My vote: This is Hardcore

My reason: Common People is an important song for the group and music in the UK, but This is Harcore is the grup pushing the boundaries as far as they could. Amazing that it got in the top twenty.

This Is Hardcore

When asked, under pressure and in front of a camera (there's another factor to this which I can't mention.) what my favourite Pulp song is I said this without much hesitation. I think it's perfect in every way.

Common People deserved to get further than this because of its importance and brilliance, but up against Hardcore it didnt stand a chance with me.

-- Edited by Jarvgirl on Tuesday 28th of January 2014 01:11:57 PM

Hardcore

Common People

Reason: Although I agree with what others have said about TIH and can see why it would deservedly win, if I had to make a personal choice, I'd have to pick Common People. It's not my favourite song or even my favourite Pulp song, but it's been the soundtrack for so many memories and the atmosphere when I've heard it live has been fantastic, euphoric almost - Glasto '95 was an immense moment for many others (not me, sadly, as I was 12 at the time and only just starting to get into music). To me, it's the song that best bridges the gap between Pulp and the rest of the non-Pulp-loving world and it's featured at memorable moments in my life partly for that reason - dancing with friends to it at weddings (full-length version of course), at birthdays, various other parties, as youngsters, etc. I was running a marathon and towards the end, it came on my iPod and just hearing it gave me such a psychological boost, I actually sped up (from very slow to not quite as slow) despite being knackered, I felt like it was carrying me along. Obviously, all these reasons are personal and won't apply to anyone else so aware I'm being really subjective. On a non-personal note, it opened a whole new section of the population up to Pulp, set the band's lives on a different course, and without it, all that followed could have been very different (for better or worse). I'd like to think I'd have discovered Pulp without it (it was actually Sorted that made me want to delve into the band further) but who knows?

I was going to with TIH - for the gorgeousness but I'm going with Common People

For a lot of the same reasons as Chasing Newspapers. I was 23 and working in a record shop when it came out, that era was just so exciting for me. I was a Glastonbury 1995 but was sadly too twatted to go see them. I remember hearing Common People in the background and nearly crying because i'd been too drunk to remember to see them! how gutting is that!

Also the Ben Folds/William Shatner version just shows what an amazing writer Jarvis is, when the song is sung in a different way

Hardcore because it's less, urm... Common.

Hardcore is extremely unique and more creative.

This is Hardcore

Common People is THE ultimate pop song, but this is hardcore is a lot more musically interesting and lyrically raw which makes for a better song in my opinion

This Is Hardcore

Common People gets by on sheer chutzpah but I really can't listen to it anymore. Is it just a case of overfamiliarity? Perhaps, but I very soon found that Common People failed to keep me interested as a song, it is very one dimensional. This is Hardcore on the other hand seems to ebb and flow and always offers up a new perspective or a new way of interpretation. Therefore, I must choose This is Hardcore.

Common People. Musically it's one of the most confident sounding songs I've ever heard, while still being completely unique. Its Pulp just being themselves and managing to take everyone else with them. An amazing achievement for them, especially considering their history. Also, it was the first song I studied the lyrics to (this was 5 years or so after I first heard it), and they have had a huge effect on the direction my life has taken. Some very wise words and brutal truths in there.

Ok, time for a result. Counting votes with no reason given as .5 of a vote, This Is Hardcore squeaks ahead to win 8-7. Phew.

My vote: Babies. Because I suspect that it will always remain my favourite song, by any artist. So much joy in those few minutes.

Acrylic Afternoons
Because it turns me on and is pure sex. And it also has the dry observational humour that made me fall in Love with Pulp.