A song written by legendary frontman Jarvis Cocker was inspired after he was “thrown out of a party”.
The Pulp songwriter confirmed the track, which featured on an early album from the band, originated from a “crap” party he had attended. Cocker, 61, found himself thrown out of the party by an architect, though says he “got his own back” on the host after writing a song about it. Said song can be found on Intro: The Gift Recordings, an album released before the band’s breakthrough album, His ‘n’ Hers. The compilation, which features classic tracks like Razzmatazz and Babies, also features songs heavily inspired by Sheffield. Along with those songs are O.U. (Gone, Gone) and 59 Lyndhurst Grove, the latter of which was inspired by an encounter at a house party.
Cocker told Record Collector in 1994: “[It] was inspired by a party I’d been to the weekend before. We were thrown out by an architect but I got my own back by writing a song about the event. It was a really crap ‘right on’ party – there were children there.
“You don’t take your children to a party in my book. I sent a copy of the CD to 59 Lyndhurst Grove, the lady of the house, because she was in a bad situation, married to this prick, but she never wrote back. A Japanese fan went there and stood outside, and asked if she was Susan!”
The real 59 Lyndhurst Grove, it was revealed, is based in Camberwell, south London. Liner notes would also suggest Susan as being from Rotherham. The story was told through three songs on Intro: The Gift Recordings.
59 Lyndhurst Grove marks the final song of Intro: The Gift Recordings, and the conclusion to a trilogy featuring Stacks and Inside Susan.
The liner notes read: “…following Susan from her Rotherham puberty through wild teen years in Sheffield to her eventual marriage and settling down somewhere on the outskirts of London.
“I played these songs to Susan the other day – she just laughed and said I was being spiteful because she wouldn’t sleep with me when we first met. She also said to tell you that she’s perfectly happy where she is at the moment, thank you very much.”
Pulp would perform the song for the first time since 2012, on their More tour date in London, England. Their second night at the O2 Apollo saw attending fans vote for the song over Separations rip Don’t You Want Me Anymore. A full setlist from the show featuring the final outing of 59 Lyndhurst Grove can be found below.
- Spike Island
- Grown Ups
- Slow Jam
- Sorted for E’s & Wizz
- Disco 2000
- F.E.E.L.I.N.G. C.A.L.L.E.D. L.O.V.E.
- Happy Birthday to You (Mildred J. Hill and Patty Hill cover, dedicated to Andrew McKinney)
- Help the Aged (dedicated to Andrew McKinney)
- Tina
- Farmers Market
- This Is Hardcore
- Sunrise
- Something Changed
- The Fear
- O.U. (Gone, Gone)
- 59 Lyndhurst Grove
- Acrylic Afternoons
- Do You Remember the First Time?
- Mis-Shapes
- Got to Have Love
- Babies
- Common People
- A Sunset
