What It's Like (song)

What It's Like is a pop song performed by Everlast, from his 1998 album Whitey Ford Sings the Blues. It is by far his most popular and best-charted song.

The song invites the listener to consider the plight of three individuals (in the case of the third, his family):

• The first verse tells of an unnamed man at a liquor store, portrayed as a stereotypical alcoholic. "With shame in his eyes" he approaches a customer begging for spare change; he is greeted rudely with an expletive.
• The second verse tells of Mary, portrayed as an unmarried young woman, now pregnant by "Tom", who promised to be there for her but now has abandoned her. Believing abortion to be the only solution, while entering the abortion clinic she is greeted by protestors who (as liberals perceive them) judge her for her actions.
• The third verse tells of Max, portrayed as a family man who is a drug dealer and into the thug life. One night he mouths off and pulls out a gun, and is shot dead, leaving a wife and children behind.

The bridge mentions how good people lose while bad people win, and Everlast mentioning what he has seen and done in his life.