Pulp on BBC Radio 2 Piano Room with Orchestra 02/02/2026 - Bar Italia Forum

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Posted by Eamonn
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!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2026/radio-2-piano-room-month-line-up

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Ian
Sounds great. I have literally just seen this (the song was written by Jarvis). 

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Bookmark
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

 
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
You're always so sure.

But are you sure...?

 

 
 
 
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Posted by HoltbyCity
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)
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Violin Thing
Are there audiences or is it just in the studio?
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
Think the studio can barely fit the BBC orchestra in the room.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
Just spotted this at the end of the article:

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.

Fast forward to 1hr 48mins here for the chat"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002pgct?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Bookmark
Eamonn wrote:
You're always so sure.

But are you sure...?

 I'm sure of what I want but yeah we also need Hymn of the North to come back

 

 
 
 
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Posted by JohnPaul_II
Labi Siffre is playing too? Pulp was a "get in", learning that Labi is doing... anything musical again is the best thing I've heard all week.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by andy
This is Hardcore played Room 29 style could work VERY well

Looking forward to it.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
You mean stripped-down? Unlikely with a full orchestra!
 

 
 
 
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Posted by andy
Eamonn wrote:
You mean stripped-down? Unlikely with a full orchestra!

Dont really know the concept of that session, it has full orchestra ? Then good.

Yeah i mean stripped down completely. I play it often on the piano and it works really well with just that. 

 

 
 
 
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Posted by superchob
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
 

 
 
 
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Posted by lipglossed
Well if it's AI, then I wouldn't trust that answer tbh...
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
This is on tomorrow morning, between 0930 and midday, not sure what time exactly.

The presenter, Vernon Kay, was inviting Pulp fans to leave voice-note questions for the group to be broadcast on Radio 2, if you dare... 0800 028 8291
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Ian
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.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
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.

 

 
 
 
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Posted by andy
Eamonn wrote:

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. 

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Pip
That was fun! Jarvis on his usual good form.

Songs played:

Something Changed

Hymn of the North

The Day Before You Came (ABBA cover)
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
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.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
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.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by andy
Yeah BBC 2 now upload that to youtube thank you.

 

Its online here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002qrt1 but no video yet. 

-- Edited by andy on Monday 2nd of February 2026 04:54:11 PM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Ian

 

 
 
 
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Posted by lucyduck
Video for the 3 songs by BBC Music.

Something Changed:

Hymn Of The North

The Day Before You Came

 

 




-- Edited by Ian on Monday 2nd of February 2026 07:28:04 PM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Bookmark
I may have said it before but, Hymn of the North is such a gem
 

 
 
 
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Posted by robbroncs
would kill for on your own again

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Ian
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.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by JohnWayne
I get the feeling Something Changed is JCs favourite Pulp song.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
I'd love to hear the 1984 version with Saskia.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by HoltbyCity
The full video is up now: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0mtrmfy/radio-2s-piano-room-piano-room-month-2026-pulp
 

 
 
 
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Posted by cutcopy
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
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
You're terrible, Muriel!

 

 
 
 
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Posted by cutcopy
its funny you say that because my better half his Aunty is the real Muriel. Her name is Helena.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
Whaaaat?!
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Pip
HoltbyCity wrote:
The full video is up now: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0mtrmfy/radio-2s-piano-room-piano-room-month-2026-pulp

 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.

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Jean
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
 

 
 
 
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Posted by cutcopy
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.

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Jean
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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Posted by cutcopy
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.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by cutcopy
One more thing. The fact that all of ABBA are still alive. All that fisk and lax in their diets.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by superchob
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?
 

 
 
 
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Posted by superchob
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
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Cehora
Eamonn wrote:
I'd love to hear the 1984 version with Saskia.

 Do you know this video? Saskia sings it here, but it´s from a later date. She says it´s a slightly different version, but it doesn´t differ much.

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
Thanks, yeah, that's from the Life, Death & Supermarkets DVD.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by andy
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
 

 
 
 
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Posted by JohnPaul_II
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.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Violin Thing
The best ABBA song, great cover!

I'll have to go back to ABBA Voyage, think Jarvis went to the premiere didn't he?
 

 
 
 
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Posted by dlgladwin
lucyduck wrote:
The Day Before You Came

 

I see from looking at this on YouTube that the whole thing is available via iPlayer...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0mtrmfy/radio-2s-piano-room-piano-room-month-2026-pulp

Be interesting to see if Jarvis talks about this song before they play it. Here's why.

In 2006, he invited readers' suggestions about scary songs, in an Observer piece. The published comments can all be found here...

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/oct/15/6

...and one of them was mine:

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
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Ian
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.
 

 
 
 
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