Behind the Meaning of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero"
Behind the Meaning of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero”.
Post-Beatles, John Lennon certainly couldn’t have been considered “working class.” He was lucky enough to be apart of one of the greatest bands of all time and his bank account certainly reflected it. Nevertheless, Lennon didn’t forget about the everyman. He used his voice to fight for those that struggled to rise to the top like he did. Uncover the meaning behind “Working Class Hero,” below.
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Behind the Meaning of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero”
Lennon released this caustic song in the early ’70s. His biting lyrics, at the same time, bolstered those in the working class and chided the folks on the hill. After having reached the upper echelon, Lennon turns back to tell those behind him, “Hey, this isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
As soon as you’re born, they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
Lennon often spoke about his issues with fame. He even hopped on David Bowie’s “Fame” to make a finite statement about it. In this song, he issued a warning in the form of a reality check. A working class hero is something to be, he tells his listeners. Though they likely spend their days dreaming of having what Lennon had, he argues the contrary.
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
Till you’re so f***ing crazy, you can’t follow their rules
When they’ve tortured and scared you for twenty-odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can’t really function, you’re so full of fear
“I like ‘Working Class Hero’ – as a song, or a poem or whatever it is,” he once said of this track. “I think its concept is revolutionary. It’s for the people like me who are working class, who are supposed to be processed into the middle classes, or into the machinery. It’s my experience, and I hope it’s just a warning to people.”
Source: Alex Hopper/americansongwriter.com
