Sylvia
Pulp Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You look just like Sylvia
Well, you look like her to me
The way she wore her hair then

Oh, he way she used to be
I've not seen her for a long time
Though I've heard she's still around
Her father's living with some girl
Who's a year younger than her
She's living in the country now, yeah

Oh, she's trying to get better
Her beauty was her only crime
Yeah, I remember Sylvia

So keep believing
And do what you do
I can't help you but I know things are gonna get better
And please stop asking what it's got to do with you
Oh, keep believing 'cause you know that you deserve better

Who's this man you're talking to?
Can't you see what he wants to do?
He thinks if he stands near enough then he will look as good as you
Oh, he don't care about your problems
He just wants to show his friends
I guess I'm just the same as him
Oh, I just didn't know it then
I never understood you really
And I know it's too late now
You didn't ask to be that way
Oh, I'm sorry, Sylvia

So keep believing
And do what you do
I can't help you but I know things are gonna get better
And please stop asking what it's got to do with you
Oh, keep believing 'cause you know that you deserve better
Oh, it's true, yeah

So please stop asking what it's got to do with you
Oh, keep believing 'cause you know that you deserve better
Oh, yeah, you know that you deserve better




Oh, yeah, you know that you deserve better
Oh, Sylvia

Overall Meaning

The opening verse of Pulp’s song Sylvia reminisces about a woman named Sylvia whom the singer had known or at least desired in the past. The lyrics note that Sylvia had a distinct hairstyle and had changed since the singer last saw her. The lyrics provide some details about Sylvia’s current life, including that her father has moved on with a younger woman and that Sylvia herself is trying to better herself while living in the countryside. The chorus repeats the message to believe in oneself and that things will improve while acknowledging that there is little the singer can do to help Sylvia.


In the second verse, the lyrics suggest that Sylvia is having a conversation with a man who only wants to be around her to show off to his friends. The singer confesses that they did not really understand Sylvia when they knew her but that they regret that now. The chorus repeats twice more to conclude the song, with an added emphasis on knowing that one deserves better.


Line by Line Meaning

You look just like Sylvia
The person addressed looks strikingly similar to Sylvia


Well, you look like her to me
Though it may not be a perfect likeness, there is enough similarity to Sylvia for the singer to observe it


The way she wore her hair then
The person's hairstyle resembles how Sylvia used to wear hers


Oh, the way she used to be
The person's resemblance to Sylvia also includes the mannerisms, behavior, or personality that the artist associates with Sylvia's past self


I've not seen her for a long time
The artist has not seen Sylvia in a significant period of time


Though I've heard she's still around
The singer has received word that Sylvia is still alive


Her father's living with some girl
Sylvia's father is currently residing with another woman


Who's a year younger than her
The other woman is one year younger than Sylvia


She's living in the country now, yeah
Sylvia is currently residing in a rural or countryside area


Oh, she's trying to get better
Sylvia is experiencing some sort of physical or mental illness and is working towards recovery


Her beauty was her only crime
Sylvia's good looks may have caused her some trouble or negative attention in the past


Yeah, I remember Sylvia
The artist has clear memories of Sylvia and her past experiences


So keep believing And do what you do
The singer advises the person being addressed to maintain their optimistic outlook and continue their current course of action


I can't help you but I know things are gonna get better
While the singer cannot offer direct assistance, they are confident that the future will bring improvement


And please stop asking what it's got to do with you
The singer suggests that the person stop worrying about whether or not the situation affects them personally and focus on their own positive attitude


Oh, keep believing 'cause you know that you deserve better
The artist encourages the person to maintain their faith in themselves and their worthiness for something better


Who's this man you're talking to?
The artist asks about the identity of someone the person has been conversing with


Can't you see what he wants to do?
The singer believes that the man in question has ulterior motives or harmful intentions towards the person


He thinks if he stands near enough then he will look as good as you
The singer believes that the man is trying to use the person's good looks to boost his own image or popularity


Oh, he don't care about your problems
The artist believes that the man does not have genuine concern for the person's well-being or struggles


He just wants to show his friends
The artist believes that the man is trying to impress or prove something to his social circle


I guess I'm just the same as him Oh, I just didn't know it then
The artist realizes that they have been guilty of the same behavior in the past but did not recognize it at the time


I never understood you really
The singer admits to not having a complete understanding of the person or their experiences


And I know it's too late now
The artist has come to the realization that they can no longer make up for past mistakes or missed opportunities


You didn't ask to be that way
The singer acknowledges that the person's situation or appearance was not necessarily of their own choosing or control


Oh, I'm sorry, Sylvia
The singer offers an apology to Sylvia for any wrongs or shortcomings in their relationship or understanding




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
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Vesna Milosavljevic

You look just like Sylvia
Well, you look like her to me
The way she wore her hair then
Oh, he way she used to be
I've not seen her for a long time
Though I've heard she's still around
Her father's living with some girl
Who's a year younger than her
She's living in the country now, yeah
Oh, she's trying to get better
Her beauty was her only crime
Yeah, I remember Sylvia
So keep believing
And do what you do
I can't help you but I know things are gonna get better
And please stop asking what it's got to do with you
Oh, keep believing 'cause you know that you deserve better
Who's this man you're talking to?
Can't you see what he wants to do?
He thinks if he stands near enough then he will look as good as you
Oh, he don't care about your problems
He just wants to show his friends
I guess I'm just the same as him
Oh, I just didn't know it then
I never understood you really
And I know it's too late now
You didn't ask to be that way
Oh, I'm sorry, Sylvia
So keep believing
And do what you do
I can't help you but I know things are gonna get better
And please stop asking what it's got to do with you
Oh, keep believing 'cause you know that you deserve better
Oh, it's true, yeah
So please stop asking what it's got to do with you
Oh, keep believing 'cause you know that you deserve better
Oh, yeah, you know that you deserve better
Oh, yeah, you know that you deserve better
Oh, Sylvia



Roiy Benkel

You look just like Sylvia:
Well you look like her to me -
the way she wore her hair then.
Oh, the way she used to be.
I've not seen her for a long time
though I've heard she's still around.
Her father's living with some girl
who's a year younger than her.

She's living in the country now yeah.
Oh, she's trying to get better.
Her beauty was her only crime.
Yeah, I remember Sylvia.

*So keep believing & do what you do,
I can't help you but I know things are gonna get better.
& please stop asking
what it's got to do with you.
Oh, keep believing 'cos you know that you deserve better.

Who's this man you're talking to?
Can't you see what he wants to do?
He thinks if he stands near enough then he will look as good as you.
Oh, he don't care about your problems. He just wants to show his friends.
I guess I'm just the same as him -
I just didn't know it then.
I never understood you really
& I know it's too late now.
You didn't ask to be that way.
Oh, I'm sorry Sylvia.

[*Repeat]
So keep believing & do what you do,
I can't help you but I know things are gonna get better.
Yeah you know that you deserve better. [x2]
Oh Sylvia.



All comments from YouTube:

Jason Coleridge

Best Pulp guitar solo ever! used to play this for hours on my old Strat, back in the late 1990s.

A G

Great song .... can’t believe it’s been 20 years

Nesalejan

El dramastismo de esta canción (en especial al final de la canción con el solo de guitarra) es impresionante. Una obra maestra, épico

lyonslaforet

I agree. This Is Hardcore is one of the finest albums released in 1998.

gerardo javier robín

muy peri muy buena banda, tiene un sonido compacto, emotivo, duro y dulce a la vez típico de bandas inglesas post pank, new romatic, de duran duran y sapndaud ballet a la fecba LO MEJOR QUE HE ESCUCHADO ME REFIERO A TODOS LOS TEMAS DE PULP, no existen letras fríbolas para esta banda

beepst

The number of views is insulting. This song should have at least 2 million views.

KitTheCat Carr

@K-leb I'm 18 and Pulp are one of my favourite bands.

K-leb

Pulp hasn't really kept up with the newer, younger crowd that uses YouTube so much. It's a shame because they're a brilliant band and some of their peers such as Blur have remained pretty relevant on the internet. I think a lot of teenagers and young adults these days would really vibe with Pulp if only they knew it.

spider- man

Hell yeah

Alexandra Frey

scandalous. truly. scandalous.

More Comments

More Versions