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
sunrise
Pulp Lyrics
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Made me feel that all that I had done was overfill the ashtray of my life.
All my achievements in days of yore range from pathetic
To piss-poor, but all that's gonna change.
Because here comes sunrise. Yeah, here's your sunrise.
I used to hide from the sun, tried to live my whole life underground.
Why'd you have to rise & ruin all my fun?
Just turned over, closed the curtains on the day.
Yeah, here's your sunrise when you've been awake
All night long and you feel like crashing out at dawn.
But you've been awake all night, so why should you crash out at dawn?
The lyrics to Pulp's "Sunrise" can be interpreted in different ways, but one possible explanation is about a person experiencing a change in attitude towards life. The singer admits to having "hated" the sun in the past, as it seemed to highlight all the mistakes and regrets of their life. The use of the metaphor "overfill the ashtray of my life" suggests a sense of excess and waste. The singer feels that their past achievements (or lack thereof) were worthless and embarrassing. However, a shift occurs in the chorus, as the singer declares that "here comes sunrise", implying a new beginning or a chance to start again. The repetition of the phrase reinforces the idea of a sudden realization or awakening.
The second verse reinforces the theme of hiding or avoiding life, as the singer chose to live "whole life underground". The use of the word "fun" suggests that the singer might have been living a hedonistic or careless lifestyle, but the rising sun reminds them that they cannot escape reality forever. The act of "turning over" and "closing the curtains" shows a deliberate effort to shut out the daylight, but it is futile as the sun will rise again. The final lines about staying awake at dawn imply a sense of rebellion or defiance against the natural order of things. The singer seems to challenge the idea that one should sleep when the day breaks, as if to say that they want to make the most of their waking hours.
Overall, the lyrics of "Sunrise" convey a sense of introspection and self-reflection. The singer acknowledges their past mistakes and the limitations of their life, but also recognizes that change is possible. The rising sun serves as a powerful symbol of hope and renewal, despite the inevitability of the passing of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Used to hate the sun because it shone on everything I'd done.
I used to dislike the sun because it made me aware of all the things I did and wasn't proud of.
Made me feel that all that I had done was overfill the ashtray of my life.
It made me feel like everything I did was just a waste and didn't amount to anything significant.
All my achievements in days of yore range from pathetic
Everything I did in the past seems useless and insignificant.
To piss-poor, but all that's gonna change.
Everything I accomplished in the past was of poor quality, but it will change now.
Because here comes sunrise. Yeah, here's your sunrise.
Things are going to change for the better, and a new beginning is starting with the sunrise.
I used to hide from the sun, tried to live my whole life underground.
I used to avoid the sun and try to live a dull, uneventful life with no excitement or joy.
Why'd you have to rise & ruin all my fun?
Why did the sun have to ruin my mundane life and bring in new energy and excitement?
Just turned over, closed the curtains on the day.
I gave up on the day and decided to just shut out any opportunity for change or excitement.
But here comes sunrise.
But with the new day and the sunrise, comes a new opportunity for change and a fresh start.
Yeah, here's your sunrise when you've been awake
The sunrise is a sign of a new day and a new start, especially if you haven't slept all night.
All night long and you feel like crashing out at dawn.
When you've been up all night, it's tempting to just give up and sleep at sunrise.
But you've been awake all night, so why should you crash out at dawn?
But since you've been up all night, it's the perfect time to seize the new day and make a fresh start instead of giving up and sleeping.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MATTHEW JOSEPH BANKS, SCOTT JEFFREY RICE, THOMAS CHARLES CHANTLER WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind