Pulp disbanded in 2002 (although they have reformed on a number occasions since), but Cocker has been busy. In 2003, he re-emerged to promote a new album A Heavy Nite With... for his new band, Relaxed Muscle. 2005 then brought Cocker briefly back into the limelight with his contribution to the soundtrack for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. He also collaborated with and wrote lyrics for Nancy Sinatra's and Charlotte Gainsbourg's comeback albums.
Cocker embarked on a solo career under his own name with an album entitled Jarvis (2006). His sophomore effort Further Complications (produced by Steve Albini) was released in 2009.
Cocker released an album called Room 29 (2017) with Chilly Gonzales and then started a new band called Jarv is..., with which he released the critically acclaimed and very successful album Beyond the Pale (2020).
2021 saw the release of Chansons d'Ennui Tip-Top, which served as a companion release to the soundtrack for Wes Anderson's 2021 film, The French Dispatch. Cocker sang the songs in film character, the name of this character being Tip-Top, which explains why the album is sometimes simply referred to as Chansons d'Ennui, formally credited to Tip-Top.
More film music followed in 2022, as Cocker recorded the original soundtrack to the film This Is Going To Hurt. This where it gets complicated: the band name Jarv is... can be spotted on the artwork of This Is Going To Hurt (Original Soundtrack), but the score is listed on streaming platforms such as Spotify under Jarvis Cocker. As a matter of fact, the band name Jarv is... seems to have been dropped altogether, as all Jarv is... albums are now also listed under Jarvis Cocker.
Requiem pour un con
Jarvis Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Elles jouent pour toi
Il est terrible, cet air-là
J'espère que tu aimes
C'est assez beau, non?
C'est le requiem
Pour un con
À ta mémoire de scélérat
C'est un joli thème
Tu ne trouves pas, non?
Semblable à toi-même
Pauvre con
Voici les orgues
Qui remettent ça
Faut qu't'apprennes par cœur
Cet air-là
Que tu n'aies pas même
Une hésitation
Sur le requiem pour un con
Quoi? Tu me regardes
Tu n'apprécies pas
Mais qu'est-ce qu'y a là dedans
Qui t'plaît pas
Pour moi c'est idem
Que ça t'plaise ou non
J'te l'rejoue quand même
Pauvre con
Écoute les orgues
Elles jouent pour toi
Il est terrible, cet air là
J'espère que tu aimes
C'est assez beau, non?
C'est le requiem pour un con
Et je l'ai composé spécialement pour toi
À ta mémoire de scélérat
Sur ta figure blême
Aux murs des prisons
J'inscrirai moi-même "pauvre con"
The lyrics to Jarvis Cocker's song "Requiem Pour Un Con" (Requiem for a Fool) convey a message of contempt and mockery towards someone who is being referred to as a "con" or a fool. The song begins with the mention of organs playing, symbolizing the solemnity of a requiem. The singer sarcastically hopes that the person being referred to enjoys the music, expressing that it is quite beautiful. However, it is clear that the beauty is purposely juxtaposed with the derogatory term "con," indicating a lack of respect or disdain towards the individual.
The composition of the song is claimed to be specially crafted for this person, as a memorial to their wickedness, emphasizing the sardonic nature of the lyrics. The repetition of the phrase "pauvre con" (poor fool) throughout the song reinforces the undermining sentiment towards the subject. The singer boldly declares that regardless of whether the person appreciates the song or not, they will continue to play it for them, ruthlessly mocking them.
In the final lines, the singer mentions inscribing "pauvre con" on the walls of prisons, suggesting that the subject's foolishness or wrongdoing is significant enough to warrant condemnation even beyond death. Overall, the lyrics of "Requiem Pour Un Con" serve as a biting critique or mockery of an individual who is perceived as foolish or deserving of contempt.
Line by Line Meaning
Écoute les orgues
Listen to the organs
Elles jouent pour toi
They're playing for you
Il est terrible, cet air-là
This melody is terrible
J'espère que tu aimes
I hope you like it
C'est assez beau, non?
It's quite beautiful, isn't it?
C'est le requiem
It's the requiem
Pour un con
For a jerk
Ouais, je l'ai composé spécialement pour toi
Yeah, I composed it especially for you
À ta mémoire de scélérat
In memory of your villainy
C'est un joli thème
It's a nice theme
Tu ne trouves pas, non?
Don't you think so?
Semblable à toi-même
Similar to yourself
Pauvre con
Poor jerk
Voici les orgues
Here are the organs
Qui remettent ça
Starting again
Faut qu't'apprennes par cœur
You have to learn by heart
Cet air-là
This melody
Que tu n'aies pas même
So that you don't even have
Une hésitation
A hesitation
Sur le requiem pour un con
About the requiem for a jerk
Quoi? Tu me regardes
What? Are you looking at me?
Tu n'apprécies pas
You don't appreciate it
Mais qu'est-ce qu'y a là dedans
But what's in it
Qui t'plaît pas
That you don't like
Pour moi c'est idem
It's the same to me
Que ça t'plaise ou non
Whether you like it or not
J'te l'rejoue quand même
I'll play it for you anyway
Pauvre con
Poor jerk
Écoute les orgues
Listen to the organs
Elles jouent pour toi
They're playing for you
Il est terrible, cet air là
This melody is terrible
J'espère que tu aimes
I hope you like it
C'est assez beau, non?
It's quite beautiful, isn't it?
C'est le requiem pour un con
It's the requiem for a jerk
Et je l'ai composé spécialement pour toi
And I composed it especially for you
À ta mémoire de scélérat
In memory of your villainy
Sur ta figure blême
On your pale face
Aux murs des prisons
On the walls of prisons
J'inscrirai moi-même "pauvre con"
I will personally write "poor jerk"
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Michel Colombier, Serge Gainsbourg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind