Begging For Change Lyrics – Pulp, War Child (Charity)

Read the full lyrics of “Begging For Change” by Pulp, War Child (Charity) from the album HELP(2). Here, we have shared the complete “Begging For Change” Lyrics along with its music video, deeper meaning and song credits.

In the swirl of excitement around HELP(2)—the forthcoming charity compilation curated by War Child UK—one of the most quietly compelling inclusions is a brand-new song from Pulp titled “Begging For Change”. Slated for release on March 6, 2026 via War Child Records, the track finds the Sheffield band contributing original material rather than an archive cut, underscoring the seriousness with which they’ve approached a project aimed at supporting children affected by conflict worldwide. For a group whose reputation was forged on acute social observation, the song’s very title feels loaded with intent.

“Begging For Change” is sung by Jarvis Cocker, whose voice—half conversational, half confessional—has long been Pulp’s defining instrument. While full musician and production credits have not yet been formally published, the song is understood to feature the band’s current touring and recording lineup, with Cocker joined by long-time collaborators from Pulp’s recent comeback era. The track was recorded during the intensive HELP(2) sessions in London, produced under the umbrella of the compilation’s lead producer James Ford, whose recent résumé spans Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode and Blur. Distribution is handled by War Child’s in-house label, with all proceeds directed to humanitarian relief.

Lyrically, “Begging For Change” is expected to align closely with War Child’s mission. Even without an officially released lyric sheet, sources familiar with the project describe the song as a meditation on imbalance—between those who ask and those who can afford not to listen. The phrase “Begging For Change” is deliberately double-edged, invoking both literal street-level desperation and the broader plea for societal transformation. This thematic ambiguity is classic Pulp: Cocker has always excelled at turning everyday language into moral pressure points, exposing how private discomfort reflects public failure.

Musically, the song is described as English-language alternative rock, rooted in Pulp’s literate indie tradition rather than overt experimentation. Expect a measured tempo, melodic restraint and an emphasis on atmosphere over b0mbast, allowing the lyric to carry the emotional weight. Genre-wise it sits comfortably within art-pop-tinged indie rock, a space Pulp helped define in the 1990s, though with the reflective maturity that has marked their post-reunion work.

“Begging For Change” appears exclusively on HELP(2), the 23-track compilation conceived as a modern successor to the original 1995 HELP album. The new collection also features fresh recordings by artists ranging from Arctic Monkeys and Olivia Rodrigo to Sampha, Wet Leg and Beth Gibbons, but Pulp’s contribution stands out as one of the few from a band whose identity is inseparable from social commentary. The album’s concept—music created quickly and purposefully in response to humanitarian crisis—mirrors the urgency that once defined Britpop’s best political instincts.

The song arrives during a renewed chapter in Pulp’s career. After decades defined by albums like Different Class and This Is Hardcore, and a long studio hiatus, the band’s 2025 album More was widely read as a late-career statement about time, regret and persistence. “Begging For Change” feels like a natural extension of that phase: less about nostalgia, more about responsibility. As trivia already circulating among fans notes, this marks one of the few times Pulp have written directly for a charity project rather than licensing an existing track, a fact that adds to its symbolic weight.

With its release imminent, “Begging For Change” is shaping up not as a side note but as a pointed reminder of what Pulp have always done best—using sharp language and humane perspective to frame uncomfortable truths. In the context of HELP(2), it stands as both a song and a quiet demand, asking listeners not just to donate, but to listen differently.