Pulp: Mis-shapes & Sorted For E's & Wizz (single)

Info

Mis-Shapes and Sorted For E's & Wizz were released as a double A-side in September 1995. They formed the second single taken from the number-one album Different Class. The single was Pulp's second successive number two hit, Common People having reached the same position in June.

The tabloid press stirred up quite a bit of controversy over the drugs references in Sorted For E's & Wizz and the artwork released with it. There were some calls for it to be banned. Most notably the Daily Mirror which ran the headline "Ban This Sick Stunt" and described the single as a "DIY kids' drug guide".

Jarvis Cocker has often stated the song is about his experiences of going to raves in the late 1980s. The song is descriptive and was not intended to take a position for or against the use of rave drugs such as ecstasy and speed ("E's and Wizz").

It was, however, the single's artwork that proved to be most controversial. It featured origami-type instructions showing how to fold a piece of paper into a wrap of a sort that was sometimes used by ravers to conceal drugs. The front of the CD featured a page from a magazine folded into such a wrap. Originally the plan was to sell the CD inside one of these wraps but that turned out to be too expensive. It must be stated that the sleeve did not depict any drugs or suggest how the wrap should be used. It is therefore unlikely to have taught anybody anything they did not already know.

The band seemed genuinely surprised by the reaction and stated that they had not meant the design to cause controversy and that it was simply intended to reflect the theme of the song. There was concern over reports that Radio One might decide ban it. Possibly with this in mind, a statement was released announcing that the sleeve would be withdrawn once the initial pressing had sold out.

Newspaper clippings (click to enlarge):

Tracklistings

CD1 (Mis-shapes & Sorted For E's & Wizz):

1. Mis-shapes (3:46)
2. Sorted For E's & Wizz (3:42)
3. P.T.A. (Parent Teacher Association) (3:17)
4. Common People (live at Glastonbury) (7:36)

CD2 (Sorted For E's & Wizz & Mis-shapes):

1. Sorted For E's & Wizz (3:42)
2. Mis-shapes (3:46)
3. Common People (Motiv 8 Club Mix) (7:51)
4. Common People (Vocoda Mix) (6:18)

Cassette:

1. Mis-shapes (3:46)
2. Sorted For E's & Wizz (3:42)

Sleeve credits

• Sleeve design: Blue Source
• Pulp logo: The Designers Republic

Sleeve notes

Other versions

Charts and sales

UK Singles Chart

Peak position: 2 (2 weeks)

UK Sales Awards

* Awards are based on wholesale rather than retail sales.

Related pages

• Discography index
• Singles and EPs discography