Track of the Week: Pulp command immediate action with ‘Begging for Change’
Calling for real, tangible change is a tough game in today’s landscape. But if anybody can do it in the right way, it’s Sheffield’s very own working-class mouthpiece, Pulp.
‘Begging for Change’, which was recorded at Abbey Road and mixed by James Ford with backing support from Damon Albarn, comes from War Child’s upcoming charity compilation record, Help(2), the follow-up to their initial 1995 compilation in aid of war-torn areas.
Following contributions by Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, Wet Leg, and more, Pulp’s ‘Begging for Change’ does exactly what it says on the tin – beckons you to straighten up and really think about the world around you. In keeping with this direct approach, Jarvis Cocker’s accompanying remark on the track highlighted their previous efforts with War Child and what this new single means as a notable addition.
“Thirty years ago, we gave our Mercury Prize (and the prize money) to War Child,” he said. “This year, we have given more. How much more? You’ll have to wait and see.”
The song was initially a throwaway from the band’s recent record, More. Well, not exactly – they’d worked on it during the sessions, but it wasn’t immediately in the state they’d wanted to include it on the record. For War Child, they gave it another go, turning it into an anthemic rallying cry for change in today’s societally complacent world.
The best part of the song is how commanding it is, from the first notes straight through to the end. The chorus of voices, featuring Albarn along with Fontaines DC’s Grian Chatten, The Libertines’ Carl Barât, and Kae Tempest, set the tone with a punkish clarion call, while Mark Webber’s guitar work marks a diversion from the band’s most recent style and sound and into something more raw and abrasive.
Once again, however, the shining star is Cocker’s delivery, whose tone succeeds in shaking the shoulders of all those who dare to sit still and listen, pointing fingers at every person who watches idly as the world catches fire. It’s incredibly brave and direct, and that’s precisely what makes the song so hard-hitting. It holds us all accountable.
All of these elements make ‘Begging for Change’ the most standout track among War Child’s efforts so far, giving it that familiar, protest-like feel you’d expect from a charity record that is quite literally begging for change. Of course, this isn’t the first time that Pulp has highlighted the world’s issues, nor will it be the last, but it kicks against all those unwilling to stand up with a different kind of fervour, one less melodic or structurally charming, but powerful all the same.
‘Begging for Change’ most certainly won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but that’s almost the point. It comes across as though it holds many of Pulp’s dismissive attitudes of what’s expected, especially when it comes to the music, which is, incidentally, the perfect mindset for a War Child record. In this way, the song leaves no space for ambiguities; it knows exactly what it is and what it’s trying to achieve.
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