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
Seductive Barry
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Making me high
Making me whole
Here in the night love takes control
Making me high
Making me whole
I don't know
Oh, no, no, no
No, no, no
No, I don't know
When I close my eyes, I can see you lowering yourself to my level
I don't know where you got those clothes
You can take them off if it makes you feel better
Don't stop it now
Now is so right
Now as the day slips away
And we slide into night
I don't know
Oh, no, no, no
No, I don't know know
No, no, no
No, I don't know
I open my eyes and you're there
Even better in the flesh, it would seem
I'm so ready and willing and able it's untrue
To act out this love scene
And make my dreams come true
And how many others have touched themselves whilst looking at pictures of you?
How many others could handle it if all their dreams came true?
I don't expect you to answer straight away
Maybe you're just having an off day
But I need to believe in you
Yes I do
Yes I do
Oh, I want you here in my head
Here in my heart
Here in my head
Live all your dreams for tonight
Here in your bed
I don't know
Oh, no, no, no
No, I don't know
No, no, no
No, I don't know
So roll the soundtrack and dim the lights
'Cause I'm not going home tonight
This love scene has begun
There's nothing left but get it on
Let's make this the greatest love scene from a play no-one's thought up yet
I know you're feeling the same as me but what you gonna do about it?
Now here's an exclusive
I've wanted you for years
I only needed the balls to admit it
When the unbelievable object meets the unstoppable force
There's nothing you can do about it
No
I will light your cigarette with a star that has fallen from the sky
Breathe in, breathe out
I love the way you move
Don't let anyone tell you any different tonight
You are beauty, you are class
You showed it all, but you still kept a little piece back just for me
A little piece back just for me
Just for me
Oh, I don't know how you do it
But I love the way you do it
When you're doing it to me
Na-na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na
And if this is a dream then I'm going to sleep for the rest of my life
For the rest of my life
For the rest of my life
For the rest of my life
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo
The song "Seductive Barry" by Pulp is a heavily sensual track that lyrically describes the seduction of a woman. The chorus repeats, "Here in the night love takes control, making me high, making me whole," which shows that the singer is giving into his desire for this woman. The verses describe vividly his sexual imaginings of her and his willingness to act on them. He seems to be almost besotted with his desire for her, saying things like, "I've wanted you for years, I only needed the balls to admit it," and "I don't know how you do it, but I love the way you do it, when you're doing it to me."
The lyrics create a dreamlike and seductive atmosphere, with the verses getting more and more suggestive as the song goes on. The singer is eager to act on his fantasies and seems to have little regard for the potential consequences. The final lines of the song suggest that he is willing to live in this fantasy forever if it means he can stay with her. Overall, "Seductive Barry" is a song about giving into our desires and acting on them, no matter how dangerous or unrealistic they may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Here in the night love takes control
Making me high
Making me whole
Here in the night love takes control
Making me high
Making me whole
I don't know
Oh, no, no, no
No, I don't know
No, no, no
No, I don't know
Love has taken control over me in this moment, making me feel alive and complete. Despite this overwhelming feeling, I don't know what to do or how to handle it.
When I close my eyes, I can see you lowering yourself to my level
I don't know where you got those clothes
You can take them off if it makes you feel better
When I imagine you in my mind, I see you willing to be with me even though I'm not at your level. I don't know where you got those clothes from, but if removing them will make you more comfortable, then go ahead and do it.
Don't stop it now
Now is so right
Now as the day slips away
And we slide into night
I don't know
Oh, no, no, no
No, I don't know know
No, no, no
No, I don't know
Don't stop what we're doing now because it feels so right in this moment. As the day turns into night, we can let go and allow ourselves to indulge in this moment of passion. As much as I am in love with you and with what's happening, I am still unsure of what to do next.
I open my eyes and you're there
Even better in the flesh, it would seem
I'm so ready and willing and able it's untrue
To act out this love scene
And make my dreams come true
And how many others have touched themselves whilst looking at pictures of you?
How many others could handle it if all their dreams came true?
I don't expect you to answer straight away
Maybe you're just having an off day
But I need to believe in you
Yes I do
Yes I do
As soon as I open my eyes, you're there with me in person and even more amazing than I imagined. I am completely ready and willing to act out this love scene and make my fantasies come true. I wonder how many other people have fantasized about you and how many could handle having their dreams become reality like this. Although I don't expect an immediate answer, I need to believe in you and in what's happening between us.
Oh, I want you here in my head
Here in my heart
Here in my head
Live all your dreams for tonight
Here in your bed
I don't know
Oh, no, no, no
No, I don't know
No, no, no
No, I don't know
I want to keep you in my thoughts and in my heart forever. Let's indulge in your dreams for tonight and make them a reality in your bed. Despite everything that's happening, I still don't know what I should do or where this is going.
So roll the soundtrack and dim the lights
'Cause I'm not going home tonight
This love scene has begun
There's nothing left but get it on
Let's make this the greatest love scene from a play no-one's thought up yet
I know you're feeling the same as me but what you gonna do about it?
Now here's an exclusive
I've wanted you for years
I only needed the balls to admit it
When the unbelievable object meets the unstoppable force
There's nothing you can do about it
No
I will light your cigarette with a star that has fallen from the sky
Breathe in, breathe out
I love the way you move
Don't let anyone tell you any different tonight
You are beauty, you are class
You showed it all, but you still kept a little piece back just for me
A little piece back just for me
Just for me
Oh, I don't know how you do it
But I love the way you do it
When you're doing it to me
Na-na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na
And if this is a dream then I'm going to sleep for the rest of my life
For the rest of my life
For the rest of my life
For the rest of my life
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Let's set the mood and make this an unforgettable love scene without any limits. We can explore uncharted territory and make history with a love so great that no one has ever thought of it before. I know you feel the same way I do, but I wonder what you'll do about it. Here's a secret- I've been wanting you for years but only had the courage to admit it now. When two unstoppable forces come together, there's no way to refuse what's happening. I will light your cigarette with a falling star and admire the way you move, taking note that you are a true beauty with class. You've given me everything, but still kept a small part of yourself back just for me- something I cherish. I don't know how you do it, but I love the way you understand and satisfy me. If this is a dream, then let me live in it for the rest of my life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Candida Doyle, Jarvis Branson Cocker, Mark Andrew Webber, Nick Banks, Stephen Patrick Mackey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind