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
The Birds in Your Garden
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm wide awake whilst you're still fast asleep.
I went outside, into your garden.
The sun was bright & the air was cool And as I stood there listening
Well the birds in your garden
They all started singing this
Song
"Take her now. Don't be scared, it's alright.
It's a crime against nature - she's been waiting all night.
Come on, hold her, & kiss her & tell her you care
If you wait 'til tomorrow she'll no longer be there.
Come on & give it to her.
You know it's now or never."
Yeah, the birds in your garden have all started singing this
Song.
My father never told me about the birds & the bees.
And I guess I never realised that I would ever meet birds as
Beautiful as these.
I came inside, climbed to your bedroom.
I kissed your eyes awake & then I did what I knew was only
Natural.
And then the birds in your garden, they all started singing
This song
"Take her now. Don't be scared, it's alright.
Oh, come on, touch her inside.
It's a crime against nature - she's been waiting all night.
Come on, hold her, & kiss her & tell her you care
If you wait 'til tomorrow she'll no longer be there.
Come on & give it to her. You know it's now or never."
Yeah, the birds in your garden have all started singing this
Song.
Yeah, the birds in your garden, they taught me the words to
This song.
The song "The Birds in Your Garden" by Pulp is a story about a man who goes into his lover's garden at six in the morning, while she is still asleep, and hears the birds singing a song in his head urging him to make a move on her before it's too late. The birds' song becomes a chorus to the singer's thoughts as he finds himself in the bedroom with his lover. The song's lyrics portray the singer's nerves and confusion, as he's never been taught about the birds and the bees by his father. The birds in the garden act as a guide for the singer, teaching him how to take control and make a move.
The song can be interpreted in many ways, but one common interpretation is that the birds represent the singer's subconscious mind urging him to seize the moment and take what he wants. The birds' chorus is a metaphor for the singer's subconscious nudge towards pursuing his desires before it's too late. The song can also be seen as a commentary on the societal and cultural stigma attached to sex, especially regarding men, and the pressure to conform to traditional gender roles.
Line by Line Meaning
It's six o'clock, the birds are singing.
The singer is awake early in the morning, while the birds are chirping.
I'm wide awake whilst you're still fast asleep.
The singer is awake, but their partner is still sleeping.
I went outside, into your garden.
The singer stepped out into their partner's garden.
The sun was bright & the air was cool And as I stood there listening
The weather was pleasant and the artist was enjoying the surroundings.
Well the birds in your garden They all started singing this Song
The birds in the garden began making a distinctive musical chirping.
"Take her now. Don't be scared, it's alright. Oh, come on, touch her inside. It's a crime against nature - she's been waiting all night. Come on, hold her, & kiss her & tell her you care If you wait 'til tomorrow she'll no longer be there. Come on & give it to her. You know it's now or never."
The singer's sexual desires are aroused, and the birds in the garden remind them of what they wish to do with their partner.
Yeah, the birds in your garden have all started singing this Song.
The birds in the garden continue to remind the singer of their sexual desires.
My father never told me about the birds & the bees.
The artist never received sexual education from their father.
And I guess I never realized that I would ever meet birds as Beautiful as these.
The artist is amazed by the sounds and beauty of the birds in the garden.
I came inside, climbed to your bedroom. I kissed your eyes awake & then I did what I knew was only Natural.
The artist went inside their partner's home, woke them up with a kiss, and then proceeded to have sex with them.
"Yeah, the birds in your garden have all started singing this Song. "
The birds in the garden continue to remind the singer of their sexual desires.
Yeah, the birds in your garden, they taught me the words to This song.
The birds in the garden played a significant role in arousing the artist's desires and reminding them of what they wanted to do with their partner.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CANDIDA DOYLE, JARVIS BRANSON COCKER, MARK ANDREW WEBBER, NICK BANKS, STEPHEN PATRICK MACKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MoogerTuber
Jarvis gives the best advice than my parents or friends ever did.
Lyndanet
He is realistic
Betti B
...love Jarvis' voice <3
espeaheat
beautiful. one of the best songs ever
Larwood
This video is actually a blessing, thanks for this <3
donna ellis
Absolutely beautiful 🐝🕊🦋🌷🌳
ᄏᄏᄏ
My best pulp song!!
lise voisin
Thank you for all these videos of Pulp!
Daniel Hendley
My favourite song off of we love life (and one of my favourite pulp song's in general)
ᄏᄏᄏ
definitely