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 Boss
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pissed on a train and he's falling around.
And then I turned around and you were out of sight,
And now there's nowhere for me to stay tonite.
And then I walked around town just to catch you out,
I thought I'd lost myself somewhere in the nite.
Oh is he bigger? and does he make you laugh?
Mamamamamamamamamamamamamamamama let it go.
So what am I gonna do with myself?
I saw him kiss you in the afternoon
Cos I was next door in a double room.
I was listening through the wall as he laid you down.
I don't know what you did,
Oh but I heard the sound.
Oh is he better?
Does he make you scream?
Mamamamamamamamamamamamamamamama let it go.
You've got to tell me know if he's better than me.
I need to know, oh can't you see?
Something strange is getting stronger.
I can't hang on any longer.
Don't you know I want to go away?
Oh jesus christ I know I'm gonna lose the game,
I've only got myself to blame, oh yeah.
Oh yeah.
All right.
I'm gonna leave town,
I'm gonna catch a train.
I'm going somewhere where I can start again.
I'm gonna let it all go just like you said,
I'll look for someone else who can take the blame.
And is he younger?
And can he make you laugh?
Mamamamamamamamamamamamamamamama let it go.
Oh, let it go.
After seven years down a dead-end road I'm gonna get off here,
I'm gonna let it go,
Let it go.
In Pulp's "The Boss," the singer is struggling to come to terms with the end of a romantic relationship. He finds himself chasing after his former partner who has moved on to someone else. The song opens with a description of a man wearing a shirt that appears to be "trying too hard" and acting in a drunken manner on a train. The singer then realizes that his ex-partner is no longer in sight, leaving him with nowhere to stay for the night. Throughout the rest of the song, he grapples with the idea of his ex-partner being with someone else, wondering if her new partner is better than him, younger, or funnier. In the end, he decides that he needs to move on and start anew.
"The Boss" is a poignant exploration of the emotions of jealousy and heartbreak. The lyrics use a variety of vivid, visceral images to convey the singer's psychological state. For example, the line "I was listening through the wall as he laid you down" captures the intense anguish and pain the singer feels hearing his ex-partner's intimate moments with someone else. The refrain "mamamamamamamamamamamamamamamama let it go" is an emotionally charged and catchy addition to the song that emphasizes the singer's desire to move on.
Overall, "The Boss," is a haunting song that highlights the feelings of loss and desperation that accompany the end of a relationship. Pulp's masterful lyrics and instrumentation make it a timeless classic that will continue to resonate with listeners for years to come.
Line by Line Meaning
Wearing a shirt that was trying too hard,
He is trying too hard to impress and is not comfortable with himself.
Pissed on a train and he's falling around.
He is drunk and unstable.
And then I turned around and you were out of sight,
He lost sight of the person he was with.
And now there's nowhere for me to stay tonite.
He has nowhere to stay for the night.
And then I walked around town just to catch you out,
He is searching for the person he lost sight of.
I thought I'd lost myself somewhere in the nite.
He is lost and confused.
Oh is he bigger? and does he make you laugh?
He is insecure and comparing himself to someone else.
Mamamamamamamamamamamamamamamama let it go.
He is trying to tell himself to let it go and move on.
I could never do anything else,
He feels stuck and unable to do anything else.
So what am I gonna do with myself?
He is lost and uncertain about what to do next.
I saw him kiss you in the afternoon
He witnessed someone else kissing the person he is interested in.
Cos I was next door in a double room.
He was close by and heard what was happening.
I was listening through the wall as he laid you down.
He was eavesdropping on the intimate moment.
I don't know what you did,
He is unsure of what happened exactly.
Oh but I heard the sound.
He heard something that made it clear what was happening.
Oh is he better?
He is still comparing himself to someone else.
Does he make you scream?
He is wondering if the other person is better in bed.
You've got to tell me know if he's better than me.
He is asking for validation and reassurance.
I need to know, oh can't you see?
He is desperate for an answer.
Something strange is getting stronger.
He is feeling an intense emotion.
I can't hang on any longer.
He is at his breaking point.
Don't you know I want to go away?
He wants to escape the situation.
Oh jesus christ I know I'm gonna lose the game,
He feels like he is going to lose the person he is interested in.
I've only got myself to blame, oh yeah.
He takes responsibility for the situation.
All right.
He is trying to compose himself and find a solution.
I'm gonna leave town,
He is going to run away from the situation.
I'm gonna catch a train.
He is leaving by train.
I'm going somewhere where I can start again.
He wants to start fresh somewhere else.
I'm gonna let it all go just like you said,
He is finally taking the advice to let it go.
I'll look for someone else who can take the blame.
He is looking to move on and find someone else.
And is he younger?
He is still comparing himself to someone else.
And can he make you laugh?
He is wondering if the other person is better company.
Mamamamamamamamamamamamamamamama let it go.
He is still trying to convince himself to let it go.
Oh, let it go.
He repeats the mantra to let it go.
After seven years down a dead-end road I'm gonna get off here,
He has been stuck in this situation for seven years and is ready to move on.
Let it go,
He repeats the mantra to let it go one final time.
Contributed by Mia W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.