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
I Love Life
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't think twice; it's the only reason I'm alive.
I feel alright as long as I don't forget to breathe.
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.
Look at all these buildings & houses
I love my life. I love my life.
Hey now, slow down a minute.
Take my arms & fill them full of life.
Does it ease the pain of being alive?
Or is it why - why you keep nodding out on me?
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.
Another day, another major disaster
I love my life. I love my life.
You got a problem.
I lost my keys when I stayed at your place.
On the floor of your living room, you made the scene but it'll never get shown on TV.
So tonight prepare to kiss goodbye to my lovelife.
So get this right- I love my life; it's the only reason I'm alive.
It's mine, all mine - as long as I don't forget to breathe.
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.
Corny I know, but you had better believe it
I love my life. I love my life. I love my life. God, how I love my life.
That's right: you've got to fight to the death for the right to live your life.
Alright: I'm gonna fight to the death 'til they give me back my life.
That's right: you're in the land of the living but there's so few signs of life.
Alright.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe out.
The lyrics to Pulp's song "I Love Life" seem to explore the paradoxical nature of being alive - how it can sometimes feel like a sentence and other times like a blessing. The opening line "Here comes your bedtime story: Mum & Dad have sentenced you to life" sets the tone for the rest of the song, implying that life is something we're forced into without our consent. However, the following lines suggest that there's still something worth living for - "Don't think twice; it's the only reason I'm alive". The repeated refrain "I love my life" seems to reinforce this sentiment, as though the singer is convincing themselves that life is worth living even in the face of hardship.
The middle section of the song acknowledges the difficulty of staying positive in the face of adversity. The line "Does it ease the pain of being alive?" suggests that the pursuit of pleasure is ultimately unsatisfying, and that there's a deeper sense of existential unease that comes with being human. However, the chorus reiterates that life is still something to be cherished - "I love my life. I love my life".
The song ends with a sense of defiance - "That's right: you've got to fight to the death for the right to live your life". This seems to suggest that although life can be difficult and painful, it's still worth fighting for. The final refrain "Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe out." is a reminder that even when things seem overwhelming, the act of breathing is a simple but vital reminder that we're still alive.
Overall, "I Love Life" seems to be a meditation on the ups and downs of existence, and the importance of finding something to hold onto even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes your bedtime story: Mum & Dad have sentenced you to life.
Life is something people are given without their consent; it's like being put to bed—a story you have no control over.
Don't think twice; it's the only reason I'm alive.
Life is difficult but one must smile through the pain because it's all they've got.
I feel alright as long as I don't forget to breathe.
Life is worth living as long as one remembers to breathe and take things one day at a time.
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.
Breathing (metaphorically or not) is the basic function that one must practice in order to survive.
Look at all these buildings & houses
I love my life. I love my life.
Life is made up of tangible structures that persist despite the chaos that exists within them; one must never forget how much they love this life.
Hey now, slow down a minute.
Take my arms & fill them full of life.
Don't think twice.
Life is fleeting and moments should be savored as they come, never to be taken for granted.
Does it ease the pain of being alive?
Or is it why - why you keep nodding out on me?
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.
Life is full of struggles that cause people to seek escape through drugs, but breathing (whether the act itself or a metaphor for coping techniques) is the only way to stay calm and focused.
Another day, another major disaster
I love my life. I love my life.
Life involves a lot of bad days and unforeseen events, but one must still love it despite all the tragedies.
You got a problem.
I lost my keys when I stayed at your place.
On the floor of your living room, you made the scene but it'll never get shown on TV.
So tonight prepare to kiss goodbye to my lovelife.
Life is full of problems that are sometimes caused by external parties, but one shouldn't let that ruin their love life or enjoyment of life itself.
So get this right- I love my life; it's the only reason I'm alive.
It's mine, all mine - as long as I don't forget to breathe.
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.
Life is something that everyone must fight for; it's theirs to enjoy and cherish as long as they remember to breathe and never give up.
Corny I know, but you had better believe it
I love my life. I love my life. I love my life. God, how I love my life.
Love of life might seem cliché or uncool, but it's what gives one the strength to keep going and find beauty in every moment.
That's right: you've got to fight to the death for the right to live your life.
Alright: I'm gonna fight to the death 'til they give me back my life.
That's right: you're in the land of the living but there's so few signs of life.
Alright.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe out.
Life is worth fighting for, even if it means a battle to the death. In a world that can be so bleak and unfeeling, one must remember to keep breathing and keep fighting.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CANDIDA DOYLE, JARVIS BRANSON COCKER, MARK ANDREW WEBBER, NICK BANKS, STEPHEN PATRICK MACKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind