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
Can I Have My Balls Back Please?
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I turned round as I was ready to leave and said
"Oh can I have my balls back, please?"
Well they might not mean that much to you
But they sure as hell mean so much to me
So can I have my balls back, please?
Oh can I have my balls back, please?
How am I gonna get through my life if
You don′t return them to me? Oh, no no
Oh can I have my balls back, please?
Oh can I have my balls back, please?
I can't really be a man
Look at me I′m down on my knees
Yeah
So I went to New York City to see a doctor thinking maybe that he.
Would understand the state I was in
He said: "I'd dearly love to help you son
But you see the same thing's happened to me."
So now I′m home and I′m asking you just once more
Please
Oh can I have my balls back, please?
Can I have my balls back, please?
How am I gonna get through my life if you don't return them to me?
Oh, no no
Oh can I have my balls back, please?
Can I have my balls back, please?
Oh I can′t really be a man
Look at me I'm down on my knees. Yeah
Oh and I don′t know how much longer I can live my life like this
Bring 'em back
Oh can I have my balls back, please?
Oh can I have my balls back, please?
Oh how am I gonna get through my life if you don′t return them to me?
Oh, no no
So can I have my balls back, please?
Yeah can I have my balls back, please?
Oh I can't really be a man
Look at me I'm down on my knees
Oh and I don′t know how much longer I can live my life like this
Come on
Bring ′em back
They're no use to you anymore
Oh bring them back to me
The lyrics of "Can I Have My Balls Back Please?" by Pulp are a plea of desperation from the singer to someone who has taken something very dear to them - their balls. The singer repeats the phrase "Can I have my balls back, please?" throughout the song, emphasizing the importance of what has been taken from them. They explain that their balls might not be valuable to anyone else, but they mean everything to the singer. The singer is on their knees, desperate to get their balls back, as they feel that they cannot be a real man without them.
The second half of the song sees the singer seeking medical help for their problem, which the doctor informs them is a problem that they share. This suggests that the loss of balls may be metaphorical, possibly referring to the loss of power or masculinity that can come with various situations in life. The song comes full circle, with the singer repeating the desperate plea for their balls to be returned. The repetition of the phrase "Can I have my balls back, please?" in the chorus lends a sing-along quality to the song, while the desperation in the verse and bridge adds depth to the humorous premise.
Line by Line Meaning
At the bottom of the stairway
As I was leaving, I turned around and spoke
I turned round as I was ready to leave and said
I requested the return of my balls
"Oh can I have my balls back, please?"
I politely asked for the return of my manhood
Well they might not mean that much to you
You may not understand their significance
But they sure as hell mean so much to me
But to me, they represent my masculinity and self-worth
So can I have my balls back, please?
I emphasize my polite request for the return of my testicles
How am I gonna get through my life if
My masculinity is a significant part of my identity
You don′t return them to me? Oh, no no
Their absence affects me greatly and I cannot function without them
I can't really be a man
Without my testicles, I feel emasculated
Look at me I′m down on my knees
I feel defeated and powerless without my manhood
So I went to New York City to see a doctor thinking maybe that he.
I sought medical help to restore my manhood
Would understand the state I was in
I hoped the doctor could empathize with my situation
He said: "I'd dearly love to help you son
However, the doctor admitted he was in the same predicament
But you see the same thing's happened to me."
The doctor had also lost his testicles, leaving us both feeling powerless
So now I′m home and I′m asking you just once more
I repeat my request for the return of my balls
Oh and I don′t know how much longer I can live my life like this
I am unable to cope without my manhood and this situation is unbearable
Bring 'em back
I plead for the return of my testicles
They're no use to you anymore
Without me, my testicles have no purpose
Oh bring them back to me
I plead for the restoration of my masculinity
Writer(s): Nick Banks, Candida Doyle, Jarvis Branson Cocker, Mark Andrew Webber, Stephen Patrick Mackey
Contributed by Christopher K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Graffasus
haha i think this is my favourite song on the second CD, the backing is brilliant and overall jokey vibe you get from this song, it's a lovely little listen. awesome work uploading it, shame it's got so few views, i wonder how many people have heard this song, pulp was really big before youtube came along
Wizard_Of_Gore
Billy Jango its a demo from This Is Hardcore
Billy Jango
I used to be a massive pulp fan in the 90s (obviously I still listen to them today now and again). I had all their albums from It to we love life but I have never heard this before. This sounds like early Pulp but it must be after We love life?? Is it?
Floris van der Hoeven
whoa didnt know but i should just by hearing the wonderfull keyboards that its still pulp :)
darebaron
amazeballs!
Floris van der Hoeven
BALLSTASTIC !!
Agtri
Classic Jarvis love song .
Lee Heaps
Hahaha crying me man.top
L3dtube
love jarvis btw i hav an extra set ofballs if you need em ;) everyone should allways keep an extra set imo
Toshi Shinichi
i wish that lady would give it to me. LOL