“Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime” by The Korgis
Something that should be initially noted is that when James Warren wrote this hit he did so in a jiffy – indeed within the timespan of 15 minutes. And this is according to his own account. That’s another way of saying that whereas there is a discernable idea, the intricacies of it are abstract enough to rationalize different interpretations.
But generally speaking the addressee(s), which may well include the singer himself, is presented as being a hard-hearted person. In other words, he or she has already settled in a particular mental and emotional state. And overall said state leaves much to be desired, as in the addressee missing out on certain opportunities due to such. Thus the singer is basically enlightening this individual to the idea that “everybody’s got to learn sometime”. Or stated differently, a person has to be malleable to entertaining new experiences.
And based on the second verse especially, the lyrics read as if the addressee is in fact a romantic interest. So one way of looking at this song is as it being based on the artist espousing his own love by putting forth to a potential girlfriend that if she does get with him it would be an overall-edifying experience.
But as mentioned earlier, at time the lyrics can also be viewed in such a way where the singer is trying to convince himself of the same. Or stated differently, he too is hard-hearted and afraid to fully fall in love. So he’s telling himself something like a person can’t be afraid to take risks – or as stated in the title “learn”.
But either way, when all is said and done it is clear that he believes hooking up with this particular lady will be beneficial to them both.
Facts about “Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime”
This song was written by James Warren, a member of The Korgis, a pop group from the UK.
And the entire band produced the tune along with David Lord.
The instrumental behind (the original version of) this song features a Chinese string instrument known as a guzheng.
The labels that backed “Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime” are Asylum Records and Rialto Records. And the song came out on 15 June 1980, being a feature on The Korgis’ second album “Dumb Waiters”. Moreover since then, it has been featured on a number of the band’s compilation albums.
And some of those features are actually different version of the track. For instance an acoustic rendition makes an appearance on The Korgis’ 2006 “Unplugged” album.
“Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime” charted in a decuple of countries including reaching number 1 in France, number 5 on the UK Singles Chart and number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1995 another British band, Baby D, dropped a cover of “Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime” which at least in England itself was more successful than The Korgis’ original. And generally speaking a bunch of artists dropped their own versions of this track throughout the years.
It’s just about being open to love. Their are many levels of love, but it all starts with loving yourself.