Poor People - Alan Price, 1973
Poor people are poor people
And they don't understand A man's got to make whatever he wants And take it with his own hands Poor people stay poor people And they never get to see Someone's got to win in the human race If it isn't you, then it has to be me So smile while you're makin' it Laugh while you're takin' it Even though you're fakin' it Nobody's gonna know Nobody's gonna know It's no use mumbling It's no use grumbling Life just isn't fair There's no easy days There's no easy ways Just get out there and do it And sing and they'll sing your song Laugh while you're getting on Smile and they'll string along And nobody's gonna know Nobody's gonna know Nobody's gonna know And nobody's gonna know |
His first band was The Alan Price Rhythm and Blues Combo. This was soon renamed The Animals, a band that had a few huge hits in the 1960s. Songs such as House of the Rising Sun and Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood are still staples of the classic rock fans. After difficulties with lead vocalist Eric Burdon, and a fear of constantly flying on world tours, Price quit his own group and formed the Alan Price Set in 1965.
With his new band, Alan Price had a few more hits, including I Put a Spell on You. He starred in the Bob Dylan movie Don't Look Back, and had a regular slot on the BBC series, The Two Ronnies.
What got my attention, however, was Lindsay Anderson's 1974 movie O Lucky Man! Not only did Price write the soundtrack, but he also appeared as a laid-back, rather cynical travelling rock musician. Anderson saw him as a Greek Chorus - commenting on the action as it unfolds. If you like rather LONG, and surreal tales of self-determination, you might check into this sign-of-the-times gem.
Two songs from the movie are favs of mine; O' Lucky Man (note: not Emerson Lake and Palmer), and the song you're listening to, Poor People. I have always found this song oddly optimistic, despite the gloomy subject matter.
Alan Price continues to write and perform his own brand of music.
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