Birdy’s “People Help the People” Lyrics Meaning

The lyrics of “People Help the People” are heavily-metaphorical. But the idea they point to is apparently this. There is personal suffering everywhere. And the singer seems to attribute this fact to the idea that people do not tend to live piously. Basically they are “weak”, “drunken” and preoccupied with self-interest, such as the acquisition of wealth.

So as a result, she is advising that “people help the people”. Or another way of looking at her disposition is that since suffering is everywhere, then likewise there are always people abound who are in need of various types of sympathy. And in a way, it can be deemed that she is putting the onus on helping our fellow man onto the selfsame less-than-ideal individuals whom she is criticizing in the first place.

So going a bit out on a limb, a general way of understanding the premise of this song is as its vocalist perceiving we human beings as being flawed creatures. Yet despite our shortcomings we still possess the ability – or perhaps one could even say the responsibility – to help our fellow man who is in need.

Release Date of “People Help the People”

This song can be found on Birdy’s self-titled maiden album. It is the cover of a song originally released by the British band Cherry Ghost in 2007.

On 28th October, 2011, Birdy released it as the third single from her album. Her version went on to become a smash international hit.

Birdy’s version can be placed into the folk music genre. It also fits perfectly into the soul music genre.

Being a cover, Birdy didn’t write this classic. It was written by one of the members of Cherry Ghost called Simon Aldred.

In 2020, rapper Jim Jones sampled “People Help the People” on his George Floyd tribute song “The People“.