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
Live On
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The mirror says I'm fifty-five years old
If I don't look his way, I'm gonna do okay
I'm gonna last another day without your love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
Last another day without your love
Oh no one lives alone for more than half a year
That's what a friend of mine once said to me
You've got to last another day without your love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
Last another day without your love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
Last another day without your love
Oh but I dreamt of you last night
And the world split into two
I tried to listen to some records but they were all
Singing about you
I can't live on never knowing where my soul is going when I die
I can't last another day without your love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
I can't last another day without your love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
I can't last another day without your love
Oh yeah, well I realise
I should think about somebody new instead
That's what I tried to do, but the ones I liked looked just like you
Gotta last another day without your love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
Last another day without your love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
Last another day without your love
Oh but I dreamt of you last night
And the world split into two
I tried to listen to some records but they were all
Singing about you
I can't live on never knowing where my soul is going when I die
I can't last another day without your love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
I can't last another day without your love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
I can't last another day without your love
It's okay, I'm not a kid anymore
I can last another day without your love
If I focus all my thoughts on something stupid
I can last another day without your love
Ooh gonna last another day
Last another day
Last another day
Last another day
Last another day
Last another day
Last another day
Good god
Oh but I dreamt of you last night
And the world split into two
I tried to listen to some records but they were all
Singing about you
I can't live on never knowing where my soul is going when I die
I can't last another day without your love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
I can't last another day without your love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
I can't last another day without your love.
The song "Live On" by Pulp is about the struggle of moving on from a past relationship. The singer wakes up in the morning, realizing they are still alive and accepting their current age of fifty-five. The singer notes that they will be able to last another day without their ex-lover's love if they avoid looking in the mirror. The singer reflects on the advice given to them by a friend that no one can live alone for more than half a year, but that there are more things in the world than holding hands and kissing. However, despite this advice, the singer is unable to stop dreaming of their ex-lover and the world splits into two in their dream. They try to distract themselves with music, but everything reminds them of their former love.
The singer admits to themselves that they can't live on never knowing where their soul is going and that they can't last another day without their ex-lover's love. However, they attempt to move on by focusing their thoughts on something stupid, believing that they can last another day without their ex. The repetition of "ma ma ma" throughout the song creates a sense of urgency and desperation.
Overall, "Live On" is a poignant representation of the experience of trying to move on from a past relationship while longing for that person.
Line by Line Meaning
I woke up in the morning I was still alive
The singer is alive and well in the morning
The mirror says I'm fifty-five years old
The singer looks at his reflection and sees a 55-year-old man
If I don't look his way, I'm gonna do okay
As long as the singer doesn't focus on his reflection or age, he will be fine
I'm gonna last another day without your love
The artist believes he can survive without the love of the person he's singing about
Oh no one lives alone for more than half a year
The artist's friend believes that no one can truly be alone for more than six months
That's what a friend of mine once said to me
The singer recalls advice from his friend
There's more things in the world than holding hands and kissing girls
The singer believes that there is more to life than just romantic love
Ma ma ma ma ma ma
Repetitive vocalization for emphasis
Oh but I dreamt of you last night
The artist had a dream about the person he's singing about
And the world split into two
In the dream, the artist experienced a dramatic split in reality
I tried to listen to some records but they were all Singing about you
The singer struggled to find any solace or distraction, as all the songs he listened to reminded him of the person he dreams about
I can't live on never knowing where my soul is going when I die
The artist is anxious about the unknown fate of his soul after death
I can't last another day without your love
The singer feels he cannot survive without the love of the person he's singing about
Oh yeah, well I realise I should think about somebody new instead
The singer acknowledges that he should move on and consider other romantic prospects
That's what I tried to do, but the ones I liked looked just like you
The singer attempted to find someone new, but kept being drawn to people who resembled the person he's singing about
It's okay, I'm not a kid anymore
The artist accepts that he is not young and naive in matters of love anymore
If I focus all my thoughts on something stupid I can last another day without your love
The artist tries to distract himself with silly thoughts and activities to survive without the love of the person he's singing about
Ooh gonna last another day
The singer will survive without the love he desires
Last another day
Repetitive vocalization for emphasis
Good god
Expression of exasperation and/or exhaustion
Contributed by Eli H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.