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 Love Life
Pulp Lyrics
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Don't think twice; it's the only reason I'm alive.
I feel alright as long as I don't forget to breathe.
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.
Look at all these buildings & houses
I love my life. I love my life.
Hey now, slow down a minute.
Take my arms & fill them full of life.
Does it ease the pain of being alive?
Or is it why - why you keep nodding out on me?
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.
Another day, another major disaster
I love my life. I love my life.
You got a problem.
I lost my keys when I stayed at your place.
On the floor of your living room, you made the scene but it'll never get shown on TV.
So tonight prepare to kiss goodbye to my lovelife.
So get this right- I love my life; it's the only reason I'm alive.
It's mine, all mine - as long as I don't forget to breathe.
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.
Corny I know, but you had better believe it
I love my life. I love my life. I love my life. God, how I love my life.
That's right: you've got to fight to the death for the right to live your life.
Alright: I'm gonna fight to the death 'til they give me back my life.
That's right: you're in the land of the living but there's so few signs of life.
Alright.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe out.
Pulp's "We Love Life" is a song that espouses the love of life despite everything that comes with it. The song speaks to a sense of individual agency and the fulfillment that comes with making one's choices in life. The lyrics themselves suggest that the singer in the song has a collective who more or less controls their entire lives. However, the singer insists that they will still fight tooth and nail until they regain control. They speak about how they "love their life" to emphasize just how much they value their existence.
The opening line that states "Mum & Dad have sentenced you to life" immediately sets the tone of the song. It shows how the singer had no control of their life and that their life has been predetermined for them by others. The chorus that says "I love my life" reinforces the sense of agency that this struggle for individualism has given the singer. The singer's tone becomes more defiant and resolute. They speak about their experiences with love, pain, addiction, and their willingness to fight for life, all while going through an increasingly turbulent existence. Despite these experiences, the singer insists that the fight for one's life is worth it.
The lines "That's right: you've got to fight to the death for the right to live your life. Alright: I'm gonna fight to the death 'til they give me back my life," drive home the message that the song carries. Life is fleeting, and one should do everything possible to live their life to the fullest. In essence, the song symbolizes the will to live even when everything seems against us.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes your bedtime story: Mum & Dad have sentenced you to life.
Life is a sentence given to everyone by their parents and is a bedtime story that is told to everyone. It is like a story that is written with predetermined rules that everyone has to follow.
Don't think twice; it's the only reason I'm alive.
Thinking twice could lead to doubt, which could lead to despair, and that could lead to giving up on life. Therefore, it's better not to think twice and remember that the only reason to be alive is to live life.
I feel alright as long as I don't forget to breathe.
Breathing signifies life, and if one can remember to breathe, then everything is alright.
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.
Breathing is vital and needs to be done multiple times to stay alive.
Look at all these buildings & houses, I love my life. I love my life.
Observing the things around and being grateful for life makes one realise the importance of living and loving life.
Hey now, slow down a minute. Take my arms & fill them full of life.
Slow down and take time to live life fully. Embrace life completely and let it fill one's arms with everything that it has to offer.
Does it ease the pain of being alive? Or is it why - why you keep nodding out on me?
Being alive can be tough, and sometimes one may find themselves lost in their thoughts or overwhelmed. However, living life to the fullest can help ease the pain and bring back the focus on living.
Another day, another major disaster. I love my life. I love my life.
Life can be unpredictable, and one may face problems or disasters every day, but it is important to appreciate life and love it despite the hardships.
You got a problem. I lost my keys when I stayed at your place. On the floor of your living room, you made the scene, but it'll never get shown on TV.
Problems can occur in life when one least expects it, and it is essential to remember that life is not like a reality TV show, where every problem or situation gets showcased.
So tonight prepare to kiss goodbye to my love life. So get this right- I love my life; it's the only reason I'm alive.
Life may have its ups and downs, but the love for it should never fade away. Even if one may lose love or a loved one, they should never forget to love life as it is the only reason they are alive.
It's mine, all mine - as long as I don't forget to breathe. Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.
Life is precious and unique to every individual, and one can live it in any way they want, as long as they don't forget to live and breathe.
Corny I know, but you had better believe it. I love my life. I love my life. I love my life. God, how I love my life.
Loving life may seem cliche, but it is more important than anything else. To love life, one needs to believe in it and cherish it for what it is, even in the darkest moments.
That's right: you've got to fight to the death for the right to live your life. Alright: I'm gonna fight to the death 'til they give me back my life.
The right to live life is a battle worth fighting, and one should do everything in their power to live it their way, even if they have to fight for it.
That's right: you're in the land of the living but there's so few signs of life. Alright. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe out.
Despite living in the land of the living, life can seem dull and lifeless at times. However, it is important to remember to breathe and bring life into everything around.
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