Song of the Day: Pulp – “Like A Friend”
Released: January 6, 1998
B-Side to “A Little Soul” Single
Bonus track on This Is Hardcore
Formed in 1978, Pulp struggled to find their place in the British music scene throughout the 80s. The were sort of an outlier of many scenes that would rise and fall during the decade. But, by the the mid-late 90s, they were one of the definitive acts of the Britpop scene. Frontman Jarvis Cocker had become one of the wittiest lyricists in rock, and had mastered his Scott Walker meets Gainsbourg croon. Their 1995 LP Different Class gave them a slew of hits that would go on to become anthems for a generation. The follow-up This Is Hardcore was considerably darker in tone, lacking some of the commercial pop appeal of Different Class, but every bit as critically acclaimed.
“Like A Friend” was originally released as a B-side to This Is Hardcore single “A Little Soul”, and then eventually added as a bonus track to the album. “A Little Soul” is a wonderful crooning, lounge pop song, but “Like A Friend” is really special and should be remembered as one of the band’s greatest songs. Beginning as slow guitar ballad, the slow, sad song of unrequited love completely shifts into a biting rocker after the 2nd verse. Cocker’s words on “Like A Friend” cut as deep as anything he’s even written. Fueled by scorn, it’s an anthem for the most bitter among us.
[Verse 1]
Don’t bother saying you’re sorry
Why don’t you come in?
Smoke all my cigarettes again
Every time I get no further
How long has it been?
Come on in now
Wipe your feet on my dreams
[Verse 2]
You take up my time
Like some cheap magazine
When I coulda been learning something
Oh well, you know what I mean
I’ve done this before
And I will do it again
Come on and kill me, baby
While you smile like a friend
Oh, and I’ll come running
Just to do it again
[Verse 3]
You are that last drink I never should have drunk
You are the body hidden in the trunk
You are the habit I can’t seem to kick
You are my secrets on the front page every week
You are the car I never should have bought
You are the train I never should have caught
You are the cut that makes me hide my face
You are the party that makes me feel my age
And like a car crash I can see but I just can’t avoid
Like a plane I’ve been told I never should board
Like a film that’s so bad but I gotta stay till the end
Let me tell you now, it’s lucky for you that we’re friends
And like a car crash I can see but I just can’t avoid
Like a plane I’ve been told I never should board
Like a film that’s so bad but I gotta stay till the end
Let me tell you now, it’s lucky for you that we’re friends