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
Love Love
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I love love
I thought so long and suddenly I realized
I love love
Am I loving the girl
Or the feeling I feel?
Is it just the idea that I like
I recall a special friend, I invited her home for tea
And while my mother cooked a meal she was under the table with me
I thought so long and suddenly I realized
I love love
I thought so long and suddenly I realized
I love love
These ideas that I have
Remain fixed in my head
Only the characters change
Someone else there instead
One day we went down to the park to feed the ducks some bread
Foul fowls wouldn't touch a scrap so we jumped in the duckpond instead
I thought so long and suddenly I realized
I love love
I thought so long and suddenly I realized
I love love
La la la la la
Pulp's song Love Love explores the complexities of love and its various interpretations. The singer reflects on their own feelings, wondering if their love is for a specific person or just the idea of being in love at all. They recall an intimate encounter with a past lover, inviting her over for tea while their mother cooked, and the two engaging in sexual activities underneath the table. The singer seems to be questioning their own motivations and desires, wondering if they truly love the person they're with or if it's just the thrill of being in love.
The singer's musings on love expand to include their broader concepts of love. They reflect on the ideas they have about love, how those ideas remain consistent even as the people they love change. The singer remembers a day spent with a lover feeding ducks in the park. When the ducks refuse to take the bread, the two jump into the duck pond together. Through these memories, the singer seems to be exploring love as both a feeling and an idea, at times confusing the two and struggling to distinguish one from the other.
Love Love is a poignant and introspective song. The way it explores the many layers and complexities of love allows for a multifaceted interpretation. Some may see the singer as struggling to understand their own feelings, while others may see them as questioning the nature of love itself.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought so long and suddenly I realized
After much contemplation, a realization dawned upon me
I love love
I have a deep affection for the concept of love
Am I loving the girl
Is my love truly for her, or something else entirely
Or the feeling I feel?
Perhaps it's the emotions that love brings, and not her specifically
Is it just the idea that I like
Do I simply enjoy the thought of love, rather than the reality
Or is it for real?
Could my love be genuine and true
I recall a special friend, I invited her home for tea
A memory comes to mind of a particular female friend I had over for tea
And while my mother cooked a meal she was under the table with me
She and I engaged in a secretive, intimate act while my mother was occupied in the kitchen
These ideas that I have
My thoughts and musings on love
Remain fixed in my head
Persistently and stubbornly rooted in my mind
Only the characters change
The people involved in those ideas may differ, but the themes remain constant
Someone else there instead
Different individuals play the role of my love interest, but the concept of love remains the same
One day we went down to the park to feed the ducks some bread
Recalling another memory of a day spent at the park feeding the ducks
Foul fowls wouldn't touch a scrap so we jumped in the duckpond instead
The plan to feed the ducks was unsuccessful, so we embarked on a playful, spontaneous adventure in the duck pond
La la la la la
A refrain repeated throughout the song as a nod to the carefree whimsy of childhood
Lyrics © THIRD SIDE MUSIC INC
Written by: JARVIS COCKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind