#but ironically a fight led me to dump my emotions lmfao

[harrystomlinson]

COMMON PEOPLE and queer kids (ft. Matilda)

I made a post couple of days ago about why common people fucked to hard with me. This interpretation of the song is purely personal, it's from the POV of me, as a queer person who's grown up in a a comfortable but conservative household where family and home is a huge sentiment, and how displaced I felt/still feel with my identity. It might be relatable to only a handful of you lot and if it does big hugs. Here we go:

(VERSE 1 + PRE CHORUS) I came from a good home A house full of terraced dreams That was enough for me You know, you had to see it to believe All the late nights, good times The mistakes and the heartbreaks When I get lost, I go back to where I started

We have an idea that Louis is talking about Doncaster and about home in this song and basically coming from that place to where he is now and how even to date when he "gets lost" he finds comfort and pride in his hometown. But how I see it is that you come from a good home. A comfortable home. There might not be the love you want but at least you have "terraced dreams" you still get to work towards an aim, you have an opportunity. But you're also told over and over that you're lucky enough to get what you're getting. You have these late nights, these fights and whatever it is that you have and that you grow up amongst as a child, they're memories and they're not really bad ones. You still cannot hate this place and these people because you can't get rid of these memories and this attachment of a "home" and "hometown" with them.

(CHORUS) Common people, nothing's changed You'll hear strangers singin' your name If you act like you're one of us If you act like you're one of us Common people, not who you know But just how far you're willin' to go? If you act like you're one of us If you act like you're one of us

Before I dive into the interpretation, I think that the chorus has a two-approach thing going on. The first time it has one interpretation and the second time it has a different meaning and implication to it.

For instance, this one is more like you're still in this town. You're amongst these people, but you're grown now. And as you grow, you're taught that you're supposed to fit into these "common people", you're supposed to follow these rules and live up to these expectations, you're supposed to "act like you're one of us". Because that's how it has always been, hasn't it? "Common people, nothing's changed". You're cautioned against being "different" because then you're not common people. These strangers will not be singing your name. You can rebel, "But just how far you're willin' to go?" Because these common people have been your so-called home and and you still don't hate them. But to be able to keep being there to be amongst them, you have to act like you're one of them.

(VERSE 2 + PRE CHORUS) I took her to the local No deep pockets, but big hearts Do you see what I see? Now, we're all out screamin' on the dancefloor All the late nights and the good times And the heartbreaks, the mistakes When I get lost, I go back to where I started

Now this is from a place where you're at a more comfortable place with your identity. You're seeing these people who are like you, you're seeing them live their lives. You're somewhat shocked by it too because how are they so happy, have "big hearts", just out there "screaming on the dancefloor". They're not fitting in with the said "common people" but they're still having the same "All the late nights and the good times, and the heartbreaks, the mistakes". You feel lost again because yet again you feel like you do not fit in- You can't see yourself with them because you haven't experienced the same, you don't see yourself with your people.

(CHORUS X2) Common people, nothing's changed You'll hear strangers singin' your name If you act like you're one of us Just act like you're one of us Common people, not who you know But just how far you're willin' to go? If you act like you're one of us If you act like you're one of us

Once again I believe the chorus before and after the beat drop have different implications (shoutout to production the beat drop left me teary eyed during one of my initial analysis listens).

The first chorus seems to be a reeling of sorts. When you're raised with the words "What will people say?" or "How will we show our faces to others if you do something like ______" or "Family will stick with you forever, not strangers who you find comfort in." Just the heavy implications on the rest of your life an awakening about your identity brings when you're raised in such a family oriented household is dreadful. You have moments of hate and spite- "Why can't they just take me for who I am?", "Why can't they change? Do they not love me enough to do that?", "Why me?" despite being taught values like empathy and compromise. You have moments where you are devastated because your fantasy of a "normal" life where you make them proud crumbles because what is your normal, it's not theirs.

You don't want to act like these common people because you're not them but you also don't want to let go because they were your everything. They were where you went when you got lost, they're your family.

Then the beat drops. We have the chorus again. But this time, it's more acceptance than conflict and reeling. It echoes the sentiment of "You can start a family who will always show you love, you don't have to be sorry for doing it on your own." You will hear these "strangers singing your name" but these strangers are a community, they'll love you, they'll be YOUR common people, they can be your family. You are willing to go to them, you're willing to go that far to find YOUR people.

(OUTRO) (One of us) Just act like you're one of us (One of us)

The feeling of dread and pain you feel when you realise that you might not be accepted by your family, your own people, your culture, your home just because of your identity is something that runs very deep. It's a cut that will bleed for a long time. It's a moment when you want to be able to fit it so bad, just so you can hold on to your place and your people because it's been home to you for so long and when you realise you maybe can't do that without forsaking an important aspect of yourself is the hardest thing to come to terms with. It's hard to find peace and comfort and a place to go hide when its something like this. But you will find your people. Your identity is valid, and you deserve love and a family and a place to go to when you get lost. You won't have to act to fit in one day. Until that day (and beyond), we got Louis <3

OTHER FITF ANALYSIS' HERE!!