Erik Schrody known on the stage as Everlast wrote the song “WHAT IT’S LIKE”. The song is talking about some of the social and historical issues that affect the American societies. I listened to the original song. Everlast is portraying some of the social issues that existed in the 1990s when he wrote the song. For example in 1987, the U.S. general Accounting Office estimated that there were 52000-170000 homeless youth aged 16years and below (Ringwalt et al. 1326). The proportion of teen births increased from 13% in 1950 to 79% in 2000. When analysed from a historical, Marxist and a conservative Religious Republican perspectives, it is easy to understand what Everlast was trying to portray.

From a historical perspective, In the 1990s, families made up a third of the homeless nation-wide. In big cities such as Portland and New York, families represented the majority of the homeless. Los Angeles alone had approximately 35000 to 509000 homeless people. Homelessness in those years was a major social issue. It was attributed to increasing poverty and increased costs for housing. Everlast’s description of a homeless man fits what was happening especially in Los Angeles at the time. Wood et al in a study comparing demographic, economic, and family function characteristics concluded that majority of the homelessness cited economic problems and housing problems as the primary cause of their homelessness (wood et al 1050). Other causes included drug abuse, relationship breakups, family problems, violence and personal problems. The study concluded that the homeless families were composed of single parents and two parents with the majority being two-parent. It was not their wish to be homeless, but the hard economic conditions made them homeless. The study by Wood et al. (p1051) is a good representation of the conditions, which forced one to be homeless.  Though the welfare assistance programme was running at the time, many families were discontinued due to administrative reasons rather than due to increased income. Wood et al says, “Homeless families frequently experienced discontinuations of welfare assistance for administrative reasons rather than due to increased family income” (Wood et al 1052). This was the major cause why many could not manage to rent a house. The social structures at the time failed them. There was no job for them and no social help. Teen pregnancy in the United States is a persistent social problem. Since the 1950s, the rate of teen pregnancy in the United States has fallen. The rates were highest in 1957 at 96 births per 1000 women aged 15-19 (Boonstra p3). The rates fell through the 1960s to 1970s and then sharply rose between 1988 to 1991. Though teen pregnancy has declined, the proportion of teen births increased from 13% in 1950 to 79% in 2000. In recent years, declining birth rates among the teens are due to the pregnant teens opting to undergo an abortion. By 1997, the abortion rate was 28 abortions per 1000 women aged 15-19 (Boonstra 5).Teen pregnancy has been a consistent social problem in the United States. Young people seem to be sexually active at an early age without understanding the implications of their actions. It is common for the young males to disappear when the teen girls get pregnant. Schrody recognized the social problem. He wrote, “Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom, said he was in love” (Everlast 8). Mary and Tom are a representation of the many teens that make the mistake. When Tom disappeared, Mary opted to commit abortion. People called her a sinner, killer and whore. Nobody considered that Tom was the killer. Tom bailed out on Mary forcing her to commit abortion.  The society considered the young teens as the sinners and killers but what about their male counterparts. They are also accomplices.

From a Marxist perspective, Everlast is trying to pass a message to the society. He is trying to convince the society that people should not be judged by their actions or their position in society. First, he talks about a man who is a beggar. A beggar is the poorest person as society takes it. The description that Everlast gives of the man fits a poor man who has no say in the society. The man begs with shame in his eyes. He is shameful that he is begging. This portrays that the beggars are not proud to be beggars. Everlast is urging the society to feel compassion and empathy for such people so low in the society. He is urging people not to dislike a beggar just because he is begging rather try to fit in his shoes and then understand why he might be begging. Everlast writes, “God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes.’ Cause then you really might know what it’s like to sing the blues. Then you really might know what it’s like” (Everlast 5). Everything Everlast describes in his song is about feeling compassion and empathy. The young girl who was impregnated by a young man chooses to undergo an abortion. Everlast is portraying the dilemma the young girls in the society undergo. The young man who impregnated the girl disappeared and the girl is so alone. She made a choice based on her situation but the society branded her as a murderer. Max was dealing in drugs but when he was shot dead; his family was caught up in his pain. Should his family suffer because of the choices max made? Everlast has the view that all the people in the society are important. It does not matter what they have done or their position in society, but the society should be compassionate about these people. Most of the decisions describe by Everlast are not decisions that people make on daily basis. They are decisions and choices that are hard to make. He is urging us to not hate people for their choices rather be compassionate.

From a conservative Religious Republican perspective, individuals are responsible for their actions. The conservatives emphasize on the individuals empowerment to solve problems. They are against socialism. The conservatives argue that life begins at conception meaning that abortion is a murder. A conservative would disagree with Everlast ideas of compassion. The young girl who underwent an abortion did commit murder and so should be held responsible. The conservatives put an emphasis on individual responsibility.  The society should just empower people to be responsible and not for the society to be responsible for the well-being of the people (StudentNewsDaily). At such, Everlast ideas of compassion and empathy cannot play well with the conservatives. The beggar made a personal choice to beg. He should be held responsible for his choice. He is not responsible enough to get a job. Everlast is urging the society not to blame people for the choices they make. However, from a religious view, undergoing an abortion is a sin. In line with this, a conservative would disagree with Everlast. People should be responsible for their own actions and choices. Whatever one decides to do, the society should have no part in it. The society should only empower individual to be able to make responsible choices. Everlast argues that a good man can sin or a rich man begs. He writes, “I’ve seen a rich man beg, I’ve seen a good man sin, I’ve seen a tough man cry. I’ve seen a loser win, and a sad man grin. I heard an honest man lie” (Everlast 17). Those are personal choices and if anybody else were put in those shoes, maybe they would make a different choice. It all depends with ones level of responsibility.

In the 1990s when Everlast wrote this song, issues such as homelessness, teen pregnancy, abortion, social stigma and violence were common. There were 52000-170000 homeless youth aged 16years and below (Ringwalt et al. 1326). Los Angeles alone had approximately 35000 to 509000 homeless people and the abortion rate was 28 abortions per 1000 women aged 15-19. Homelessness was due to hard economic times, and though there was social welfare, sometimes it was discontinued due to administrative issues. All along the song, Schrody is advocating for people to understand how those socially stigmatized for the problems they faced feel.  Schrody keeps repeating the words “Then you really might know what it’s like”. This is the kind of society he was living in. A society filled with homeless people despised by the well up people and pregnant teens that are despised and abused for opting to abort. The society stigmatized for problems created not by them but by the society itself.

Work cited

Boonstra, Heather. “Teen Pregnancy: Trends And Lessons Learned.” Teen Pregnancy: Trends And Lessons Learned. Feb. 2002. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.

Ringwalt, Christopher L., et al. “The prevalence of homelessness among adolescents in the United States.” American Journal of Public Health 88.9 (1998): 1325-1329.

Schrody, Erik. “Everlast – What It’s Like Official Video with Lyrics!” YouTube. YouTube, 1998. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.

StudentNewsDaily. “Conservative vs. Liberal Beliefs.” Student News Daily Conservative vs Liberal Beliefs Comments. 2010. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

Wood, David, et al. “Homeless and housed families in Los Angeles: a study comparing demographic, economic, and family function characteristics.” American Journal of Public Health 80.9 (1990): 1049-1052.

 
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