‘Something Changed’: the Pulp song that took 12 years to record
Romance is a somewhat unavoidable theme when it comes to the discography of Pulp. Songwriter and frontman Jarvis Cocker seemed to have an uncanny ability to make the most mundane set-ups feel intensely romantic and, often, erotic. Cocker revelled in adding outrageous and taboo topics into chart-topping pop songs – from the voyeurism of ‘Babies’ to the unavoidably erotic tones of ‘This Is Harcore’, Pulp were never afraid to embrace the amativeness of pop music.
Cocker is a truly gifted songwriter responsible for a plethora of the nation’s best-loved tracks. However, there were few Pulp tracks that you could stick on a heartfelt mixtape for a potential partner without seeming like a bit of a creep. This perhaps came as a result of Jarvis’ early fascination with punk rock, which tended to discourage pithy love songs in favour of innovative, politically charged tracks. These punk influences blended together with Jarvis’ love for pop music likely go some way to explaining the sound of Pulp.
If there is one song that breaks this mould, it is ‘Something Changed’. Released in 1996, at the peak of the band’s Britpop fame, the track is one of Jarvis’ most romantic efforts, without much innuendo or eroticism in sight. The song is an ode to the spontaneity of love and romance, along with how seemingly unimportant events can change one’s life forever. A favourite choice for the wedding discos of indie couples, ‘Something Changed’ quickly became one of the band’s most recognisable hits.
The single was taken from the band’s seminal album Different Class and reached number ten in the UK singles charts in 1996. Despite being deemed as one of Britpop’s defining anthems, the origins of the track stretch much further back. After all, Pulp first began while Jarvis was still at school in the late 1970s. The first incarnation of ‘Something Changed’ came in 1984, when Pulp were nothing more than a stalwart of Sheffield’s independent music scene, with dreams of pop stardom that would eventually be realised a decade later.
In a 1996 interview with Melody Maker, Jarvis spoke about the track, saying, “It was originally written about 12 years ago. My sister sang an early version, but it had different words. It never got used, and then I just remembered it.” It is lucky that Cocker’s memory was so strong, as the single formed one of the stand-out tracks on Different Class, remaining a fan favourite to this day.
Explaining the inspiration behind the song, Cocker continued: “It must have been written quite near to me meeting this girl. It’s just wondering, really. If I hadn’t gone out and met this particular person in this particular nightclub and formed a relationship with her, how different would my life have been?”.
Continuing, “So it’s not really about fate. It’s more about the randomness of things. Which I like. As I’ve said before, that’s the main thing I feel is missing from my life. The worst thing about having a schedule and a timetable is that there’s less chance for unexpected things to happen.”
Although it took 12 years to come to fruition, ‘Something Changed’ was certainly worth the wait. The 1996 single featured heavily in the band’s recent reunion tour, which saw the group perform at various festivals and arenas across the globe. If the reaction to the band’s reunion tour is anything to go by, then public adoration for Cocker’s unique stylings certainly has not waned.
