On Working Class Hero, Lennon seemingly tapped into the same issue that has challenged our elite political classes in the recent shock results in America and the UK. For me I have difficulty understanding how both the voters AND the political elite tick. I can only contribute by believing in the inherent good in people and by ignoring the sweeping statement that all politicians are corrupt and/or out of touch. But I also don’t accept that the man in the street really knows better than the government. Nobody can ever get it right because opinion is split over what ‘right’ actually means. Can’t we simply have someone very wise that everyone trusts and knows the best thing to do? Oh sorry I just woke up.
What I do know is that Lennon wrote this incredible song with minimal chords, an acoustic guitar and an angry heart. It shows that you need very little to make something amazing happen. All you need is the truth, a passionate desire to express it and a whole lot of talent. In politics perhaps you need a similar cocktail – the truth, passion, ideas and probably honour, seemingly missing from some more recent political battles.
I don’t need people to tell me again what was wrong with any or all of the losing candidates, I know. I just want to say this about Trump winning – policy isn’t the point here. My problem with Trump is how he has legitimized every loud mouthed racist, every bigoted and misogynistic opinion, suddenly making it ok to express hatred openly when anyone with one small moment’s reflection easily realizes that only a twisted mind could judge a human by their skin colour, their religion, their gender or their sexual preference. There can be no proper debate and proper representation whilst people are still fighting over cultural differences.
As soon as you’re born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
‘Til the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you’re clever and they despise a fool
‘Til you’re so fucking crazy you can’t follow their rules
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
When they’ve tortured and scared you for 20 odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can’t really function, you’re so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
Keep you doped with religion, and sex, and T.V.
And you think you’re so clever and classless and free
But you’re still fucking peasants as far as I can see
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
There’s room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Class_Hero
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon/Plastic_Ono_Band
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon
i love this song. i recall when i was about 14 -15 years old in music class we were asked to bring in our fave single, and this was on the b side of imagine. when the teacher played it and lenon sings, ‘fucking’ i got kicked out of the class much to the amusement of my classmates.
the teacher and unfortunately my class mates never really got the intent of the song cos they got hung up on the swearing but for me, it’s message is in my blood.
bowie does a brilliant version of this song to with tin machine.