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
Tunnel
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't ask stupid questions
I had nothing to do I was bored
I had, I had not
Fifteen weeks since the light has gone
Fifteen weeks with the same shirt on
A thousand bodies stink and sweat
and somebody's trying to roll a cigarette
Clean mister
Clean missed her
Just relax and enjoy it, it's nothing really.
Let's get you out of these damp clothes,
just lift yourself up,
get thous dreadful trousers off.
You'll feel so much better afterwards.
Just close your eyes and let it ooze all over you.
Trickling down your back warm and sticky.
Isn't that nice?
No don't speak, just let yourself go,
sink, sinking down deeper and deeper and deeper.
At 3 o'clock that morning I awoke in an unfamiliar room
in my hands like sodden paper
a thick, glutinous pale green liquid
sunlight through net curtains
6,000 miles an hour into brilliant white light.
There's a brass band playing somewhere.
Roll on your back and wait for the talbum.
But what's that?
Pull back the linen sheets to find the shirt
they peeled off your back only two hours before
the bed tips sideways.
No
and to one day wake up in green fields with the sky blue above me.
And to be clean again.
But I know I'll never be clean again.
The lyrics to Pulp's song "Tunnel" convey a disturbing story of an individual's descent into addiction and degradation. The song's protagonist is bored and aimless, willing to indulge in any experience that might alleviate his boredom. He finds himself in a dark tunnel, surrounded by "a thousand bodies [that] stink and sweat," and someone is offering him drugs. The song's speaker doesn't resist; he submits himself to the experience.
The lyrics go on to describe, in graphic detail, the sensations of using drugs and the induced hallucinations that follow. The song's protagonist is lost in a hallucinogenic haze, unable to distinguish reality from dream. At one point, he awakens in an unfamiliar room, covered in a "thick, glutinous pale green liquid." The lyrics suggest that the singer has become addicted to drugs and will never be clean again.
The song's lyrics are both harrowing and evocative, providing a bleak and terrifying portrait of addiction. The use of imagery, coupled with the repetitive and hypnotic nature of the song's music, makes "Tunnel" a powerful and visceral experience for the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
The tenth of July, 1985
The song starts with a specific date and year, July 10th, 1985.
Don't ask stupid questions
The singer doesn't want to be bothered by unnecessary inquiries.
I had nothing to do I was bored
The singer was bored and had nothing to occupy their time.
I had, I had not
This line doesn't have a clear meaning on its own, but may suggest indecisiveness or a change in perspective.
Fifteen weeks since the light has gone
It has been 15 weeks since something, perhaps a metaphorical 'light,' has been absent from the artist's life.
Fifteen weeks with the same shirt on
The singer hasn't changed their shirt in 15 weeks, suggesting neglect or difficulty in managing basic hygiene.
A thousand bodies stink and sweat
There are many people around, and the surroundings are unclean and uncomfortable.
and somebody's trying to roll a cigarette
Someone is attempting to smoke in this unpleasant environment.
Clean mister
This phrase may be a sarcastic or ironic plea for cleanliness in an unclean situation.
Clean mister
This phrase may be a sarcastic or ironic plea for cleanliness in an unclean situation.
Clean missed her
This line doesn't have a clear meaning, but could be interpreted as a play on the previous line or a misspelling of 'mistress'.
Just relax and enjoy it, it's nothing really.
The artist is being urged to not worry about something that may be unpleasant or uncomfortable.
Let's get you out of these damp clothes,
Someone is helping the singer to remove their damp clothing, suggesting that they are in a vulnerable state.
just lift yourself up,
The singer is being guided to stand up or move their body.
get thous dreadful trousers off.
The singer is required to remove their trousers, which may be unclean or uncomfortable.
You'll feel so much better afterwards.
The artist is being reassured that they will feel better after whatever they are about to experience.
Just close your eyes and let it ooze all over you.
The artist is being guided to close their eyes and accept some type of oozy, sticky substance.
Trickling down your back warm and sticky.
The singer describes the sensation of the substance trickling down their back, which suggests an unpleasant or uncomfortable experience.
Isn't that nice?
This could be interpreted as sarcasm or a genuine question about the experience.
No don't speak, just let yourself go,
The artist is being asked to not speak and allow themselves to fully experience what is happening.
sink, sinking down deeper and deeper and deeper.
The artist is being encouraged to let themselves sink into a state of surrender or submission.
At 3 o'clock that morning I awoke in an unfamiliar room
The artist finds themselves in an unfamiliar location at 3am, which suggests a disorienting or unpredictable experience.
in my hands like sodden paper
The substance or experience from earlier is still present and affecting the singer.
a thick, glutinous pale green liquid
The substance is described as thick, sticky, and a specific color, which adds to its unsettling nature.
sunlight through net curtains
This line describes the environment and suggests a juxtaposition between the bright light and the uncertain situation.
6,000 miles an hour into brilliant white light.
This line describes an intense and speedy experience taking the singer into a bright light, which may be interpreted metaphorically or literally.
There's a brass band playing somewhere.
This line creates an interesting contrast to the other details described and adds to the surreal nature of the situation.
Roll on your back and wait for the talbum.
This line is unclear and may suggest an upcoming event or action.
But what's that?
This line suggests confusion or surprise.
Pull back the linen sheets to find the shirt
The singer is uncovering something that has been hidden or obscured.
they peeled off your back only two hours before
The singer is reminded of the experience they had earlier with the sticky substance that was on their back.
the bed tips sideways.
This movement suggests a shift or change in the environment or situation, which may be unsettling.
No
This line on its own doesn't convey meaning, but may suggest a reaction to what is happening.
and to one day wake up in green fields with the sky blue above me.
The artist describes a pastoral scene with an idyllic landscape, which may be a contrast to the other details described earlier.
And to be clean again.
The singer desires to be clean, which suggests a lack of cleanliness or hygiene in the current situation.
But I know I'll never be clean again.
The artist feels they will never be able to return to a clean state, adding to the overwhelming and unpleasant nature of the song.
Lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company
Written by: JARVIS BRANSON COCKER, CANDIDA DOYLE, PETER D MANSELL, RUSSELL SENIOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind