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
We Can Dance Again
Pulp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We want to look the future firmly in the eye
Speaking personally I have to say that I
would like to dance again
Yeah, we know that 99% is crap
But we're the other 1%
What you gonna do about that?
We want it to come fast
We want to dance again
Oh, we can dance again
Take a chance again
If you can make it outdoors
You can do it once more
It's all right again
And if you hold me tight
I might just stay the night
And we'll forget where we've been
All the crap we have seen
It's all right again
All right again
All right
Can you believe that it was only yesterday
That there was nothing going on - nothing to play
We don't want trouble - no
We only want to say:
We'd like to dance again
So although it doesn't mean a single thing
Oh well, it might just make us laugh
and it might just make us sing
and it might help us forget that
we don't know where we're going
if we dance again
Dance again
Oh yeah
Oh, we can dance again
Take a chance again
If you can make it outdoors
You can do it once more
It's all right again
And if you hold me tight
I might just stay the night
We'll forget where we've been
All the crap we have seen
It's all right again
Alright again
Alright
La la la la
Oh, it's okay
Oh, it's not the end of the world
It's just some boys and some girls
making fools of themselves
Everybody's singing!
We can dance again
Take a chance again
If you can make it outdoors
You can do it once more
It's all right again
And if you hold me tight
I might just stay the night
We'll forget where we've been
All the crap we have seen
It's all right again
All right again
All right
Oh, we can dance again
Hold my hand
Yeah it's all right
Your hair is beautiful, yeah
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Oh yeah, we can dance again
Hold my hand
Yeah it's all right
Your hair is beautiful, yeah
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
La la la la la la
"We Can Dance Again" by Pulp is an upbeat song about hope and the power of dancing to help us forget our troubles. The lyrics suggest that despite the fact that 99% of life can be crap, the other 1% is worth living for, and that if we can make it through the tough times we can dance again. Singer Jarvis Cocker's voice is full of energy and enthusiasm as he encourages his listeners to take a chance on life, dance and forget their fears.
The song is a call to arms for anyone feeling down or hopeless, and an affirmation of the power of music to make us feel alive. As Cocker sings "we want something to happen, we want it to come fast," he speaks for a generation looking for a brighter future. The focus on dancing suggests that the key to feeling alive again is to let go of our worries and just enjoy life in the moment.
Overall, "We Can Dance Again" is a hopeful and uplifting song that encourages us to take a chance on life and remember that even in dark times, there is always a reason to dance.
Line by Line Meaning
We have made a choice - no we don't want to die
We want to live and thrive, not just survive.
We want to look the future firmly in the eye
We want to face the future with confidence, not fear.
Speaking personally I have to say that I would like to dance again
Personally, I want to experience joy and happiness once more.
Yeah, we know that 99% is crap
We acknowledge that most things are flawed, but we strive for the small 1% of goodness.
But we're the other 1%
We are part of the rare people who seek to create change and positivity in the world.
What you gonna do about that?
What are you going to do to help make a better future?
We want something to happen
We crave action and progress, not stagnancy.
We want it to come fast
We desire swift, impactful change.
We want to dance again
We want to experience the joy and freedom of dancing again.
Oh, we can dance again
We have the capability to find happiness once more.
Take a chance again
We must be willing to embrace new opportunities and take risks.
If you can make it outdoors
If you can experience the world and all its beauty...
You can do it once more
...you can find joy and happiness in life once more.
It's all right again
Things will be okay in the end.
And if you hold me tight I might just stay the night
If we find comfort in each other, we can overcome the negativity of the world for a time.
And we'll forget where we've been
Our past struggles will fade into the distance.
All the crap we have seen
All the negative things we've witnessed and experienced.
Can you believe that it was only yesterday
It's hard to imagine how quickly things can change.
That there was nothing going on - nothing to play
There was a time when things felt stagnant and hopeless.
We don't want trouble - no
We seek peace and positivity, not conflict.
We only want to say: We'd like to dance again
We just want to express our desire for joy and happiness.
So although it doesn't mean a single thing
Even though it may seem trivial...
Oh well, it might just make us laugh and it might just make us sing
...finding joy in the little things in life can make a big difference.
And it might help us forget that we don't know where we're going if we dance again
Experiencing joy and happiness can help us forget our worries and uncertainties about the future.
Oh, it's okay
It's alright to be content with what we have and where we are in life.
Oh, it's not the end of the world
Things are not as dire as they may seem.
It's just some boys and some girls making fools of themselves
We all make mistakes and foolish decisions, but that's just part of life.
Everybody's singing!
Everyone can find happiness and joy in life.
Hold my hand
Find comfort and support in each other.
Your hair is beautiful, yeah
Find beauty and positivity in the small things in life.
La la la la la la
Expressing joy and happiness through song and laughter.
Contributed by Dominic W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.