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
David's Last Summer
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Swaying slightly,
Drunk on the sun, I suppose.
It was a real summer's day.
The air humming with heat whilst the trees beckoned us into their cool green shade.
And when we reached the stream I put a bottle of cider into the water to chill,
Both of us knowing that we'd drink it long before it had the chance.
There's nothing else but you and her,
And how you spend your time.
Walking to parties whilst it's still light outside.
Peter was upset at first but now he's in the garden talking to somebody Polish.
Why don't we set up a tent and spend the night out there?
And we can pretend that we're somewhere foreign,
But we'll still be able to use the fridge if we get hungry, or too hot.
This is where you want to be,
There's nothing else but you and her,
And how you use your time.
We went driving.
This is where you want to be,
There's nothing else but you and her,
And how you use your time.
The room smells faintly of sun tan lotion
In the evening sunlight and when you take off your clothes,
You're still wearing a small pale skin bikini.
The sound of children playing in the park comes from faraway,
And time slows down to the speed of the specks of dust
Floating in the light from the window.
Summer leaves fall from Summer trees.
Summer grazes fade on Summer knees.
Summer nights are slowly getting long.
Summer's going so hurry soon it'll be gone.
So we went out to the park at midnight one last time.
Past the abandoned glasshouse stuffed full of dying palms.
Past the bandstand down to the boating lake.
And we swam in the moonlight for what seemed like hours,
Until we couldn't swim anymore.
And as we came out of the water we sensed a certain movement in the air,
And we both shivered slightly and ran to collect our clothes.
And as we walked home we could hear the leaves curling and turning
Brown on the trees,
And the birds deciding where to go for Winter.
And the whole sound,
The whole sound of Summer packing it's bags and preparing to leave town.
Oh but I want you to stay.
Oh please stay for a while,
Oh I want you to stay,
Oh I want you to stay.
The song David's Last Summer by Pulp is a nostalgic and melancholic reflection on the last days of summer, and the fleeting moments of youth and love. The lyrics detailing a lazy day spent by a stream, long walks, driving around, and skinny dipping in the moonlight are all emblematic of youthful freedom and romantic connection. There is a sense of both longing and sadness throughout the song, as the singer is acutely aware of the temporary nature of their experiences, and the inevitability of change and loss.
The repetition of the chorus "This is where you want to be, There's nothing else but you and her, And how you use your time" highlights the importance of living in the present moment and cherishing the time spent with loved ones. The sense of urgency in the lyrics is palpable, as the singer begs for time to slow down and for the summer to stay just a little longer.
The final lines of the song, "Oh but I want you to stay. Oh please stay for a while, Oh I want you to stay, Oh I want you to stay" encapsulate the bittersweet nature of the song. The singer knows that the summer must end and that their time with their loved ones is limited, but still desperately wishes for more time, a desire that is universally relatable.
Line by Line Meaning
We made our way slowly down the path that led to the stream,
Casually strolling along a route familiar to us, leading towards a body of water.
Swaying slightly,
Moving gently, possibly due to feeling lightheaded or intoxicated.
Drunk on the sun, I suppose.
Feeling intoxicated, energized, or burned-out from being exposed to an abundance of sunlight.
It was a real summer's day.
A day filled with the epitome of what we attribute to be summer; heat, sun, and leisure.
The air humming with heat whilst the trees beckoned us into their cool green shade.
The hot air was palpable and trees seemed to invite us towards their cool, green shade.
And when we reached the stream I put a bottle of cider into the water to chill,
Upon our arrival at the stream, I submerged a bottle of cider to cool against the water.
Both of us knowing that we'd drink it long before it had the chance.
We were both aware that the opportunity to drink the cider would undoubtedly come before it had time to cool.
Walking to parties whilst it's still light outside.
Strolling towards parties or gatherings while there is still daylight left.
Peter was upset at first but now he's in the garden talking to somebody Polish.
Peter had previously been perturbed but now was found conversing with an individual of Polish descent in the garden.
Why don't we set up a tent and spend the night out there?
Posing a question about the feasibility of putting a tent outside and spending the night.
And we can pretend that we're somewhere foreign,
We could possibly delude ourselves into believing that we were in a foreign location.
But we'll still be able to use the fridge if we get hungry, or too hot.
Keeping with the illusion, we would still have access to modern amenities such as the refrigerator, should we require nourishment or seek to cool down.
We went driving.
We went on a car ride.
The room smells faintly of sun tan lotion
The scent of sunscreen could be lightly detected within the room.
In the evening sunlight and when you take off your clothes,
During the twilight hours and upon disrobing,
You're still wearing a small pale skin bikini.
It can be observed that you are still clothed in a small, pale bikini.
The sound of children playing in the park comes from faraway,
The sound of children engaging in play at the park could be heard from a distance away.
And time slows down to the speed of the specks of dust floating in the light from the window.
It appeared that time had decelerated to the rate of the specks of dust that were seen drifting within the sunlight.
Summer leaves fall from Summer trees.
Leaves typically associated with the summer months were observed falling from trees.
Summer grazes fade on Summer knees.
Injuries obtained during the summer were gradually fading on the skin of the knees.
Summer nights are slowly getting long.
The duration of summer nights seemed to be increasing, gradually becoming longer.
Summer's going so hurry soon it'll be gone.
The summer season was slipping away, and it was advised that one act swiftly to make the most of it.
So we went out to the park at midnight one last time.
We took to the park for one final visit during the midnight hours.
Past the abandoned glasshouse stuffed full of dying palms.
Walking past the forsaken greenhouse teeming with deceased palm fronds.
Past the bandstand down to the boating lake.
We traveled further down the path, reaching the boating lake beyond the bandstand.
And we swam in the moonlight for what seemed like hours,
We took a lengthy dip within the moonlit water, losing track of time.
Until we couldn't swim anymore.
Our swimming was halted only by physical limitations or exhaustion.
And as we came out of the water we sensed a certain movement in the air,
Upon exiting the lake, we were able to detect a particular motion within the atmosphere.
And we both shivered slightly and ran to collect our clothes.
As a result of the motion, we were overcome with a chill and hastened to retrieve our clothing.
And as we walked home we could hear the leaves curling and turning brown on the trees,
While en route back home, we could discern the sounds of leaves drying up and turning brown on the trees.
And the birds deciding where to go for Winter.
The birds were actively selecting a location to migrate to for the upcoming winter months.
And the whole sound, the whole sound of Summer packing it's bags and preparing to leave town.
The ambience of summer was replete with the sensation of its imminent departure from the area.
Oh but I want you to stay.
Expressing a desire for another person to remain in proximity.
Oh please stay for a while,
Desperately entreating another individual to prolong their stay for an indefinite amount of time.
Oh I want you to stay,
Yet another instance of an appeal for someone to remain.
Oh I want you to stay.
A final plea for another person to remain present.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CANDIDA DOYLE, JARVIS BRANSON COCKER, NICK BANKS, RUSSELL SENIOR, STEPHEN PATRICK MACKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paulhaynes8045
Standout track on His & Hers - beautiful, evocative poetry. The end literally makes me shiver. And so like Cocker to not just leave a beautiful memory alone! The odd thing is I've always liked this track for the words and never paid much attention to the music, but now, hearing for the first time in many years, I realise what an outstanding piece of music, arrangement and production it is. This was Pulp announcing Common People and everything that was about to come...
@totalstranga
hauntingly beautiful. I feel like I can smell the breeze, taste the cider and see the leaves begin to fall at the end. best song on His N Hers
@moritzprivat453
Never heard of pink glove then?
@TheSouthernGothicSyndicate
I don't care what anyone says, His and Hers is the iconic Pulp album
@DimensionsUKMY
Absolutely. Miles clear of Different Class
@wajwo
What an incredible poem, set on an immense soundscape - I've loved this song for 15 years and it still has a huge effect on me - so descriptive - what a man
@ivlanza
Part Gainsbourg, part Kinks, part Beatles, part disco...this is how I feel now about London Olympics and for me, an excellent and unforgettable summer...
@trevorlack1726
Probably my favourite track on His"n Hers. This is where Jarvis found the band that he'd been looking for 15 years.
@thomaschristopher1513
'the whole sound of summer packing it's bags and preparing to leave town' is one of my favourite Pulp lyrics
@brotherjohnno
I was introduced to this after reading David Nichols' wonderful novel, 'Sweet Sorrow'. If you haven't read it then you should, a lovely teenage summer love story.