Lipgloss by Pulp Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Layers of Desire and Loss
Lyrics
When all that you live on is lipgloss and cigarettes.
And scraps at the end of the day when he’s given the rest,
To someone with long black hair.
All those nights up making such a mess of the bed.
Oh you never ever want to go home.
And he wants you so you may as well hang around for a while,
Call your dad on the phone.
He changed his mind last Monday,
So you’ve gotta leave by Sunday, yeah.
You’ve lost your lipgloss Honey, Oh yeah.
Now nothing you do can turn him on,
There’s something wrong.
You had it once but now it’s gone.
And you feel such a fool,
For laughing at bad jokes,
And putting up with all of his friends,
And kissing in public.
What are they gonna say when they run into you again?
That your stomach looks bigger and your hair is a mess,
And your eyes are just holes in your face.
And it rains every day,
And when it doesn’t,
The sun makes you feel worse anyway.
He changed his mind last Monday,
Now you’ve gotta leave by Sunday, yeah.
You’ve lost your lipgloss Honey, Oh yeah.
Now nothing you do can turn him on,
There’s something wrong.
You had it once but now it’s gone.
Though you knew,
There was no way it was gonna last for ever,
It still shook you,
When he told you in a letter,
That he didn’t want to see you.
You nearly lost your mind, Oh yeah.
You’ve lost your lipgloss Honey, Oh yeah.
Now nothing you do can turn him on,
There’s something wrong.
You had it once but now it’s gone, Oh yeah.
You’ve lost your lipgloss Honey, Oh yeah.
Now nothing you do can turn him on,
There’s something wrong.
You had it once but now it’s gone.
Oh yeah.
Pulp’s ‘Lipgloss’ is not just a song; it’s a raw portrayal of ephemeral attraction and the haunting echo of loss. Jarvis Cocker, the band’s mastermind, lays bare a story of a relationship spider-webbed with superficiality—and the crushing aftermath when the facade crumbles.
Surface-level interpretations cast ‘Lipgloss’ as a song about the end of a romance. However, like peeling the layers off an onion, there’s more beneath the surface. It’s a commentary on societal expectations, the expendability of relationships, and the stark reality of fleeting affection.
The Sheer Power in Simplicity: Understanding the Appeal
At first glance, Cocker’s lyrics paint a straightforward narrative: a protagonist’s lover, once enchanted, grows indifferent. Yet, Pulp’s musical genius turns this simple tale into an anthem for the discarded. Through a catchy beat and visceral lyrics, the song captures the notion that sometimes, what once was everything can turn to nothing.
The simplicity of the chorus emphasizes the profound feeling of being left behind. The loss of ‘Lipgloss’ symbolizes the loss of allure, and by extension, the loss of the partner’s interest—an age-old story of desire going cold.
A Dissection of Lyrics: The Elegy for Superficial Love
‘No wonder you’re looking thin, when all that you live on is lipgloss and cigarettes.’ These opening lines serve as a critique of the lengths to which one might go to maintain an image of allure and desirability. It reflects a societal obsession with superficial beauty, hinting at the emptiness that often lies beneath.
As the song progresses with ‘And scraps at the end of the day,’ it sheds light on the power dynamics in a relationship teetering on the edge. The partner has moved on to ‘someone with long black hair,’ marking a shift toward a new object of superficial affection, leaving our protagonist with nothing but the remains of a day and the memories of passionate nights.
The Stinging Reality of Social Scrutiny
The fear of public perception is woven through the song’s tapestry. ‘What are they gonna say when they run into you again?’ becomes a piercing line, echoing a dread of judgment that one faces after a relationship ends. The lipgloss may be gone, but the smear of social judgment remains.
Cocker doesn’t just illustrate the personal agony of the breakup but magnifies how societal expectations intensify that pain. The imagery of the protagonist, with ‘your stomach looks bigger and your hair is a mess,’ depicts the vulnerability and scrutiny faced particularly by women after the dissolution of a relationship.
The Hidden Meaning: An Ode to the Fleeting Nature of Happiness
Amid the explicit tale of lost love lies a deeper, concealed message—one of the transient nature of happiness. The song cyclically moves from the giddy height of romantic elevation to the gut-wrenching plummet of being left behind. Cocker subtly narrates the human condition, where joy is ephemeral and tomorrow is never promised.
‘You had it once but now it’s gone,’ sings Cocker, a line that strikes at the heart of the matter. It’s a poignant reminder of life’s impermanence and the fact that what defines us today may be rendered meaningless tomorrow, much like the vanished allure of a once-treasured lipgloss.
The Unforgettable Lines That Echo in Minds
‘And it rains every day, And when it doesn’t, The sun makes you feel worse anyway.’ These lyrics embody the genesis of the song’s staying power. It’s not just a breakup; it’s a representation of the overarching gloom and despair that shroud one’s perception even on ostensibly brighter days.
This weather metaphor delivers much more than a comment on English melancholy. It captures a psychological state where neither the presence nor the absence of the light can lift the weight of desolation left in the wake of love lost, encapsulating the universal angst we all carry within us.
