Hot on the heels of Tiny Desk, exactly the sort of show I think you'd want them to do if you've seen any previous versions.
The usual format is three songs - a new/recent track, a well-known hit and a cover version.
Pulp said: "We are very much looking forward to coming into the Radio 2 Piano Room. What will we find there? Something old, something new - & a VERY special cover version. Cant wait."
Could it be a brand new song...? And I wonder will it be the Cash cover, their quote makes it sound as if it'll be unique/new too. Exciting!
old song : This is Hardcore
new song : one of the 2 b-sides from Man Comes Around (or a brand new song they'll rehearse this month)
cover : On your own again
I don't particularly like covers. But if I had to pick something, maybe a synth heavy version of something like Queen Bitch by Bowie or Gut Feeling by Devo
Otherwise, maybe a nod to their formative years with something like Into The Garden by Artery or 4 Hours by Clock DVA (I know they sort of did this with We Don't Need No Fascist Groove Thang recently)
This year's stunning line-up will perform cover versions by Abba, Gnarls Barkley, Glen Campbell, The Four Tops, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, Lou Reed, Right Said Fred, Spice Girls, Ed Sheeran, Frank Sinatra, Taylor Swift and Wings. To find out who is covering which artist, tune in each day.
Got to be Lou Reed, hasn't it? Caroline Says (I & II) please! JC has done Satellite Of Love live, solo, hasnt he?
Oh, and Jarvis spoke about it to Vernon Kay on his Radio 2 Show today when Pulp were announced.
He mentioned that it was his one big chance to play the piano even though he's not great at it.... does that mean Hymn Of The North? Hope so. Mad that it was the song that spawned More and yet we haven't heard it since summer 2023.
Remembering Jarvis doing the On This Day schtick at concerts, and cover versions often being linked to dates or venues (e.g. Hawkwinds Silver Machine being performed at the Roundhouse on the same date as a solo gig led accounted for it appearing as an encore), I asked AI about anniversaries in music history on the 2nd. The Beatles played their first ever gig outside of Liverpool, Iron Maiden released Killers, the Stones released 19th Nervous Breakdown, and Jimmy Hendrix played Purple Haze on Top of the Pops
I'm not sure what the cover version will be, I don't think that "The Man Comes Around" is particularly special at all but the band may disagree.
As for the new song, it really depends on the definition of "New". The album has been out for less than a year so anything from it is still technically new. A brand new song would be great though and they may perform "Begging For Change".
It would be nice if the old song is something that they haven't played live over the past few years. I'm hoping for "Seductive Barry" but I severely doubt that will happen.
It has to appeal to Radio 2 listeners which rules out stuff like Seductive Barry, I think!
The cover is from the list mentioned above with the VU the most likely, given they are a stated Pulp influence.
Jarvis said he's performing piano on one of the songs, hopefully it's Hymn, alongside Candy at the keyboard - one of the enduring images of the summer 2023 shows. The fact that they haven't played it since then but it's been highlighted as the song that birthed More, gives it a good chance of finally being performed again especially with the BBC orchestra to back them up.
Jarvis said he's performing piano on one of the songs, hopefully it's Hymn, alongside Candy at the keyboard - one of the enduring images of the summer 2023 shows. The fact that they haven't played it since then but it's been highlighted as the song that birthed More, gives it a good chance of finally being performed again especially with the BBC orchestra to back them up.
Still mad about the production of this song on the record. The break was so dramatic live and so Cher-esque on the LP. It's the only fail on More, but a big one.
Yeah, really enjoyed that. About time Pulp covered Abba - there's a definite through-line in their sound and style.
I thought Jarvis might be a bit nervous at playing live so early in the day as he seemed to fluff an early line on Something Changed but it all sounded pretty great.
Actually, did he chicken-out of playing piano on Hymn? He made a point of thanking a pianist after performing the song, as if it had been a late change/request. Guess we'll find out later when the footage is on the iPlayer.
A great session. I've always said that "Something Changed" works a lot better with a string section. "Hymn of the North" sounds a lot better than it does on record, closer to "This is Hardcore" and the Abba cover isn't too bad.
Bookmark i am so with you- Hymn of the North is like Top 5 Pulp songs. And I hope they do it in a few weeks time. Just want to hear it live. Itd be kind of cool if they pulled out the ABBA cover in melbourne because where they are playing is where aBBA played and its kinda famous for that because god we loved ABBA.
-- Edited by cutcopy on Monday 2nd of February 2026 09:19:13 PM
Wouldn't be surprised if we get a BBC2 broadcast at some stage. That ABBA cover was bloody brilliant, such a Pulp-y song to begin with, they really did it justice.
I never heard that ABBA song before and if you didn't tell me it was ABBA I'd have believed it was a Pulp song! Like Pip just said, it's a very Pulp-y song. Really enjoyed that broadcast. Sounding fantastic. And I love Muriel's Wedding!!! What a great film
Youve never heard that aBBA song! Wow amazing. the song is amazing. the cover is amazing. When I went to sweden many years ago the train station in the video clip I went to lols just for that and in my headphones i had the song on.
My favourite ABBA album is the last one - The Visitors. Its a masterpiece. Theres a track not on the album but was part of the sessions called Under Attack and its very Pulp. Actually should add it to the thread of songs not by pulp.
I say I love ABBA but I've only ever listened to Gold to be honest! I go through phases where I'll listen to that over and over. I must check out The Visitors. I remember in the Pulp People newsletter didn't they ask a question about ABBA and I only remember Russell's answer because I was disappointed he didn't like them didn't he say they were 'amusing kitsch' or something and I think might have picked Dancing Queen as maybe his 'favourite' song of theirs. I might have misremembered that.i think that cover was my favourite though the songs all sounded great. I wonder will you be getting HOTN in Oz then. Nice if they started putting it on the setlist again!
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I didnt do ABBA for many many years. And then it sort of hit. And it hit really hard because the technicality of their songs (who does counter melodies like them anymore - does anyone do counter melodies??) - alongside the beautiful-ness of them. Just incredible. I love The Visitors so much. Top 10 albums for me. Because by that time ABBA were kind of despised. And they were all getting divorces and had styled mullets and big big boots. I even like the album they were released a few years ago. I also like how the cover of the album is like turd brown. Its very Pulp. Ive hijacked this with my love for ABBA.
Great and unexpected choice of cover. I wonder if Abbas critical stock - not to suggest its low - is on the rise? Portishead did a breathtaking cover of SOS for their last release. Alan Partridge was right: maybe I should give Silly Love Songs or Maggies Farm another listen for a glimpse of the future, in case he is again?
Though the chord progression and style of the opening sequence/bridge of Super Trooper is an awful lot like Death Goes to the Disco. You could construct an entire version of the latter from that short sample of the former - Pulp just loop it.
And ooh - is that a stylophone I detect in Lay All Your Love On Me?
-- Edited by superchob on Tuesday 3rd of February 2026 07:09:06 AM
Errr, nice performance overall but a bit flat isn't it ? Thought the vocals were too upfront compared to the orchestra we barely hear. Or maybe that's my sound settings.
The cover was nice, especially the instrumental part. I dont know this song but the melody didnt strike me as strong. Maybe i should listen to the original
-- Edited by andy on Tuesday 3rd of February 2026 10:59:13 AM
Wow. I'd always thought that Blancmange's cover of The Day Before You Came sounded a lot like Seperations era Pulp, and it'd be a great song for them to do. www.youtube.com/watch
And it happened! Really hope it appears on "Even More" or whatever the next one is called. Or as a B side at least.
For me, it's a toss-up between Billy Joel's 'Just the Way You Are' and 'The Day Before You Came' by Abba.
The Billy Joel song is just plain nasty - the narrator wants to fix all aspects of his beloved, chillingly telling her that 'I don't want clever conversation'. In other words, don't argue, missy.
Abba's 'The Day Before You Came' seems on the face of it to document another empty day in the life of a single woman. But if you start to imagine the lyric like a piece of film, it's almost as though the listener is watching the narrator, spying on her: 'And rattling on the roof, I must have heard the sound of ...rain ...'
And then there's that long and dark instrumental end section. Very scary.
Posted by DavidGladwin
-- Edited by dlgladwin on Wednesday 4th of February 2026 11:29:16 AM
-- Edited by dlgladwin on Wednesday 4th of February 2026 11:31:09 AM
-- Edited by dlgladwin on Wednesday 4th of February 2026 11:31:38 AM
I have always viewed Abba as a cheesy/novelty band (maybe it's an age thing!) but I had a listen to "The Visitors" earlier and I actually quite like it.
If I wasn't already aware that this was a cover, I would have thought it was a Pulp original. I remember when Mike Siou sent me a tape of Pulp rarities in the late 1990s which included songs like "The Night" and "Morning Dew". As internet access wasn't as readily available back then, I didn't find out that they were covers until a couple of years later.
Yeah, it's been linked a lot but I want to just hear the song as I drift away at 1am in a world of interiors and chance meetings. And that's where FeelingCalledLive always works best, I feel.
Yeah, it's been linked a lot but I want to just hear the song as I drift away at 1am in a world of interiors and chance meetings. And that's where FeelingCalledLive always works best, I feel.
Ya, totally understand. Sometimes I just want to shut my eyes and listen to the music, nothing distracted & peacefully.
By the way, thanks Ian, I benefit from FeelingCalledLive a lot!!
I enjoyed the interview, thought Jarvis was kind shy which is unsual for a such an "old" music star. You'd think he would be used to it. But there were some good jokes, smart ones too.
He has that introverted extrovert personality but it mainly comes out on stage ("I was born to perform"). I think naturally he is quite shy but as he is also a creative, when it comes to expressing himself, the diva in him sometimes comes out too.
But I think you're right that in the media he's done to promote More, he seems more shy than before.
He might just be a little more self-conscious now as a man in his 60s and aware the perception of the public "Jarvis" is from 30 years ago. He presumably relies less on alcohol and cocaine to get him through social engagements now and he has a grown-up son, he may feel more grounded and content now, and less interest in having to "be Jarvis" and come up with funny or clever quips etc.
Even now has a very endearing trait where he talks quite shyly but then deflects suddenly - through doing an impression/impersonation of an accent or saying something funny which can be disarming in a pleasant way to people not used to his personality.
Hey, I'm new (and late) to the party, but for those interested I've gathered all the tracks played by the band during the various BBC sessions over the past few months.
That makes a pretty solid compilation with dedicated artworks for each show. This is Pulp - More at the BBC.
-- Edited by Lou_Weed on Wednesday 11th of March 2026 11:01:33 AM