Originally called "Arabicus Pulp" (although they shortened it to Pulp within a year), the band achieved sudden success some thirteen years after their formation and became known during the Britpop era as much for their music as for frontman Cocker's antics (notably conducting a stage invasion during Michael Jackson's performance of Earth Song at the 1996 BRIT Awards).
Achieving little success off the back of a Peel session in 1981, Pulp were finally able to release their debut album, It, in 1983. This album and its 1986 follow-up, Freaks, showcased a Pulp keen on Nick Drake (notably on the It single, My Lighthouse), with strong folk roots and little sign of the tendencies for storytelling and acid house music which would eventually bring forth success.
After the release and commercial flop of "Freaks", the band disbanded for a year, but reformed a year later to record a third album, Separations. Delayed for three years after its recording, Separations showed Cocker's increasing exposure to acid house, featuring multiple synths, and a hit single, My Legendary Girlfriend, which helped Pulp's career start to rocket.
Their next single, Babies, which would eventually feature on their 1994's commercial breakthrough His 'n' Hers, and it was the first example of the Pulp-sound most listeners associate with the band--cheap synths, rolling guitars, and Cocker's deadpan vocals telling a story. "His 'n' Hers" in sound, was lumped in with the Britpop movement of the time, receiving commercial and critical acclaim. However, it was the 1995 single Common People, which finally saw them become known, eventually charting at number 2 in the UK charts. Awash with Britpop guitars, catchy keyboard lines and that trademark Cocker vocal performance it has remained a favorite. A successful appearance at Glastonbury that summer cemented their fame, and their success was subsequently confirmed by the release of Different Class, which arrived at the peak of the Britpop movement and featured this song and other UK hits as Disco 2000 and Sorted for E's & Wizz.
Their last two albums, 1998's darker This Is Hardcore, -an album that marked the end of the Britpop era- and 2001's more downbeat We Love Life were commercial successes, but Pulp were no longer as famous or trendy as they had been in the height of Britpop. Following their curation of a music festival, Auto, in 2002, the band announced that they would be embarking on an "indefinite hiatus".
In 2003, Jarvis Cocker released an album as Relaxed Muscle and then two solo efforts, 2006's Jarvis and 2009's Further Complications.
On 8th November 2010, it was announced that the band with its most relevant lineup will reform to play a series of gigs in summer 2011.
Discography:
It 1983
Freaks 1986
Separations 1992
His 'n' Hers 1994
Different Class 1995
This Is Hardcore 1998
We Love Life 2001
Official website:
http://www.pulppeople.com
The Fear
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sound of loneliness turned up to ten
A horror soundtrack from a stagnant waterbed
And it sounds just like this
This is the sound of someone losing the plot
Making out that they're okay when they're not
You're gonna like it
But not a lot
And the chorus goes like this
Oh, baby
Here comes the fear again, oh-oh
The end is near again, oh-oh
A monkey's built a house on your back
You can't get anyone to come in the sack
And here comes another panic attack, oh
Here we go again
So now you know the words to our song
Pretty soon you'll all be singing along
When you're sad, when you're lonely
And it all turns out wrong
When you've got the fear
And when you're no longer searching
For beauty or love
Just some kind of life
With the edges taken off
When you can't even define what it is that you're frightened of
This song will be here
Oh, baby
Here comes the fear gain, oh-oh
The end is near again, oh-oh
If you ever get that chimp off your back
If you ever find the thing that you lack
But you know you're only having a laugh, oh
And here we go again
Until the end
Until the end
Ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh
Ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh
In the song The Fear, Pulp portrays a sense of loneliness and fear that arises when someone feels lost and unable to connect with others. The lyrics describe the feeling of being trapped and weighed down by one's own thoughts, like a monkey sitting on someone's back, making it impossible to find love or happiness. The music is described as a horror soundtrack, turning up feelings of fear and anxiety to the maximum level. Rather than running away from these emotions, the chorus implies that we all must face them at some point in our lives, as the fear will always be present to some extent.
The lyrics also suggest that music can be a source of comfort when we are faced with fear and loneliness. The song promises to be there for you when you're feeling lost and uncertain about what the future holds. When we can't define what it is that we're afraid of, music like this can help us get through the tough times.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was actually released twice, once in 1998 on the album This Is Hardcore, and again in 2002 as a single. Another fact is that the music video for the song features the band playing the song in front of a green screen, with various animations and images projected onto them. The video was directed by Pedro Romhanyi, who had previously worked with the band on the video for their hit song Common People.
Line by Line Meaning
This is our "Music from A Bachelor's Den"
This song is the embodiment of our bachelor lives full of loneliness and despair.
The sound of loneliness turned up to ten
This song is all about loneliness and the pain it causes. It's as if the volume of our loneliness has been turned up to the maximum.
A horror soundtrack from a stagnant waterbed
The sound and feel of the song is like a horror movie soundtrack from a bed of stagnant water - murky and unsettling.
And it sounds just like this
This song is a perfect representation of what we are feeling - hopeless and scared.
This is the sound of someone losing the plot
The song represents someone who is breaking down and losing control of their life and emotions.
Making out that they're okay when they're not
The person tries to hide their true feelings by pretending they're okay, but they are not.
You're gonna like it
You may find the song likable, but the message is dark and depressing.
But not a lot
However, you may not like it completely as it is not just entertainment but a reflection of harsh reality.
Oh, baby
Here, "oh baby" is an expression of disappointment and hopelessness.
Here comes the fear again, oh-oh
The feeling of fear is back, and it's coming strong and fast.
The end is near again, oh-oh
Things are coming to an end, and the feeling of hopelessness and despair is intense.
A monkey's built a house on your back
A weight has made itself comfortable on you, and it is holding you down and weighing you out. The monkey here is an example of this burden.
You can't get anyone to come in the sack
The feeling of desperation and loneliness is such that the person cannot find anyone to be with them emotionally or physically.
And here comes another panic attack, oh
Suddenly, the feeling of panic re-emerges, and the person is overwhelmed.
So now you know the words to our song
The song is about to end, and in a way, it's significant because now you know about the challenges we face very well.
Pretty soon you'll all be singing along
Meaning that everyone has such difficult times and can relate to it, they would start singing about the struggles they face.
When you're sad, when you're lonely
When you're going through sad, lonely times, you'll remember this song and relate to it.
And it all turns out wrong
Things will keep going wrong, and it may feel as if the world is against you.
When you've got the fear
When you get scared and things go out of your hands and into the hands of your emotions, that is the time when you can relate to the song the most.
And when you're no longer searching
As time passes, and you give up on searching for love, beauty, and perfection, you'll realize that something missing.
For beauty or love
Although a popular feeling, the search for beauty and love may end up in pain and complications.
Just some kind of life
Instead, everyone needs some kind of regular life without complications without stress.
With the edges taken off
A life without sharp edges and complications is the one they crave.
When you can't even define what it is that you're frightened of
This is when you don't know what's fear-inducing, but you're already scared.
This song will be here
This song will be here to remind you that others feel this way too, and they've put it all into music.
If you ever get that chimp off your back
If you manage to deal with the burden you're feeling, you'll be free of this pain.
If you ever find the thing that you lack
If you end up getting what's missing in your life, things will be lighter and easier.
But you know you're only having a laugh, oh
Despite the positivity that arises from acquiring the happiness you searched for, it will eventually disappear and you'll be laughing at your failures.
And here we go again
Just when you thought things were getting better, the cycle of loneliness and pain starts over again.
Until the end
The end will come eventually. Nothing lasts forever, and not even the pain can survive.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Candida Doyle, Jarvis Branson Cocker, Mark Andrew Webber, Nick Banks, Stephen Patrick Mackey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind