"Please understand. We don't want no trouble.
We just want the right to be different.
That's all"
Different Class was the sixth album to be released by Pulp, a British Glam-Pop band from Sheffield. Released by Island Records in 1995, it was the follow-up album to His 'N' Hers which was released the previous year.
All music written for this album was by Pulp, with lyrics by Jarvis Cocker and produced by Chris Thomas. Recorded and mixed and the Town House, London.
The Tracks
- Mis-shapes
"Mis-shapes, mistakes, misfits,
We'd like to go to town but we can't risk it, oh
'Cause they just want to keep us out
You could end up with a smack in the mouth
Just for standing out, oh really"
A good song to rally on people who feel that they don't quite fit in with the rest of the world encouraging a revolution against people who conform to society and try to force others to do the same.
Pencil Skirt
"When you raise your pencil skirt like a veil before my eyes,
like the look upon his face as he's zipping up his flies.
Oh I know that you're engaged to him.
Oh but I know that you want something to play with baby."
A song with a immoral central narrator who obsesses about how making someone sad, turns him on.
Common People
"You will never understand
How it feels to live your life
With no meaning or control
And with nowhere else to go
You are amazed that they exist
And they burn so bright whilst you can only wonder why"
A narrative where the central character meets a well-off girl at college who wants to experience life with no money which in turn encourages hate from her teacher in the school of life. This song was a big hit as a single with resonance for many people living in a variety of social classes.
I Spy
"You see, I spy for a living
And I specialise in revenge
I'm taking the things I know will cause you pain
I can't help it: I was dragged up
My favourite parks are car parks
Grass is something you smoke
Birds are something you shag
Take your Year In Provence and
Shove it up your arse
The narrative of a stalker-like character who enjoys turning a man's life upside-down by sleeping with his wife and invading his life in every way he sees possible in a dark revengful manner.
Disco 2000
"Lets all meet up in the year 2000.
Won't it be strange when we're all fully grown?
Be there 2 o'clock by the fountain down the road
I never knew that you'd get married.
I would be living down here on my own,
on that damp and lonely Thursday years ago."
The story of a man and his childhood friend Deborah who he always fancied despite feeling that he wasn't good enough to be her girlfriend as she was popular at school with the other boys.
Live Bed Show
"She doesn't have to go to work
but she doesn't want to stay in bed
Cause it's changed from something comfortable
to something else instead"
The sad story of a woman and her second hand bed which now has less action due to the relationship the woman had breaking down.
Something Changed
Do you believe that there's someone up above?
And does he have a timetable directing acts of love?
A song with lyrics questioning why things happen, and what would happen if little details of a daily routine hadn't happened as they did.
Sorted for E's and Wizz
"Oh yeah the pirate radio told us what was going down
Got the tickets from some fucked up bloke in Camden Town
And no one seems to know exactly where it is
But that's OK, cos we're all sorted out for E's and Whizz"
A narrative by a man who has gone to a rave and his feelings throughout his trip on ecstacy and amphetamines which was the subject of many tabloid headlines when the single was released. The hysteria caused made record shops take the single off the shelf as it had a diagram showing how to make a stash wrapper using origami.
F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.
"It doesn't make no sense
No. It's not convenient
No. It doesn't fit my plans
No. It's something I don't understand"
A song describing the downsides of being in love.
Underwear
"There's no way to get out
He standing far to near
how the hell did you get here?
Standing naked in somebody else's room"
The story of a one night stand and the reactions a woman has when she sobers up.
Monday Morning
"Is this the light of a new day dawning?
A future bright that you can walk in?
No, it's just another Monday Mornin',
Do it all over again, oh baby..."
A song about that Monday morning feeling.
Bar Italia
"That's what you get from clubbing it
You can't go home and go to bed
Because it hasn't work off yet
And now it's morning
There's only one place we can can go
It's round the corner in Soho
Where other broken people go"
A narrative description of the feelings that can happen at the end of a night out where it feels wrong to go home.
Musical Credits
- Jarvis Cocker - Vocals, Vox Marauder Guitar, Ovation 12 String Guitar, Sigma Acoustic Guitar, Roland Vocoder Plus VP-330, Roland SH-09, Mellotron, MicroMoog, Synare.
- Rusell Senior - Fender Jazzmaster Guitar, Violin.
- Candida Doyle - Farfisa Compact Professional II Organ, Ensoniq ASR 10, Korg Trident II, MiniMoog, Fender Rhodes Piano, Roland Juno 6, Roland SH-09.
- Steve Mackey - Musicman Sabre Bass.
- Mark Webber - Gibson ES 345 Guitar, Gibson Les Paul Guitar, Gibson Firebird Guitar, Sigma Acoustic Guitar, Casio Tonebank CT-470, Fender Rhodes Piano, Roland Juno 6.
- Nick Banks - Yamaha Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Percussion
N.B Please do not read the lyrics whilst listening to the recordings. From the album sleeve