Sorted for E's & Wizz
Encyclopedia
"Sorted for E's & Wizz" is a song by the English
band Pulp
. Taken from their UK
number one album Different Class
, it was released as a double A-sided single with "Mis-Shapes
" in September 1995 and reached number two in the UK charts
. It was Pulp's second successive number two hit in 1995.
"somewhere in a field in Hampshire
", taking drugs ("E's and Wizz" refers to ecstasy and speed
). "Getting sorted" is means having handling something, in this case, picking up drugs for a concert.
The latter part of the song discusses the emptiness of the experience and the comedown
the next morning:
"In the middle of the night, it feels alright
But then tomorrow morning, oh, then you come down"
in 1995, where Cocker explained his inspiration. "'Sorted for E's and Wizz' is a phrase a girl that I met in Sheffield once told me... and she went to see The Stone Roses
at Spike Island and I said "what do you remember about it?". And she said "Well there were all these blokes walking around saying 'Is everybody sorted for E's and wizz?'" And that's all she remembered about it and I thought it was a good phrase."
on the same day, Kate Thornton was quoted to say: "We wanted to see the sleeve pulled and we thought it was a crusade we would take up single-handedly. I think the sleeve is something that will concern our readers, although it may not concern yours." The band agreed to change the artwork, while continuing to assert that Kate Thornton had misinterpreted the meaning of both the sleeve art and the song's lyrics. Lead singer Jarvis Cocker
released a statement two days later saying: "...'Sorted' is not a pro-drugs song... Nowhere on the sleeve does it say you are supposed to put drugs in here but I understand the confusion... I wouldn't want anything we do to encourage people to take drugs because they aren't a solution or an answer to anything. I don't think anyone who listens to Sorted would come away thinking it had a pro drugs message. If they did I would say they had misinterpreted it." The Daily Mirror printed his statement, but he was unhappy that the front page article written by Thornton contained the misquote "I don't want the sleeve to get in the way of what the record is saying, which is an anti-drugs message", which he felt over-simplified the song's meaning once again. He also criticised Thornton's decision to contact the father of a victim of an Ecstacy-related death for a response. The Daily Mirror campaign continued, publishing their readers' response to a poll to have the song itself banned. The original sleeve was replaced with a plain white sleeve once the initial pressing had sold out.
Pre-release orders reached over 200,000, according to Nick Rowe, marketing director for Island Records, the biggest pre-release total in the label's hsitory to that date. The single reached number two on the UK Single Charts.
The furore surrounding the single was spoofed by Chris Morris
in the Channel 4
satirical series Brass Eye
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
band Pulp
Pulp (band)
Pulp are an English alternative rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. Their lineup consists of Jarvis Cocker , Russell Senior , Candida Doyle , Mark Webber , Steve Mackey and Nick Banks ....
. Taken from their UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
number one album Different Class
Different Class
Different Class is an album by English Britpop band Pulp. It was released in 1995 at the height of Britpop, and led to the band being regarded as part of that movement. Two of the singles on the album – "Common People" and "Disco 2000" – were especially notable, and helped propel Pulp to...
, it was released as a double A-sided single with "Mis-Shapes
Mis-Shapes
"Mis-Shapes" is a song by Sheffield band Pulp. Taken from the number-one album Different Class, it was released as a double A-sided single with "Sorted for E's & Wizz" in September 1995, and reached number two in the UK charts....
" in September 1995 and reached number two in the UK charts
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. It was Pulp's second successive number two hit in 1995.
Lyrics
The song describes going to a raveRave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
"somewhere in a field in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
", taking drugs ("E's and Wizz" refers to ecstasy and speed
Amphetamine
Amphetamine or amfetamine is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class which produces increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite.Brand names of medications that contain, or metabolize into, amphetamine include Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat,...
). "Getting sorted" is means having handling something, in this case, picking up drugs for a concert.
The latter part of the song discusses the emptiness of the experience and the comedown
Comedown (drugs)
Comedown refers to the after effects of heavy recreational stimulant use, usually ecstasy, amphetamine, methylphenidate, cocaine, alcohol, and occasionally cannabis. It can be characterized by depression, apathy, dysphoria, anxiety, fatigue, intense hunger, paranoia and insomnia. These effects are...
the next morning:
"In the middle of the night, it feels alright
But then tomorrow morning, oh, then you come down"
Inspiration
The song was first performed at the Glastonbury FestivalGlastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in 1995, where Cocker explained his inspiration. "'Sorted for E's and Wizz' is a phrase a girl that I met in Sheffield once told me... and she went to see The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
at Spike Island and I said "what do you remember about it?". And she said "Well there were all these blokes walking around saying 'Is everybody sorted for E's and wizz?'" And that's all she remembered about it and I thought it was a good phrase."
Reception
Prior to the release of the single, the Daily Mirror printed a front-page story headed "BAN THIS SICK STUNT" alongside a story by Kate Thornton which said the song was "pro-drugs" and called for the single to be banned. The pre-release single had an inlay which Thornton alleged showed how to make an origami 'wrap' or parcel with the intention of "offering teenage fans a DIY guide on hiding illegal drugs". In an interview with music paper NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
on the same day, Kate Thornton was quoted to say: "We wanted to see the sleeve pulled and we thought it was a crusade we would take up single-handedly. I think the sleeve is something that will concern our readers, although it may not concern yours." The band agreed to change the artwork, while continuing to assert that Kate Thornton had misinterpreted the meaning of both the sleeve art and the song's lyrics. Lead singer Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo career...
released a statement two days later saying: "...'Sorted' is not a pro-drugs song... Nowhere on the sleeve does it say you are supposed to put drugs in here but I understand the confusion... I wouldn't want anything we do to encourage people to take drugs because they aren't a solution or an answer to anything. I don't think anyone who listens to Sorted would come away thinking it had a pro drugs message. If they did I would say they had misinterpreted it." The Daily Mirror printed his statement, but he was unhappy that the front page article written by Thornton contained the misquote "I don't want the sleeve to get in the way of what the record is saying, which is an anti-drugs message", which he felt over-simplified the song's meaning once again. He also criticised Thornton's decision to contact the father of a victim of an Ecstacy-related death for a response. The Daily Mirror campaign continued, publishing their readers' response to a poll to have the song itself banned. The original sleeve was replaced with a plain white sleeve once the initial pressing had sold out.
Pre-release orders reached over 200,000, according to Nick Rowe, marketing director for Island Records, the biggest pre-release total in the label's hsitory to that date. The single reached number two on the UK Single Charts.
The furore surrounding the single was spoofed by Chris Morris
Chris Morris (satirist)
Christopher Morris is an English satirist, writer, director and actor. A former radio DJ, he is best known for anchoring the spoof news and current affairs television programmes The Day Today and Brass Eye, as well as his frequent engagement with controversial subject matter.In 2010 Morris...
in the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
satirical series Brass Eye
Brass Eye
Brass Eye is a UK television series of satirical spoof documentaries. A series of six aired on Channel 4 in 1997, and a further episode in 2001....
.
CD1
Catalogue no. CID 620- "Mis-ShapesMis-Shapes"Mis-Shapes" is a song by Sheffield band Pulp. Taken from the number-one album Different Class, it was released as a double A-sided single with "Sorted for E's & Wizz" in September 1995, and reached number two in the UK charts....
" - "Sorted for E's & Wizz"
- "P.T.A. (Parent Teacher Association)"
- "Common People (Live at GlastonburyGlastonbury FestivalThe Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
)"
CD2
Catalogue no. CIDX 620- "Sorted for E's & Wizz"
- "Mis-Shapes"
- "Common People (Motiv 8 Club Mix)"
- "Common People (Vocoda Mix)"
External links
- Are You Sorted? - wallet instructions and song notes from Pulp fansite Acrylic Afternoons