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Tim McGraw - ‘People Like Us’
Label: Big Machine Label Group
Release Date: October 11th, 2024
Album: TBC
The Background:
Arriving on October 11th without warning, ‘People Like Us’ follows in a similarly philosophical, unifying vein to Tim McGraw's 2016 hit, ‘Humble and Kind’, as well as his 2020 collaboration with Tyler Hubbard, ‘Undivided’. It finds the country legend choosing to highlight all the ways in which we're similar, rather than focussing on the differences, rivalries and disparities that cause so much strife across the world.
As well as carrying a message of hope that seems reminiscent of ‘Humble and Kind’ and ‘Undivided’, ‘People Like Us’ feels noticeably akin to Florida Georgia Line's moving ode to finding common ground rather than alienating certain groups, ‘People Are Different’.
The Sound:
The composition of ‘People Like Us’ is kept relatively sparse and intricate, mirroring the the gentility and intimacy of the message that pervades the heartfelt offering. ‘People Like Us’ is largely piano-driven, with Tim McGraw's wistful, quietly hopeful vocal delivery accentuating the striking emotion laced into every lyric.
The Meaning:
“Mike's a pipeline welder
Kim's a drive-thru teller
Johnny's a drug dealer
Bob's a concrete sealer
Terry is a soldier
Tom's a church league bowler
We are liars and lawyers
Lovers, sisters, brothers”
Tim McGraw rattles through a list of people from various walks of life, before depicting everyone - regardless of whether you're a concrete sealer or a lawyer - as “lovers, sisters, brothers”.
By mentioning specific names, McGraw makes this more personal, and in doing so, ensures it's easier for the listener to imagine these are real people and empathise with them.
“People like us
Watch the blues on TV
Get so angry
Blame it on DC
People like us
All God's children
If we're willing, we can be can be building a tomorrow we can trust
But it's up to people like us”
Throughout the hook, Tim McGraw outlines how so many of us watch the News on TV and get frustrated with the deep-seated problems and challenges being faced across the planet. He references how the governments get the brunt of the blame for this, with the US President, Joe Biden, living in the White House, which is in Washington, DC.
The replacement of ‘News’ with ‘blues’ captures how gloomy the News’ portrayal of the state of the world can be, before stressing that we can build a brighter tomorrow, if we empathise more and cultivate compassion towards everyone we meet.
“We wear Jordans
We wear flip-flops
We wear wingtips and Luccheses with tube socks
And we wear high heels
And we wear work boots
But we won't ever know each other until we walk a mile in each other's shoes”
After reeling off a series of vocations, here, Tim McGraw instead chooses to compare something more playful and seemingly trivial, by listing different kinds of footwear people opt for.
He concludes by employing a variation of the adage that appears in Harper Lee's iconic 1960 novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it”.
“We can point the finger
There's enough blame to go around
I wonder what would happen if we turned that finger around”
Instead of accusing governments and particular portions of society, Tim McGraw encourages us to look inward, and consider how each one of us can be a better person.
“Yeah, people like us
We're a preacher with a dream
Put a man on the moon
We can do anything”
Tim McGraw adjusts the final chorus slightly, highlighting the religious undertones of the track by referring to “a preacher with a dream”. As a result, he intensifies the ambience of hope and optimism. McGraw reminds listeners that humanity is capable of fantastic feats - none more impressive than putting a man on the moon.
What has Tim McGraw said about 'People Like Us’, see below:
In an Instagram post announcing his new single, Tim McGraw explained why he felt compelled to share ‘People Like Us’, “Today, I’m releasing a new song called “People Like Us.” It’s a celebration of our shared journey through life. We all have unique paths, but at our core, we’re connected by the same hopes, dreams, and challenges that make us human. For me, this song is about seeing ourselves in others - recognizing our common experiences of joy, pain, triumph, and struggle”.
He expanded, “My hope is that when you listen, you’ll feel that connection and be reminded of the beauty in our shared humanity. Music has a way of touching our hearts and bringing us together. Let’s keep lifting each other up and moving forward as one human family”.
For the full lyrics to Tim McGraw's ‘People Like Us’, see below:
“Mike's a pipeline welder
Kim's a drive-thru teller
Johnny's a drug dealer
Bob's a concrete sealer
-
Terry is a soldier
Tom's a church league bowler
We are liars and lawyers
Lovers, sisters, brothers
-
People like us
Watch the blues on TV
Get so angry
Blame it on DC
People like us
All God's children
If we're willing, we can be can be building a tomorrow we can trust
But it's up to people like us
-
We wear Jordans
We wear flip-flops
We wear wingtips and Luccheses with tube socks
And we wear high heels
And we wear work boots
But we won't ever know each other until we walk a mile in each other's shoes
-
People like us
Watch the blues on TV
Get so angry
Blame it on DC
People like us
All God's children
If we're willing, we can be can be building a tomorrow we can trust
But it's up to people like us
-
We can point the finger
There's enough blame to go around
I wonder what would happen if we turned that finger around
-
Yeah, people like us
We're a preacher with a dream
Put a man on the moon
We can do anything
Yeah, people like us
We're all God's children
If we're willing, we can be can be building a tomorrow we can trust
But it's up to people like us
I believe in people like us”
For more on Tim McGraw, see below:
