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
Happy Endings
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And pretty soon we're coming to the part
Where you realise that you should give your heart,
Oh, give your heart to me.
And now the orchestra begins to make a sound,
That goes round & round & round & round & round & round & round & round
& round again
We kiss to violins.
But we know better don't we?
We know all about the mess.
The aftermath of our affair,
Is lying all around and I can't clear it away.
No.
And d'you think that it's so easy to find?
Somebody who is just your kind?
Well it might take you a little time,
But I'm going to have to try.
Oh yeah I'm gonna try.
And I know no-one can ever know,
Which way to head.
But don't you remember,
That you once said,
That you liked happy endings?
And no-one can ever know,
If it's going to work,
But if you try,
Then you might get your happy ending.
The lyrics of Pulp's "Happy Endings" describe a scenario where the singer is envisioning a film and they are the star of it. The song describes a point in this hypothetical movie where they ask their lover to give their heart to them. The orchestra begins to play, building up to a climax as they kiss. The lyric in the chorus acknowledges that some people might believe in happy endings, but the reality is that the aftermath of the affair is all around them, and it is not something that can easily be cleared away. The outro of the song refers to a previous conversation between the singer and their lover about liking happy endings and the possibility that an attempt at a happy ending could result in success.
In terms of interpretation, the song appears to be a meditation on the potential for romance to offer a source of hope and escape, even if this may ultimately be illusory. The lyrics suggest that the fantasy of the happy ending is powerful, but there is always an inherent risk involved in making oneself vulnerable to another person. Although the idea of a happy ending may be tempting, the song seems to caution against becoming too invested in an idealized narrative that may not be sustainable in the long run.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, imagine it's a film and you're the star
Picture yourself as the singer of a screenplay
And pretty soon we're coming to the part
The story is going to arrive at your decisive moment
Where you realise that you should give your heart,
You'll have a moment of epiphany & want to show your love for me
Oh, give your heart to me.
Express your feeling for me with all your heart
And now the orchestra begins to make a sound,
Symbolized by music swelling around you and me
That goes round & round & round & round & round & round & round & round
A sentiment of love surrounds us repeatedly
& round again
And keeps on coming, boundlessly
We kiss to violins.
Our melody progresses to an intimate kiss held to the rhythm of violins
Well some sad people might believe in that I guess.
Some people assume that love always creates a mess
But we know better don't we?
But we are aware that love is complex, but still valuable
We know all about the mess.
Though things might become scattered or burdensome in a relationship
The aftermath of our affair,
The result of a dynamic, romantic relationship between two people
Is lying all around and I can't clear it away.
We've had struggles and we cannot completely resolve them
No.
Definitely not.
And d'you think that it's so easy to find?
Do you actually believe you'll find someone who is compatible with you so quickly?
Somebody who is just your kind?
Someone who thinks the way you do, likes what you like, gets you completely
Well it might take you a little time,
It is possible that it may take a while for you to find someone like that.
But I'm going to have to try.
But I'm ready to make that effort.
Oh yeah I'm gonna try.
I'll do my best to bring us to the happy ending you've always wanted.
And I know no-one can ever know,
Nobody can predict the future,
Which way to head.
Making a decision about what to do next can be difficult without knowing future outcomes.
But don't you remember,
Remember when you said once before
That you liked happy endings?
You mentioned you preferred endings that are happy.
And no-one can ever know,
Nobody can see the future, but
If it's going to work,
If it all goes well,
But if you try,
But we have to attempt it
Then you might get your happy ending.
Then perhaps, we become a happily-ever-after.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CANDIDA DOYLE, JARVIS BRANSON COCKER, NICK BANKS, RUSSELL SENIOR, STEPHEN PATRICK MACKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind