Love of the Common People

"Love of the Common People" is a song written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins,[2] eventually released in 1970 on John Hurley's album John Hurley Sings about People,[3] but first sung in January 1967 by The Four Preps.[4] It had been covered [4] by The Everly Brothers, country singers Waylon Jennings and Lynn Anderson, Pennsylvania Sixpence and also Wayne Newton, all in 1967, The Simple Image, Leonard Nimoy, reggae singer Eric Donaldson and the Gosdin Brothers in 1968, Elton John and also soul group The Winstons, both in 1969, John Denver on his 1969 album Rhymes & Reasons, Sandy Posey in 1970, the same year that reggae singer Nicky Thomas had a big hit in Europe with the song, and pedal steel guitarist Sneaky Pete Kleinow in 1979. It was also a Top 10 hit in Ireland for showband star Joe Dolan in 1968. Wanda Jackson covered the song in 1971, as did Stiff Little Fingers and English pop singer Paul Young, both in 1982. In 2007 Bruce Springsteen covered it as part of his Seeger Sessions tour, releasing a live version of it as a bonus track on his Live in Dublin album. Anti-Nowhere League covered it 2017 on their album League Style. Australian artist Jessica Mauboy covered the song in 2017 on her chart-topping The Secret Daughter album. English folk artist Kate Rusby covered the song on her 2020 album Hand Me Down.

For the album by Waylon Jennings, see Love of the Common People (album).
"Love of the Common People"
Single by The Four Preps
B-side"What I Don't Know Can't Hurt Me"
ReleasedJanuary 21, 1967[1]
Recorded1966
GenrePop
Length2:35
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins
Producer(s)Al De Lory
The Four Preps singles chronology
"Let's Call It a Day Girl"
(1966)		 "Love of the Common People"
(1967)		 "Draft Dodger Rag"
(1967)

Lyrics

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 very first line, and the lyrics also describe the subject family as having holes in their clothes and their shoes. The last verse, however, is more optimistic, as it essentially advises the subject family to keep their faith strong and to maintain hope for improvement.

On the other hand, the text can be interpreted as deeply cynical, as it's praise of religious faith and family love is totally over the top and in sharp contrast to the economically extremely miserable situation of said family. This is further supported by the fact, that in an absurd twist it praises a lack of bus fare as a good thing, because otherwise the coins could fall through the aforementioned holes in one's clothes and so one would lose them, which is "fortunately" prevented by not owning coins at all.

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 in the UK Singles Chart.[5][6] It was Thomas's largest selling single, and, according to Steve Leggett of Allmusic, "practically defines the term 'pop reggae.'"[7]

Paul Young version
"Love of the Common People"
Artwork for European releases, including the 1983 UK re-release
Single by Paul Young
from the album No Parlez
B-side
Released1982
7 November 1983 (Re-release)
Length3:33 (7")
5:50 (12")
4:56 (Original Album)
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)John Hurley
Ronnie Wilkins
Producer(s)Laurie Latham
Paul Young singles chronology
"Iron Out the Rough Spots"
(1982)		 "Love of the Common People"
(1982)		 "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)"
(1983)
Paul Young singles chronology
"Come Back and Stay"
(1983)		 ""Love of the Common People"
(re-release)"
(1983)		 "Everytime You Go Away"
(1985)

In 1982 Paul Young 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.

Weekly charts
Chart (1983/1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 8
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 1
France (IFOP)[13] 24
Germany (Official German Charts)[14] 5
Ireland (IRMA)[15] 1
Italy (FIMI)[16] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 10
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[18] 8
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 3
UK Singles (OCC)[20] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[21] 45
US Cash Box[22] 50

Year-end charts
Chart (1984) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 54
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[23] 13
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[24] 8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[25] 20
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[26] 10
Germany (Official German Charts)[27] 34
Italy (FIMI)[28] 5
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[29] 25

See also

References
  1. Date of Release in hitparade.ch
  2. "The Four Preps - Love Of The Common People". 45cat.com. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  3. John Hurley Sings about People, John Hurley, with Ronnie Wilkins. RCA Records LSP-4355, 1970
  4. Finnis, Rob; Rounce, Tony (2010). You Heard It Here First! Volume 2 (CD booklet). London: Ace Records Ltd. p. 3. CDCHD 1250.
  5. "Love of the Common People - Nicky Thomas". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  6. 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
  7. Leggett, Steve "Love of the Common People: The Best of Nicky Thomas Review, Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation, retrieved 6 December 2009
  8. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989 , part 2". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  9. "Austriancharts.at – Paul Young – Love of the Common People" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  10. "Ultratop.be – Paul Young – Love of the Common People" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  11. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 4, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  12. "Dutchcharts.nl – Paul Young – Love of the Common People" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  13. "Le Détail par Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Select "Paul Young" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Paul Young – Love of the Common People". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Love of the Common People". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  16. "HitParadeItalia Top10 on 07 April 1984". HitParadeItalia (in Italian). Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  17. "Charts.nz – Paul Young – Love of the Common People". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  18. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (Y)". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  19. "Swisscharts.com – Paul Young – Love of the Common People". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  21. "Paul Young - Chart History". Billboard Hot 100. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  22. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JUNE 30, 1984". Cash Box magazine. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  23. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1984". Ö3 Austria Top 40 (in German). Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  24. "Ultratop Jaaroverzichten 1984". Ultratop 50 (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  25. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  26. "Dutch Jaaroverzichten Single 1984". Single Top 100 (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  27. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 1984". GfK Entertainment Charts (in German). Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  28. "Hit Parade Italia - I singoli più venduti del 1984". FIMI (in Italian). Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  29. "Top 100 1983". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
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