Babies
by Pulp

Album: His 'n' Hers (1994)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The 'Stanhope Road' mentioned in the lyrics are likely referencing a real-life Stanhope Road in the Intake district of Sheffield, where Jarvis Cocker was born and raised.
  • In 2009 on the Sky Arts show Jarvis Cocker: Songbook, Cocker discussed the song's genesis with Will Hodgkinson, noting that it came from drummer Nick Banks messing up some chords on the guitar, and Cocker overhearing this and running with the sounds these gaffed chords had generated to create the song.
  • Like a few other singles in the early 1990s for the band, "Babies" was released in several versions - originally as a 12" single for Gift Records in 1992, before a remixed version was put out on the Sisters EP in 1994 and made it onto their breakthrough album His 'N' Hers in the same year.
  • This tale of voyeurism, with Cocker singing about spying on two sisters, spawned a sequel in the Pulp song "Your Sister's Clothes," which takes place four years later.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Tomlin

Chris TomlinSongwriter Interviews

The king of Christian worship music explains talks about writing songs for troubled times.

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About Transgenderism

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About TransgenderismSong Writing

A history of songs dealing with transgender issues, featuring Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Morrissey and Green Day.

Phone Booth Songs

Phone Booth SongsSong Writing

Phone booths are nearly extinct, but they provided storylines for some of the most profound songs of the pre-cell phone era.

Ramones

RamonesFact or Fiction

A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Bryan Adams

Bryan AdamsSongwriter Interviews

What's the deal with "Summer of '69"? Bryan explains what the song is really about, and shares more of his songwriting insights.