Disco 2000 (song)

Last updated

There was a girl called Deborah—she was born in the same hospital as me. Not within an hour—I think it was like three hours—but you can't fit three hours into the song without having to really rush the singing! ... But basically you know the whole thing was the same—I fancied her for ages and then she started to become a woman and her breasts began to sprout so then all the boys fancied her then. I didn't stand a 'cat-in-hell's chance'. But then I did use to sometimes hang around outside her house and stuff like that. [1]

Deborah was based on a real-life childhood friend of Cocker's, Deborah Bone, who moved away from Sheffield to Letchworth when she was 10. As the lyrics suggest, she did marry and have children. [2] Bone later reflected, "My claim to fame is growing up and sleeping with Jarvis Cocker, well someone had to do it, and it was all perfectly innocent! I have been told and like to believe that I am the Deborah in the Number 1 hit 'Disco 2000,' but we never did get to meet up by the fountain down the road." [2] The fountain referred to as the meeting place was Goodwin Fountain, formerly located on Fargate, in Sheffield city centre. [3]

Music

"Disco 2000" took inspiration from disco music. Martin Aston of Attitude described the song as "seventies à go-go: the stamp of Elton John's 'Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting', Marc Bolan's glittery guitar, ABBA's sweeping gait and a huge swipe from Laura Branigan's Hi-NRG epic 'Gloria'." [4] Drummer Nick Banks said of this influence, "We are very much influenced by disco, yeah. And of course in the late '80s we got into raves a bit, and music did take on more of a disco thump in places. Yeah, I'm always going down the disco, I love it." [5]

Release

"Disco 2000" was released as the third single from Different Class on 27 November 1995. [6] The single reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the third top-10 single from Different Class, following "Common People" and the double A-side "Mis-Shapes" / "Sorted for E's & Wizz", both of which reached number two. The song also charted highly in Austria, Finland, Hungary, Iceland and Ireland, and it became Pulp's only top-50 hit in Australia. [7] On 7 October 1996, an orange 7-inch vinyl single was released in the United Kingdom. [8]

Due to its millennial subject matter, Pulp removed the song's synchronisation licence, effectively banning the song from being used in TV and radio trailers throughout 1999 and 2000. [9]

Reception

"Disco 2000" has seen critical acclaim and has been labeled by many as one of Pulp's greatest songs. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised its "glitzy, gaudy stomp." [10] James Masterton for Dotmusic said it "is easily the best track from the Different Class album, the closest they have ever come to an out-and-out pop stormer and certainly a floor-filler at office parties this holiday with its chorus of 'Let's all meet up in the year 2000/Won't it be strange when we're all fully grown.'" [11] A reviewer from Music Week rated it three out of five, adding, "A bouncing disco beat, based on the riff from Laura Branigan's 'Gloria,' sees a pumped-up Pulp and Jarvis doing his usual talking bit. But it may disappoint fans of their recent epics." [12] Simon Price from Melody Maker named it Single of the Week, writing, "But 'Disco 2000', like 'Pink Glove' before it, shows that what fuels his vindictive bitterness is actually a deep romanticism. Like The Human League's 'Louise' or Hot Chocolate's 'It Started with a Kiss', 'Disco 2000' — the second best track on Different Class after 'F.E.E.L.I.N.G.S Called Love' — is Jarvis' fantasy of meeting an old flame and reversing time (romanticism, remember, is equal parts dreaming of what could be, and what could have been)." [13] Ben Willmott from NME said it "is probably not their finest moment of late but it's typical on-form Pulp with an achingly gooey chorus and sexual frustration by the lorryload. Which is good enough for most of us." [14] Adrien Begrand of PopMatters called it a "fabulous single". [15] David Fricke of Rolling Stone wrote, "As a singer and writer, Cocker specializes in hapless pining and geeky self-obsession, desperately holding on to a childhood crush in 'Disco 2000'." [16] Barry Walters of Spin wrote, "This band has quoted disco riffs before, but the way it alludes here to Laura Branigan's 'Gloria' approaches genius." [17]

NME readers ranked the song as Pulp's third best in a fan vote, [18] while Orange County Weekly named the song as the number one Pulp song for beginners. [19] Stereogum's Ryan Leas ranked it as the band's second best, calling it "one of the ultimate Pulp songs" and concluding, "It's about youth and romanticism, but filtered through the perspective of a man already in his early 30s. That's what makes it a classic pop single by Pulp." [20]

In a 1996 interview, Elvis Costello praised the lyricism in the song, stating, "He's [Jarvis] very smart and I like his songs. I love the detail, like the thing in 'Disco 2000': 'There was woodchip on the wall.' I get the feeling that was a real memory." [21]

Music video

Pedro Romhanyi directed the music video for "Disco 2000". He adapted the story portrayed on the cover sleeve of the single, designed by Donald Milne. A boy and a girl, played by models Patrick Skinny and Jo Skinny, respectively, meet at a Saturday night disco and hook up. [22] The video uses the 7-inch mix of the song. The members of Pulp are represented on cardboard cutouts and on televisions throughout (for this reason, drummer Nick Banks called the song "the easiest video [they] ever did"). [23] Romhanyi explains:

So, in the video we duplicate the photo shoot, changing the order in a couple of cases, and of course add a lot of new stuff - the track is over five minutes long. Donald Milne's work for the album and single is like an artificial version of the real world, where all its mundane features have been removed. So this is what we had to recreate - the Pulp world - without Pulp being in it. The idea for the cutouts came from an old copy of Nova owned by [bassist] Steve Mackey. Jarvis and Steve like things quite crafted and with a sense of structure. A lot of work and a lot of talk that goes on before a frame is shot. [24]

Track listings

All lyrics are written by Jarvis Cocker; all music is composed by Jarvis Cocker, Nick Banks, Steve Mackey, Russell Senior, Candida Doyle and Mark Webber

"Disco 2000"
Disco 2000 Single.jpg
vinyl single, CD single (part one)
Single by Pulp
from the album Different Class
B-side "Ansaphone"
Released27 November 1995 (1995-11-27)
Genre Britpop
Length
  • 4:33(album version)
  • 4:51(7-inch mix)
Label Island
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Pulp singles chronology
"Mis-Shapes" / "Sorted for E's & Wizz"
(1995)		"Disco 2000"
(1995)		"Something Changed"
(1996)
Music video
"Disco 2000" on YouTube
UK and Australian CD1; Japanese CD single [25] [26]
No.TitleLength
1."Disco 2000" (7-inch mix)4:51
2."Disco 2000" (album mix)4:33
3."Ansaphone"4:01
4."Live Bed Show" (extended)4:10
UK and Australian CD2 [27]
No.TitleLength
1."Disco 2000" (album mix)4:33
2."Disco 2000" (7-inch mix)4:51
3."Disco 2000" (Motiv 8 Discoid mix)7:31
4."Disco 2000" (Motiv 8 Gimp dub)6:31
UK 7-inch single [28]
No.TitleLength
1."Disco 2000" (album mix)4:33
2."Ansaphone"4:01
UK and Australian cassette single; European CD single [29] [30]
No.TitleLength
1."Disco 2000" (7-inch mix)4:51
2."Disco 2000" (Motiv 8 Discoid mix)7:31
UK 12-inch single [31]
No.TitleLength
1."Disco 2000" (7-inch mix)4:51
2."Ansaphone"4:01
3."Disco 2000" (Motiv 8 Gimp dub)6:31
4."Disco 2000" (Motiv 8 Discoid mix)7:31

Musicians

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [46] Platinum600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

Irish singer Joe Dolan covered the song for his album Joe's 90s in 1998. Following his death, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra added a string accompaniment to a number of his recordings. They were released on the albums Orchestrated and Orchestrated, Vol. 2. A version of the song appears on the latter album.

The song was covered by Nick Cave as a B-side for Pulp's single "Bad Cover Version" (2002), and again as a "pub rock" version on the deluxe edition of Different Class (2006). [47] Keane covered the song in 2008.

"Disco 2000" was featured in Episode 7 of the first series of Life on Mars , where DI Sam Tyler hears it come on the radio in 1973, and mentions to DCI Gene Hunt that he had seen Pulp play the Manchester Nynex in 1996, to Hunt's bemusement. The song also appeared in a party scene in the 2013 Seth Rogen film This Is the End , and again in "The End of the Tour" in 2015.

In 1996, it featured on the UEFA Euro 1996 official album, The Beautiful Game .

The budget airline EasyJet used the song in a 2015 UK commercial celebrating their twenty years of revenue service. [48]

The song is featured on the soundtrack of the 2018 independent adventure game KURSK, [49] and can be heard on the radio at multiple points.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pulp (band)</span> English rock band

Pulp are an English rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. At their critical and commercial peak, the band consisted of Jarvis Cocker, Russell Senior, Candida Doyle (keyboards), Nick Banks, Steve Mackey (bass) and Mark Webber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professional Widow</span> 1996 single by Tori Amos

"Professional Widow" is a song written by the American singer-songwriter Tori Amos, released on her third album, Boys for Pele (1996). It is a harpsichord-driven rock song and its lyrics are rumored to have been inspired by the American songwriter Courtney Love. The song was released on July 2, 1996, by Atlantic and EastWest, as the third single from the Boys for Pele album in the US, containing remixes by the house music producers Armand van Helden and MK. The single reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. In Italy, the original version peaked at number two in October 1996. An edited version of the Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix of "Professional Widow" was originally released as a double A-side single with "Hey Jupiter" in Europe and Australia.

<i>Different Class</i> 1995 studio album by Pulp

Different Class is the fifth studio album by English rock band Pulp, released on 30 October 1995 by Island Records.

<i>Hits</i> (Pulp album) 2002 compilation album by Pulp

Hits is a greatest hits collection by the English rock band Pulp, released in November 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Design for Life</span> 1996 single by Manic Street Preachers

"A Design for Life" is a single by Welsh band Manic Street Preachers from their fourth studio album, Everything Must Go (1996). It was written by James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire, and produced by Dave Eringa and Mike Hedges. Released on 15 April 1996 by Epic Records, the song debuted and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. The accompanying music video was directed by Pedro Romhanyi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parklife (song)</span> 1994 single by Blur

"Parklife" is a song by the English rock band Blur, released in August 1994 by Food and Parlophone as the third single from the band's third studio album, Parklife (1994). The song contains spoken-word verses by the actor Phil Daniels, who also appears in the music video, which was directed by Pedro Romhanyi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common People</span> 1995 single by the band Pulp

"Common People" is a song by English alternative rock band Pulp, released in May 1995 by Island Records as the lead single from their fifth studio album, Different Class (1995). It reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming a defining track of the Britpop movement as well as Pulp's signature song. In 2014, BBC Radio 6 Music listeners voted it their favourite Britpop song in an online poll. In a 2015 Rolling Stone readers' poll it was voted the greatest Britpop song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sorted for E's & Wizz</span> 1995 single by Pulp

"Sorted for E's & Wizz" is a song written and performed by the English band Pulp for their 1995 album Different Class. Based lyrically on a phrase that lead singer Jarvis Cocker overheard at a rave, the song features lyrics examining the hollow and artificial nature of drug culture. Because of its subject matter, the song sparked controversy in the UK, where several tabloids attacked the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saturday Night (Suede song)</span> 1997 single by Suede

"Saturday Night" is the third single from English rock band Suede's third studio album, Coming Up (1996), released on 13 January 1997 through Nude Records. The single continued the success of Suede's previous two hits by entering the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number six. Outside the UK, the song peaked at number one in Iceland, number seven in Finland, number eight in Denmark, and number 11 in Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Want That Man</span> 1989 single by Debbie Harry

"I Want That Man" is a song by American singer Deborah Harry. The song was released as the lead single from her third solo album, Def, Dumb & Blonde, and was the first record Harry released in which she reverted to using Deborah as her name instead of Debbie. "I Want That Man" became a hit in several territories, reaching number two in Australia and on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It also became a top-20 hit in Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Help the Aged (song)</span> 1997 single by Pulp

"Help the Aged" is a song by British alternative rock band Pulp from their 1998 album, This Is Hardcore. Written as a sarcastic reflection of Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker's ageing, the song was disliked by Pulp guitarist Russell Senior who left the band before the song's release and sought to prevent it from being released as a single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is Hardcore (song)</span> 1998 single by Pulp

"This Is Hardcore" is a song by English rock band Pulp, released as the second single from their sixth album, This Is Hardcore (1998). Written as a commentary on fame using pornography as an analogy, the song includes a sample of the Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra's "Bolero on the Moon Rocks." Released as a single in March 1998, the song reached number 12 in the UK and became a top-40 hit in Finland, Iceland, and New Zealand. It has since seen critical acclaim, as has its music video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cosmic Girl (song)</span> 1996 single by Jamiroquai

"Cosmic Girl" is the second single from British funk and acid jazz band Jamiroquai's third studio album, Travelling Without Moving (1996). The song was released in the United Kingdom on 25 November 1996 via Sony Soho Square and in the United States in 1997 via Work Group. It was written by Jay Kay and Derrick McKenzie, and produced by Rick Pope, achieving great chart success, peaking at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also reached No. 3 in Italy, No. 4 in Iceland, and No. 10 in Finland. The accompanying music video was directed by Adrian Moat and filmed in Spain. The B-side to the single is an instrumental, "Slipin' 'N' Slidin'", a song originating from another Jamiroquai track called "Mr Boogie", which was a live-only song. "Slipin 'N' Slidin'", just like "Mr Boogie", also has a vocal version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mis-Shapes</span> 1995 single by Pulp

"Mis-Shapes" is a song written and released by English alternative rock band Pulp from their 1995 album Different Class. Lyrically inspired by Cocker's experiences socializing in Sheffield as an outcast, the song features lyrics that call for misfits to unite and take over. This lyrical theme would make Cocker uncomfortable with Pulp's growing popularity with "townies" after the song's release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Something Changed</span> 1996 single by Pulp

"Something Changed" is a song by Britpop band Pulp, released on their 1995 album, Different Class. Written much earlier in the band's existence but revived for the Different Class sessions, "Something Changed" features lyrics that focused on the random nature as to how important events happen in life. The song also features a guitar solo performed by guitarist Mark Webber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lipgloss (song)</span> 1993 single by Pulp

"Lipgloss" is a song by British rock band Pulp from their fourth album, His 'n' Hers (1994). With lyrics written by Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker about the deterioration of social skills that comes with a relationship in the context of a breakup, the song was the first that the band worked on for their new record company, Island Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Little Soul</span> 1998 single by Pulp

"A Little Soul" is a song by British alternative rock band Pulp, from their 1998 album, This Is Hardcore. It was released on 8 June 1998 as the third single from the album, charting at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Party Hard (Pulp song)</span> 1998 single by Pulp

"Party Hard" is a song by British alternative rock band Pulp. Featuring David Bowie-inspired vocals, the song lyrically was inspired by the band's dissatisfaction and exhaustion with clubbing.

<i>Countdown 1992–1983</i> 1996 compilation album by Pulp

Countdown 1992–1983 is a double compilation album by the band Pulp released by compilation specialist Nectar Masters on 11 March 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)</span> 1993 single by Sub Sub

"Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)" is a song by British dance music act Sub Sub, released on 29 March 1993 by independent label Rob's Records as the second single from their debut album, Full Fathom Five (1994). It features Temper Temper's Melanie Williams on vocals. The song was the act's biggest single, reaching number three on the UK Singles Chart and number one on the UK Dance Singles Chart; it became one of many dance singles in 1993 to cross over into mainstream popularity in the UK. In the accompanying music video, Jimi Goodwin plays bass, Jez Williams plays keyboards and percussion, and Jez' twin brother Andy Williams plays keytar. After struggling to repeat the success of the single, and after a fire destroyed the band's Ancoats studio in 1996, the group eventually reformed with a radically different sound as Doves in 1998.

References

  1. 1 2 Kershaw, Liz. "Liz Kershaw Interviews Jarvis [Transcript]". BBC 6 Music. Acrylic Afternoons. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  2. 1 2 Vincent, Alex (2 January 2015). "Deborah Bone, who inspired Pulp's Disco 2000, dies aged 51". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  3. ↑ "In pictures: How Sheffield shopping street Fargate has changed through the decades". The World News. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  4. ↑ Aston, Martin. "Cocker Gets Cocky". Attitude. Acrylic Afternoons. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  5. ↑ Reid, Pat (February 1996). "Nick Banks Interview". Acrylic Afternoons. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 25 November 1995. p. 39. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Pulp – Disco 2000". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  8. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 5 October 1996. p. 37.
  9. ↑ News, Select . January 1999.
  10. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Different Class – Pulp". AllMusic . Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  11. ↑ Masterton, James (3 December 1995). "Week Ending December 9th 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  12. ↑ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 18 November 1995. p. 12. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  13. ↑ Price, Simon (25 November 1995). "Singles". Melody Maker . p. 34. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  14. ↑ Willmott, Ben (25 November 1995). "Singles". NME . p. 40. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  15. ↑ Begrand, Adrien (19 May 2004). "Pulp: Different Class". PopMatters . Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  16. ↑ Fricke, David (4 April 1996). "Pulp: Different Class". Rolling Stone . No. 731. pp. 61–62. Archived from the original on 29 September 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  17. ↑ Walters, Barry (March 1996). "Pulp – Different Class". Spin . Vol. 11, no. 12. p. 108. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  18. ↑ Elan, Priya (19 August 2017). "Pulp's 10 Best Songs - As Voted By You | NME". NME. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  19. ↑ Staff, OC Weekly- (24 February 2012). "Pulp: Top 10 Songs for Beginners – OC Weekly". OC Weekly. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  20. ↑ Leas, Ryan (8 August 2013). "The 10 Best Pulp Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  21. ↑ Du Noyer, Paul (June 1996). "The Elvis Costello Interview". Mojo.
  22. ↑ "That's Pat & Jo Skinny in the video for Disco 2000. #timstwitterlisteningparty". Twitter. Pulp. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  23. ↑ Christie, Erin. "Members of Pulp talked 'Different Class' & more on Tim's Twitter Listening Party". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  24. ↑ "Features: Disco 2000". Acrylic Afternoons. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  25. ↑ Disco 2000 (UK & Australian CD1 liner notes). Pulp. Island Records. 1995. CID 623, 854493-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ↑ Disco 2000 (Japanese CD single liner notes). Pulp. Island Records. 1996. PHCR 8358.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ↑ Disco 2000 (UK & Australian CD2 liner notes). Pulp. Island Records. 1995. CIDX 623, 854495-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ↑ Disco 2000 (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Pulp. Island Records. 1995. ISC 623, 854 770-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ↑ Disco 2000 (UK & Australian cassette single sleeve). Pulp. Island Records. 1995. CIS 623, 854492-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ↑ Disco 2000 (European CD single liner notes). Pulp. Island Records. 1995. CIDT623, 854492-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  31. ↑ Disco 2000 (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Pulp. Island Records. 1995. 12 IS 623, 854 771-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  32. ↑ "Pulp – Disco 2000" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  33. ↑ "Varaždin, Trg kralja Tomislava 2". Varaždinske vijesti (in Croatian) (21): 31. 22 May 1996. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  34. ↑ "Danskehitlister.dk". danskehitlister.dk. Archived from the original on 21 July 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  35. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 12, no. 51/52. 23 December 1995. p. 9. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  36. ↑ "Pulp: Disco 2000" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  37. ↑ "Pulp – Disco 2000" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  38. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 13, no. 7. 17 February 1996. p. 20. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  39. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Nr. 155: Vikuna 3.2. – 9.2. '96". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 3 February 1996. p. 38. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  40. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Disco 2000". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  41. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  42. ↑ "Pulp – Disco 2000". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  43. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  44. ↑ "Top 100 Singles 1995". Music Week . 13 January 1996. p. 9.
  45. ↑ "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  46. ↑ "British single certifications – Pulp – Disco 2000". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  47. ↑ Whatley·April 24, Jack (24 April 2020). "Revisit Nick Cave's quite brilliant cover of Pulp's britpop hit 'Disco 2000'". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved 3 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  48. ↑ "EasyJet - How 20 Years Have Flown". 27 September 2015.
  49. ↑ "KURSK on Steam".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.