom and reached number 9 on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/14070/nicky-thomas/|title=Love of the Common People - Nicky Thomas|website=Official Charts Company|access-date=1 June 2016}}Moskowitz, David V. (2006) Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall, Greenwood Press, {{ISBN|0-313-33158-8}}, p. 292 It was Thomas's largest selling single, and, according to Steve Leggett of AllMusic, "practically defines the term 'pop reggae.'"Leggett, Steve "[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r658543/review|pure_url=yes}} Love of the Common People: The Best of Nicky Thomas Review], AllMusic, Macrovision Corporation, retrieved 6 December 2009
Paul Young version
{{Infobox song
| name = Love of the Common People
| cover = Paul Young Love of the Common People single cover.jpg
| alt =
| caption = European picture sleeve (including the 1983 UK rerelease)
| type = single
| artist = Paul Young
| album = No Parlez
| B-side = {{ubl|""Behind Your Smile"|"Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)"|"It's Better to Have (And Don't Need)""}}
| released = 7 January 1983
7 November 1983 (re-release)
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Blue-eyed soul
| length = 3:33 (7")
5:50 (12")
4:56 (Original Album)
| label = CBS
| writer = John Hurley
Ronnie Wilkins
| producer = Laurie Latham
| prev_title = Iron Out the Rough Spots
| prev_year = 1982
| next_title = Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)
| next_year = 1983
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| type = single
| prev_title = Come Back and Stay
| prev_year = 1983
| title = "Love of the Common People"
(re-release)
| year = 1983
| next_title = Everytime You Go Away
| next_year = 1985
}}
}}
In 1982, English singer Paul Young, with backing singers The Fabulous Wealthy Tarts, released his interpretation of "Love of the Common People" as a single, but initially it failed to chart. Only after Young's first and second solo hits in 1983, with "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" and "Come Back and Stay", and the single's re-release did it become successful. The single peaked at No. 2 in the UK, and reached the No. 1 spot in Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands. This version also contained a solo by ska and reggae trombonist Rico Rodriguez.
=Chart performance=
==Weekly charts==
==Year-end charts==
Other versions
- Soul group the Winstons recorded their version in 1969, where it peaked at No. 54 on the Hot 100.{{cite book |title= Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012 |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2013 |publisher=Record Research |page=922}}
- It was also a top 10 hit in Ireland for showband star Joe Dolan in 1968.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}
- Waylon Jennings recorded a version on the eponymous album in 1967.
- Leonard Nimoy recorded a version on his second album Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy in 1968.{{cn|date=May 2024}}
- Northern Irish punk rock band Stiff Little Fingers recorded a version which appears on their album Now Then... in 1982.
- Elton John recorded a version which appears on his covers album Chartbusters Go Pop, released in 1994.{{cn|date=May 2024}}
The Volendam based Dutch band the Cats, they recorded this song on their album from 1967 'Cats as Cats can', with the warm impressive voice of Piet Veerman this is perhaps the most 'soulful' of these covers.
- Bruce Springsteen recorded a version, which appears on his live album and DVD Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band: Live in Dublin from 2007.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{The Everly Brothers}}
{{Paul Young}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Love Of The Common People (Song)}}
Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in the Netherlands
Category:Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles
Category:Rhythm and blues ballads