You look just like Sylvia
(Well, you look like her to me)
The way she wore her hair then
Oh, the way she used to be
I've not seen her for a long time
Though I've heard she's still around
Her father's living with some girl
Who's a year younger than her
She's living in the country now, yeah
Oh, she's trying to get better
Her beauty was her only crime
Yeah, I remember Sylvia
So keep believing
And do what you do
I can't help you but I know things are gonna get better
And please stop asking
What it's got to do with you
Oh keep believing, 'cos you know that you deserve better
Who's this man you're talking to?
Can't you see what he wants to do?
He thinks if he stands near enough
Then he will look as good as you
And he don't care about your problems
He just wants to show his friends
I guess I'm just the same as him
Oh I just didnt know it then
I never understood you really
And I know it's too late now
You didnt ask to be that way
Oh I'm sorry Sylvia
So keep believing
And do what you do
I can't help you but I know things are gonna get better
And please stop asking
What it's got to do with you
Oh keep believing, 'cos you know that you deserve better
Oh it's true, yeah
So please stop asking
What it's got to do with you
Oh keep believing, 'cos you know that you deserve better
Oh yeah you know that you deserve better
Oh yeah you know that you deserve better
Oh, Sylvia.
(Well, you look like her to me)
The way she wore her hair then
Oh, the way she used to be
I've not seen her for a long time
Though I've heard she's still around
Her father's living with some girl
Who's a year younger than her
Oh, she's trying to get better
Her beauty was her only crime
Yeah, I remember Sylvia
And do what you do
I can't help you but I know things are gonna get better
And please stop asking
What it's got to do with you
Oh keep believing, 'cos you know that you deserve better
Can't you see what he wants to do?
He thinks if he stands near enough
Then he will look as good as you
And he don't care about your problems
He just wants to show his friends
I guess I'm just the same as him
Oh I just didnt know it then
And I know it's too late now
You didnt ask to be that way
Oh I'm sorry Sylvia
And do what you do
I can't help you but I know things are gonna get better
And please stop asking
What it's got to do with you
Oh keep believing, 'cos you know that you deserve better
What it's got to do with you
Oh keep believing, 'cos you know that you deserve better
Oh yeah you know that you deserve better
Oh yeah you know that you deserve better
Oh, Sylvia.
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Straight up Pulp. Working class Brits, lust, folly, longing, regret. This song is fairly straightforward.
Narrator sees this girl who reminds him of a girl he used to be with. Something is damaged about the girl (just like Sylvia) -perhaps drugs, maybe just sexually easy and getting abused in the name of love?
Anyway, the narrator is telling the girl it has nothing to do with her - it is not her fault - and she "deserves better". Seems like an abusive relationship - she is sticking with the "devil she knows, stuck in a rut, and has no confidence.
Underpinning this the narrator is recounting his own responsibility in Sylvia's demise. He reminds himself he was like the men in this particular girl's life. Like these men, he only "wanted to show his friends" the hot chick on his arm.
One take is that this is one of those girls who is beautiful and abused. You all know the type - bad home, looking for love, getting sexually used over and over again.
i've always thought of sylvia plath...
I've always assumed the name is a reference to Sylvia Kristel (of 'Emmanuelle') rather than Plath. Plath isn't an easy fit - her father died when she was eight - whereas Kristel's father abandoned the family when Kristel was 14. Neither are an exact match, though.
She was abused by her Dad, right? See end of verse 1.
World class song anyway.
Who's this man you're talking to? Can't you see what he wants to do? He thinks if he stands near enough Then he will look as good as you And he don't care about your problems He just wants to show his friends I guess I'm just the same as him Oh I just didnt know it then
This very much reminds me of a time....
I believe I heard Jarvis say that Sylvia was about the actress Sylvia Kristel. She was the pin up of many young men of Jarvis' age in the 1970's due to the Emanuelle series of sexploitation films.