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
Legendary Girlfriend
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I know you're asleep
I can hear the soft sound of your breathing so I get up
And I go to the window
Outside I can see all the houses
Curtains shut tight against the night asleep beneath the roof-tiles
And as I stand here I wonder I wonder how many more times
I'm gonna come here
And most of all most of all I wonder
I wonder what it means I just wanna know what it means
So I woke her and we went walking through the sleeping town
Down deserted streets
Frozen gardens grey in the moonlight fences down to the canal
Creeping slowly past the cooling towers
Deserted factories looking for an adventure
I wandered the streets calling your name
Jumping walls hoping to see a light in the window
Let me in let me come in let me in tonight
Oh I see you shivering in the garden silver goose-flesh in the moonlight
She's balancing there are so many others with unbroken eyes
No cellulite afternoons
And she is balancing balancing on the edge of ugliness tonight
She is balancing good God!
My legendary girlfriend, she is crying tonight
Oh no she doesn't feel right
She's got no-one to hold
Her love is a sham
He is dancing somewhere
Oh no he doen't care oh well, he'll never know
Jump touch my hair
I wanna I don't care 'cos tonight
We could, maybe we maybe we can touch the sky
Do you think that we can
Do you think that we can touch the sky please
I know I know it's not forever but tonight I don't care
Your skin so pale in the moonlight
And the way your lips swell up when you're asleep
Nothing else matters do you know how much I want you?
Can you feel how much I want you? Oh
Pitsmoor Woman
Oh let oh let me in tonight
My legendary girlfriend, she is crying tonight
Oh no she doesn't feel right
She's got no-one to hold
Her love is a sham
He is dancing somewhere
Oh no he doen't care oh well, he'll never know
And all the stars came out tonight and the moon came on it's face
It shone right though the clothes she wore
It shone right through the dress she wore
Good God Oh, y'know listen listen please oh
I just wanna I just wanna
He falls to sleep again no cheese tonight she knows
My legendary girlfriend, she is crying tonight
Oh no she doesn't feel right
She's got no-one to hold
Her love is a sham
He is dancing somewhere
Oh no he doen't care oh well, he'll never know
And all the stars came out tonight and the moon came on it's face
It shone right through the dress she wore
It shone right through the clothes she wore
And the stars and the moon
And the stars all came down today
Oh please love me tonight
Good God now!
In the lyrics to Pulp's song "Legendary Girlfriend," the singer reflects on their relationship with their partner, focusing on moments of intimacy and uncertainty. The song opens with a scene of the singer lying next to their sleeping partner, listening to the peaceful sound of their breathing. This moment of quiet contemplation prompts the singer to get up and look out the window, observing the sleeping town and pondering the future of their relationship. They wonder how many more times they will find themselves in this position and seek to understand the deeper meaning behind it all.
The singer then wakes their partner, and together they venture out into the nighttime streets, seeking adventure and connection. The deserted streets, frozen gardens, and empty factories create a haunting backdrop for their wanderings as they call out for each other, hoping to find solace and understanding. The imagery of the moonlight and deserted landscapes adds a sense of longing and mystery to the scene, highlighting the emotional turmoil and desire for connection that the singer is experiencing.
The lyrics shift to a more intense and desperate tone as the singer describes their legendary girlfriend's emotional turmoil. She is portrayed as feeling isolated and unloved, with her love being described as a "sham." The singer expresses a deep desire to be close to her, to touch the sky together, and to escape the confines of their current reality. The desperation and yearning in the singer's voice are palpable as they plead for connection and understanding amidst the darkness and uncertainty surrounding their relationship.
As the song progresses, the imagery of the stars and moon adds a sense of cosmic importance to the emotional struggles of the singer and their legendary girlfriend. The celestial elements serve as a backdrop to their turbulent emotions, highlighting the universality of their experience. The repeated refrain of the girlfriend crying and feeling unmoored, coupled with the singer's own desires and frustrations, creates a poignant and evocative portrait of love and longing in the face of uncertainty and impermanence. The song captures a moment of vulnerability and raw emotion, inviting listeners to reflect on their own connections and desires in the midst of the vast and unknowable universe.
Line by Line Meaning
You know sometimes when we're lying together
Reflecting on moments of intimacy shared together
And I know you're asleep
Acknowledging the partner is asleep beside
I can hear the soft sound of your breathing so I get up
Noting the partner's peaceful breathing prompts movement
And I go to the window
Moving to the window for reflection
Outside I can see all the houses
Observing the world beyond the window
Curtains shut tight against the night asleep beneath the roof-tiles
Noticing the closed curtains in the stillness of the night
And as I stand here I wonder I wonder how many more times
Contemplating the future and recurrence of actions
I'm gonna come here
Questioning the frequency of returning to the same spot
I wonder how many more times I'm gonna lie here
Pondering the continued lying by the window
And most of all most of all I wonder
Above all, contemplating
I wonder what it means I just wanna know what it means
Seeking understanding and clarity on the situation
So I woke her and we went walking through the sleeping town
Awakening the partner to venture out together
Down deserted streets
Navigating through deserted pathways
Frozen gardens grey in the moonlight fences down to the canal
Describing the night scene with frozen gardens and fences
Creeping slowly past the cooling towers
Moving quietly by the cooling towers
Deserted factories looking for an adventure
Exploring abandoned factories in search of excitement
I wandered the streets calling your name
Roaming the streets while calling for the partner
Jumping walls hoping to see a light in the window
Leaping over obstacles in anticipation of finding comfort
Let me in let me come in let me in tonight
Yearning for acceptance and inclusion
Oh I see you shivering in the garden silver goose-flesh in the moonlight
Observing partner shivering in the moonlit garden
She's balancing there are so many others with unbroken eyes
Acknowledging partner's internal struggle amidst others
No cellulite afternoons
Reference to idealized moments without flaws
And she is balancing balancing on the edge of ugliness tonight
Expressing partner's emotional vulnerability and self-perception
She is balancing good God!
Highlighting partner's precarious emotional state
My legendary girlfriend, she is crying tonight
Emphasizing the emotional turmoil experienced by the partner
Oh no she doesn't feel right
Recognizing the partner's discomfort and uneasiness
She's got no-one to hold
Noting the absence of comfort and support for the partner
Her love is a sham
Implying that the partner's love is insincere or unfulfilling
He is dancing somewhere
Referring to a third party's indifference or betrayal
Oh no he doesn't care oh well, he'll never know
Resigned to the lack of concern from the other person
Jump touch my hair
Invitation for physical closeness and connection
I wanna I don't care 'cos tonight
Expressing desire and disregard for consequences in the moment
We could, maybe we maybe we can touch the sky
Dreaming of reaching new heights and experiences together
Do you think that we can
Asking for shared hope and belief in possibilities
Do you think that we can touch the sky please
Requesting affirmation of shared dreams and aspirations
I know I know it's not forever but tonight I don't care
Acknowledging temporary nature but embracing the present
Your skin so pale in the moonlight
Appreciating partner's appearance under the moon's glow
And the way your lips swell up when you're asleep
Noting partner's physical features with tenderness
Nothing else matters do you know how much I want you?
Declaring deep desire and affection for the partner
Can you feel how much I want you? Oh
Seeking validation and connection in emotions
Pitsmoor Woman
Possibly a reference to a specific location or person
Oh let oh let me in tonight
Requesting emotional access and intimacy
And all the stars came out tonight and the moon came on it's face
Describing the night sky and celestial bodies appearing
It shone right though the clothes she wore
Symbolizing the partner's inner beauty shining through
Good God Oh, y'know listen listen please oh
Expressing surprise or awe, urging attention and understanding
He falls to sleep again no cheese tonight she knows
Noteworthy that someone falls asleep without worry tonight
And the stars and the moon
Continuing to depict the night sky and its elements
And the stars all came down today
Metaphorical description of the stars' closeness
Oh please love me tonight
Pleading for affection and connection in the moment
Good God now!
Exclamatory expression likely indicating emotional intensity
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Stephen Mackey, Candida Doyle, Nicholas Banks, Jarvis Cocker, Russell Senior
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind