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
Razzmatazz
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I know that your sister missed her time again this month
Am I talking too fast or are you just playing dumb?
If you want I can write it down
It should matter to you but aren't you the one with your razzmatazz
and the nights on the town?
Oh-oh-oh Oh you knew it and you blew it didn't you babe?
I was lying when I asked you to stay now no-one's gonna care
If you don't call them when you said
And he's not coming round tonight to try and talk you into bed
And all those stupid little things they ain't working
No they aren't working at all oh
You started getting fatter three weeks after I left you
Now you're going with some kid looks like some bad comedian
Are you gonna go out, are you sitting at home eating boxes of Milk Tray?
Watch TV on your own, aren't you the one with your razzmatazz
And your nights on the town?
Oh-oh-oh And your father wants to help you doesn't he babe?
But your mother wants to put you away
Now no-one's gonna care if you don't call them when you said
And he's not coming round tonight to try and talk you into bed
And all those stupid little things they ain't working
Oh they aren't working at all
Oh well I saw you at the doctor's waiting for a test
You tried to look like some kind of heiress but your face is such a mess
And now you're going to a party and you're leaving on your own
Oh I'm sorry but didn't you say that things go better with a little bit of razzamatazz?
Na na nana na na na... and now no-one's gonna care if you don't call them when you said
And he's not coming round tonight to try and talk you into bed
Now it's half past ten in the evening and you wish that you were dead
'Cause all those stupid little things
No they ain't working, oh they aren't working at all.
Razzmatazz by Pulp is a song that delves into themes of betrayal, disappointment, and loss. The lyrics paint a picture of a relationship that has gone wrong, with the singer pointing out the flaws and shortcomings of their partner. The opening line "the trouble with your brother, he's always sleeping with your mother" is a shockingly blunt accusation that sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer goes on to taunt their partner about their failed attempts at seduction, their weight, and their deteriorating appearance. The chorus is a direct attack on their partner's vanity: "aren't you the one with your razzmatazz and your nights on the town?" The bridge of the song is a moment of dark humor, with the singer describing their partner's attempt at looking like a "heiress" while waiting for a medical test. The song ends with a bleak repetition of the idea that "no one's gonna care" if their partner doesn't call or come home.
Overall, Razzmatazz is a brutal takedown of a failed romance. The song's tone is intentionally confrontational and provocative. At times, it feels like the singer is relishing in their partner's misery. However, there is also a sense of desperation and longing in their words. They want their partner to feel the pain that they are feeling, but they can't help but wonder if they've made a mistake by pushing them away.
Line by Line Meaning
The trouble with your brother, he's always sleeping with your mother
Your brother is always having sex with your mother and it's causing problems.
And I know that your sister missed her time again this month
Your sister didn't get her period again and you know about it.
Am I talking too fast or are you just playing dumb?
You're wondering if you're speaking too quickly or if the other person is pretending not to understand you.
If you want I can write it down
If it would help, you're willing to write it down.
It should matter to you but aren't you the one with your razzmatazz and the nights on the town?
You think this information should be important to them, but they seem more interested in living a flashy lifestyle.
Oh-oh-oh Oh you knew it and you blew it didn't you babe?
The listener knew something important and didn't act on it, and now there are consequences.
I was lying when I asked you to stay now no-one's gonna care
When you asked the other person to stay, you were lying and now no one cares about their situation.
If you don't call them when you said
If you fail to call when you agreed to.
And he's not coming round tonight to try and talk you into bed
Someone who would try to talk them into bed is not coming over tonight.
And all those stupid little things they ain't working
The small things that they've been doing to try to improve things aren't working.
No they aren't working at all oh
None of those small things are working.
You started getting fatter three weeks after I left you
The person gained weight shortly after you broke up with them.
Now you're going with some kid looks like some bad comedian
The person is now dating someone who looks like a bad comedian.
Are you gonna go out, are you sitting at home eating boxes of Milk Tray?
Are you going out or just sitting at home eating chocolates?
Watch TV on your own, aren't you the one with your razzmatazz
And your nights on the town?
Despite their flashy lifestyle, now the person is alone and watching TV.
Oh-oh-oh And your father wants to help you doesn't he babe?
But your mother wants to put you away
Now no-one's gonna care if you don't call them when you said
Your father wants to help but your mother wants to put you away, and no one will care if you don't call when you said you would.
And he's not coming round tonight to try and talk you into bed
The person who might try to get them into bed isn't coming over tonight.
And all those stupid little things they ain't working
Oh they aren't working at all
None of the small things they're doing are working to improve the situation.
Oh well I saw you at the doctor's waiting for a test
You tried to look like some kind of heiress but your face is such a mess
You saw them waiting for a test at the doctor's office and their face looks bad despite trying to look rich.
And now you're going to a party and you're leaving on your own
Oh I'm sorry but didn't you say that things go better with a little bit of razzmatazz?
They're going to a party alone despite thinking that their flashy lifestyle would improve things.
Na na nana na na na... and now no-one's gonna care if you don't call them when you said
And he's not coming round tonight to try and talk you into bed
No one will care if they don't call when they promised, and no one is coming over to talk them into bed tonight.
Now it's half past ten in the evening and you wish that you were dead
'Cause all those stupid little things
No they ain't working, oh they aren't working at all.
It's late in the evening and they are miserable because none of the small things they've tried have helped improve their situation.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CANDIDA DOYLE, JARVIS BRANSON COCKER, NICK BANKS, RUSSELL SENIOR, STEPHEN PATRICK MACKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sofya Cherepanova
lyrics:
The trouble with your brother,
He's always sleeping with your mother.
And I know that your sister missed her time again this month.
Am I talking too fast or are you just playing dumb?
If you want I can write it down.
It should matter to you,
'Cause aren't you the one,
With your razzmatazz and the nights on the town?
Oh you knew it, and you blew it didn't you babe?
I was lying when I asked you to stay.
Now no-one's gonna care,
If you don't call them when you said.
And he's not coming round tonight to try and talk you into bed.
And all those stupid little things,
They ain't working,
No they ain't working any more.
You started getting fatter,
Three weeks after I left you.
And now you're going with some kid who looks like some bad comedian.
Are you gonna go out?
Or are you sitting at home eating boxes of Milk Tray?
Watch TV on your own, aren't you the one,
With your razzmatazz and your nights on the town?
And your father wants to help you doesn't he babe?
But your mother wants to put you away.
Now no-one's gonna care,
If you don't call them when you said.
And he's not coming round tonight to try and talk you into bed.
And all those stupid little things,
They ain't working,
No they ain't working any more.
Oh well I saw you at the doctor's,
Waiting for a test.
You tried to look like some kind of heiress,
But your face is such a mess.
And now you're going to a party,
And you're leaving on your own.
Well, I'm sorry, but didn't you say,
That things go better with a little bit of razzamatazz?
And now no-one's gonna care,
If you don't call them when you said.
And he's not coming round tonight to try and talk you into bed.
Now it's half past ten in the evening,
And you wish that you were dead,
'Cause all those stupid little things,
They ain't working,
No they ain't working any more
zaftra
This really has one of the best and most unexpected opening lines to any song.
Coffee
Yes
Lee
What does it mean cuz I like the song but that line throws me off and makes me think ew not play it in front of anyone.
Coffee
@Lee what???
Lee
@Coffee let me rephrase it into your native language black coffee. “lengoma ingenza ngingakhululeki”
Ewen Nicolson
Lyrically, this song is brutal. A merciless sneer at a former lover.
Kid A
I always wondered... are they the subjective perception of a jilted lover, or just the depiction of a breakup?
Kim Wexler
I always perceived it as being from the perspective of a woman.
Ewen Nicolson
@Kim Wexler LOL! Just heard the song with new ears. Fully makes sense now.
Ewen Nicolson
@Kid A Could be either.