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
O.U
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He needed her undressed
He said he loved her
She tried to look impressed
After the break up
It's just something you do
To stop the night time
The world is ending
The sky is falling down
She's at the station
Because she's leaving town
Oh, you could stop her
If you get out of bed
She wants to see you
At least that's what she said
You've got a minute
At the very most
And she'll be gone
Gone, gone, gone, gone
Oh yeah, she's going away
Oh yeah, she's going away
Oh yeah, she's going away
Oh yeah, she's going away
And now it's over
'Cause I just saw the end
I saw the credits
I turned around and then
I saw her running
Coming back to me
The sky exploded
Oh, but I couldn't see
The world is ending
The sky is falling down
She's at the station
Because she's leaving town
Oh, you could stop her
If you get out of bed
She wants to see you
At least that's what she said
You've got a minute
At the very most
And she's gone
And she's gone and she's gone
Oh yeah, she's going away
The lyrics of the song "O.U." by Pulp tell the story of a couple going through a breakup. The first verse describes the awkwardness of the situation as the man tries to have a physical encounter, and the woman tries to pretend that she is impressed by his words. The second verse describes how the woman is leaving town, and the man has a short window of time to try and stop her. The chorus emphasizes the urgency of the situation, saying that the world is ending and the sky is falling down.
The final verse of the song takes a twist, as it reveals that the "world ending" and "sky falling down" are metaphors for the emotional turmoil the man is going through. He sees the "credits" rolling on their relationship, and believes it is over. But then, the woman comes running back to him, and he can't quite see what's happening because his emotions are overwhelming him.
Overall, the song explores the themes of breakup, regret, and the desperate need to hold onto what one has lost. The urgency of the situation is heightened by the metaphorical language, which suggests that the world is literally ending for the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the night was ending
The night was coming to a close
He needed her undressed
He wanted her to take off her clothes
He said he loved her
He expressed his love for her
She tried to look impressed
She attempted to appear impressed
After the break up
Following the end of the relationship
It's just something you do
Leaving town is a common action after a break-up to avoid painful memories.
To stop the night time
Leaving town is a way to avoid being reminded of the relationship in the quiet of the night.
From falling down on you
To avoid feeling overwhelmed and alone in the nights after a break-up.
The world is ending
The situation feels disastrous
The sky is falling down
Things are falling apart quickly
She's at the station
She's at the train station
Because she's leaving town
She's leaving town to avoid the emotional pain of a break-up
Oh, you could stop her
You have the ability to prevent her from leaving
If you get out of bed
If you take action and make an effort
She wants to see you
She desires to meet with you once again.
At least that's what she said
That's what she claimed to be true.
You've got a minute
You only have a brief time to work with.
At the very most
At the most limits of time
And she'll be gone
She will depart
Gone, gone, gone, gone
She will truly be leaving
And now it's over
The relationship is finished
'Cause I just saw the end
The end has just become apparent due to recent events.
I saw the credits
I watched the final signs of it being over.
I turned around and then
When I looked back
I saw her running
I observed that she was sprinting toward me
Coming back to me
Returning to the relationship
The sky exploded
A metaphor for the sudden and dramatic changes happening
Oh, but I couldn't see
Despite everything going on, I can't understand what's happening
And she's gone and she's gone
She has truly departed from the relationship
Oh yeah, she's going away
She's leaving for good
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CANDIDA DOYLE, JARVIS BRANSON COCKER, NICK BANKS, RUSSELL SENIOR, STEPHEN PATRICK MACKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind