In the late summer of 1981, Pulp had their first recording session in an unassuming house in the nearby suburb Handsworth. The house’s owner, Ken Patten, had a simple, affordable recording setup for nascent musicians. Patten’s Studio Electrophonique became an important lynchpin for many Sheffield bands, so much so that there’s a 2022 documentary about it.
The events of that day yielded the tape that Jarvis presented to John Peel that September. And a year later, one song from the sessions became the first Pulp song ever released, appearing on a compilation entitled Your Secret’s Safe with Us. The sound of “What Do You Say?” is twitchy and doomy – very Factory Records. As a lyricist, Jarvis has already acquired a sense of ambition, sketching a macabre scenario in which he awakens to realize he’s literally changed into another person. Is he thinking along the lines of a less gruesome version of Kafka’s Metamorphosis? Maybe instead he’s reflecting on adolescence, and the emotional and physical upheavals that come with it. (Jarvis would have been around 18 when this song came out.) So he takes that feeling, and transports it into the realm of horror, making the metaphor into something concrete. He truly wants to contemplate — not only for himself but for those around him — what it would mean to become another person.
Another version of “What Would You Say” saw release in 2025. The June issue of MOJO included a fantastic Pulp compilation to accompany a cover story on the band. Forty Odd Years: Live. Rare. Unreleased. 1982-2025 opens with an energetic recording of the song performed at the Sheffield pub Marples on February 15, 1982.
The Peel session inspired Jarvis to put off university to pursue his musical endeavors. But a few months after that concert, two Pulp members, Peter Dalton and Jamie Pinchbeck, opted to leave the band to attend to their studies, effectively bringing this era of Pulp to a close. By the time of their next release, the lineup and sound of the band had considerably shifted.
What Do You Say (Your Secret’s Safe With Us)
What Do You Say (Live at Marples)
What Do You Say?
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About the author
Michael Pelusi’s music writing has appeared in places such as The AV Club, Philadelphia City Paper, and MAGNET Magazine. He has also worked as an editor and content expert for numerous fields, including health and human services, licensing examinations, and civic technology. He lives in Philadelphia, PA, with his wife and their three cats. Learn more at michaelpelusi.com.
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