Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People

[Fobio]

This is a very catchy song that most ppl have no idea what the lyrics are about. For those of you who obsreves the human condition, this one's good one to look at. It's hit charts all across the world.

before reading about it, I literally thought this was a song by traditional kids who are enraged by the hipster culture.

But here's more info about it:

Lyrics:


Robert's got a quick hand
He'll look around the room
He won't tell you his plan
He's got a rolled cigarette hanging out his mouth
He's a cowboy kid
Yeah, he found a six-shooter gun
In his dad's closet hidden in a box of fun things
And I don't even know what
But he's coming for you, yeah, he's coming for you

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, outrun my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, outrun my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet

Daddy works a long day
He be coming home late, yeah, he's coming home late
And he's bringing me a surprise
Because dinner's in the kitchen and it's packed in ice
I've waited for a long time
Yeah, the slight of my hand is now a quick pull trigger
I reason with my cigarette
And say your hair's on fire
You must have lost your wits, yeah

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, outrun my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, outrun my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, outrun my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, outrun my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, outrun my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDTZ7iX4vTQ&ob=av3e

This is one of the better analysis fo the lyrics:


By lyricaljoy, Aug/2010

its about a disturbed kid going on a killing spree (no shit).

1st verse: he is just about to start shooting, and is hanging around with a shifty look and a revolver and no one suspects a thing. and the cowboy stuff means he's having fun with the idea of how cool it will be (probably to hae that power). cowboys are also lone figures which is important. but the line "and i dont even know what" any ideas? also the fact that hes called "Robert", is that name significant?

Chorus: pumped up kicks are probably like Nike airs and stuff, which probably means all the trendy popular kids, and hes going to shoot them. by telling them to run (even if not literaly) he is playing with them and enjoying this, because you cant run faster than bullets.

second verse: it says "daddy works a long day" which i think has an ironic innocense in assuming hes working that whole time. i think whats actually happening when dad's coming home late and bringing a surprise is he's coming home late drunk and beating him. dinner on ice is neglection. dinner reference + "ive been waiting a long time" suggests that he is at the dinnertable waiting for his dad to walk in. on top of that i think it also means he has been waiting along time for the opportunity of revenge. now reasoning with the cigarette is entertaining himself while he waits. the cigarette is probably acting as his concience he personifies it but also dismisses its opinion "And say your hair's on fire, you must have lost your wits"

if you think i got it right let me know and if anyone can help me with that first verse a bit that would be nice.

Here is the wki entry...which I thought was quite telling...and sums up the human condition we live in for a song like this to be born, and popularized:


When "Pumped Up Kicks" was first recorded, frontman Mark Foster played all of the song's instruments for what he thought was going to be just a demo, but the version he recorded ended up as the final version on Torches.[3] The song is about a troubled and delusional youth with homicidal thoughts. Foster said, "I was trying to get inside the head of an isolated, psychotic kid."[3] He stated in an interview with KROQ-FM that the lyrics were written to "bring awareness" to the issue of gun violence amongst youth, which he feels is an epidemic perpetuated by "lack of family, lack of love, and isolation".[4][5] Contrasting with the dark lyrics of the song, the music, written before the lyrics, is upbeat, with a heavy bassline and a mixture of acoustic and electronic elements. Foster said, "It's a '**** you' song to the hipsters in a way—but it's a song the hipsters are going to want to dance to."[3] Jeffery Berg of Frontier Psychiatrist said, "I was so engrossed with the cheery melody of its chorus that it took me a few listens to discover that the lyrics suggest dark, Columbine revenge." Some say that the song is most likely a reference to the Westroads Mall shooting in Omaha, Nebraska the shooter being Robert Hawkins and the first lyrics of the song are "Robert's got a quick hand," and also a similar situation suggested in the song when the alleged shooter steals his dad's revolver, when in real life Hawkins stole his stepfather's AKM-style rifle.[6] However, the band's publicist told an Omaha World Herald reporter "This is completely false. The character name in the song is just a coincidence."[7]

[Slade]

This song has been in my head non stop for like 3 weeks!!!

For people that listen to a song just for the beat, you NEED to listen to the lyrics, I caught them the first time I listened to it actually and I couldn't believe it.

Great song.

[Booostin]

I actually find this song annoying as shit lol

[Fobio]

I actually find this song annoying as shit lol

do you happen to wear skin tight girls' size 22 jeans that cost $200...black rimmed glasses and a bed-hair hair-do? while never holding down a job, but always going to finish your dissertation on labour rights in southeast asia...for the past 7 yrs? or maybe you live in New York and paying rent in Manhattan, telling your parents you're doing journalism, while living off thetrust fund?

Maybe you're a hipster? lol...

J/K.

I also thought the song was one of those cheery teeny bopper songs with no substance...then I heard the lyrics, and thought about it and it was well worth looking into...

[Soulsofmischief]

first time i hear it it reminded me of that Young Folks song Peter, Bjorn and John ( or whatever other various scandinavian names ) .. this one.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIRE6iw-ws4&ob=av2n
and i was like.. hmm catchy tune.. and then someone had to say .." hey... you know wha this song is about right.. ? " and im like " of course.. awesome running shoes my friend " and hes like " nope .... Listen... "


BOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!! ( MIND BLOWN )

considering all the events that have taken place over the last 15 years .. of course Columbine being the largest.. im surprised no one made a song about this earlier.

[The Wolf]

Yeahhh duuuude baggy jeaanns bro! Affliction and Tapout gear, guy! Crew cuts and polos, yeahhh kid. Jagerbombs!


Song's okay (marginally better than other radio tunes), and I fail to see why being a "hipster" might change your view of this song, even if you were making a joke.

[London3]

I actually find this song annoying as shit lol

+1
cant stand this song. great the wrote a neat poem, and i can appreciate that, but the rest of it is hardly what id call music to be honest. Its sad that talking into synthesizer to a generic backbeat you can create by a button on a keyboard is music nowadays, and im not saying that just about them but a lot of music in general.

[London3]

and for the record, i frequently participate in the fictional "punch a hipster" day. hate how people classify themselves as such in a desperation to be different. its like a high school phase which people seem to experience later in life (from my personal experiences).

[Fayvir]

This song has been in my head non stop for like 3 weeks!!!

For people that listen to a song just for the beat, you NEED to listen to the lyrics, I caught them the first time I listened to it actually and I couldn't believe it.

Great song.

+1
I like this song, but lyrics are crazy

[Fobio]

"Young Folks" is a great song...but unfortunately, something that embraced by the hipster crowd...the song itself celebrates youth, but to hipsters who think they'll always be young, it becomes self-absorbed and exemplifies how youth can be wasted on the young...but hey, I still dig it.

the Affliction, MMA muscle-head crowd and the hipster crowd are the polarized examples of popular culture...and indicative of the human condition. of course back in the day, it was the 3/4 length pnats wearing, Bangal or tie-dyed ripped t-shirt muscle head jock vs. the nerd with the pocket potector and glasses. But kids are kids, and whether you're a muscle head or a skinny geek, life's not easy for kids...and as an adult looking back, I think it's important for some of us to step up and become role models.

In the video...you can see the hipsters dancing to the song, like it's the next big thing...while in reality, they have no idea what the "uncool" kids are doing at home, dealing abuse...dealing with being a teenager...dealing with life. This song hits the MTV crowd hard...becomes popular and gets into ppl's cars.

[Soulsofmischief]

"Young Folks" is a great song...but unfortunately, something that embraced by the hipster crowd...the song itself celebrates youth, but to hipsters who think they'll always be young, it becomes self-absorbed and exemplifies how youth can be wasted on the young...but hey, I still dig it.

the Affliction, MMA muscle-head crowd and the hipster crowd are the polarized examples of popular culture...and indicative of the human condition. of course back in the day, it was the 3/4 length pnats wearing, Bangal or tie-dyed ripped t-shirt muscle head jock vs. the nerd with the pocket potector and glasses. But kids are kids, and whether you're a muscle head or a skinny geek, life's not easy for kids...and as an adult looking back, I think it's important for some of us to step up and become role models.

In the video...you can see the hipsters dancing to the song, like it's the next big thing...while in reality, they have no idea what the "uncool" kids are doing at home, dealing abuse...dealing with being a teenager...dealing with life. This song hits the MTV crowd hard...becomes popular and gets into ppl's cars.

" My iPod is full of songs you've never heard of " -my hipster nephew
" are you familiar with the term douchebag? " - me.

[The Wolf]

Defining someone as a hipster, nerd, whatever is stupid. Of course somebody who uses these terms to describe themselves comes off as lame. You people hating these so-called "hipsters" which you fail to pigeonhole are the same people who tried to snuff out the rock and roll sub-culture in the 50's Tnot saying the "hipster" movement is as neccesary as the Rock and Roll movement). You don't have to like their style, their music, or their silly fixed-gear bikes... But why does everyone seem so threatened by it?
I understand feeling threatened by MMA "douchebags" because they are united around a violent sport and tend to want to fight you. But what's a hipster going to do to you, play his banjo at you?

[Soulsofmischief]

Defining someone as a hipster, nerd, whatever is stupid. Of course somebody who uses these terms to describe themselves comes off as lame. You people hating these so-called "hipsters" which you fail to pigeonhole are the same people who tried to snuff out the rock and roll sub-culture in the 50's Tnot saying the "hipster" movement is as neccesary as the Rock and Roll movement). You don't have to like their style, their music, or their silly fixed-gear bikes... But why does everyone seem so threatened by it?
I understand feeling threatened by MMA "douchebags" because they are united around a violent sport and tend to want to fight you. But what's a hipster going to do to you, play his banjo at you?


I don’t know who exactly that was directed at , but I’ll tell you one thing I for one am not the least bit threatened by it, nor do i take offense to any single person expressing their views however independent or alternative it may be.. but first of all why did you bring up the similarities to the rock and roll movement and then cancel it out with " not saying the "hipster" movement is as necessary as the Rock and Roll movement " that’s the answer right there to your question right there.. it’s not necessary. one definition I’ve heard that kind of emphasizes that is " hipsterism fetishizes the authentic elements of all of the fringe movements of the post-war era—beat, hippie, punk, even grunge, and draws on the cultural stores of every unmelted ethnicity, and regurgitates it with a winking in authenticity " it’s the in authenticity that gets me, almost the smug to be smug. there is no difference in it to the douchebaggery of the " Uneducated " UFC fans.. notice I say UFC, cause some of these douches don’t even realize that there is a realm of MMA in which the UFC lies, these are the guys who actually say " my favourite sports include Ultimate Fighting " and I feel even less threatened by this ignorance.

regardless we are all judged for what we choose to do, express, articulate, etc etc..and if i judge one person for being a douchebag in my opinion, then i will judge a whole " SCENE" as douchebags for acting in that manner as well. .the number is irrelevant.

[Fobio]

Defining someone as a hipster, nerd, whatever is stupid. Of course somebody who uses these terms to describe themselves comes off as lame. You people hating these so-called "hipsters" which you fail to pigeonhole are the same people who tried to snuff out the rock and roll sub-culture in the 50's Tnot saying the "hipster" movement is as neccesary as the Rock and Roll movement). You don't have to like their style, their music, or their silly fixed-gear bikes... But why does everyone seem so threatened by it?
I understand feeling threatened by MMA "douchebags" because they are united around a violent sport and tend to want to fight you. But what's a hipster going to do to you, play his banjo at you?

No one is threatened by it...other than perhaps guessing what's the next generation would be after hipseters...lol...furthermore, hipsters took their name from the hippy sub-culture, which was cool. These hipsters are the grand-kids of the hippies, but unlike the hippies, they don't have the kinda of "peace love unity and respect" motivation as the hippies of the 60's.

Anyway, the condition I observe is that ppl ID themselves by what they wear and use...not by outsiders. Such as the iPhone vs Blackberry crowd...which I think is so stupid...

[The Wolf]

But why is it up to you to say what's good and bad to wear?

I agree about BB vs iPhone. I voice on the side of BB and jokingly talk down on Apple periodically because I work for RIM. So I am admittedly biased, and have more at stake than most.

[Aitch]

I'm not going to wade into the hipster debate (in fact I skimmed over most of what was written) but I'll just add this: I also originally thought it was just a decently catchy tune. When I realized what the lyrics were actually about, and consider the juxtaposition with this bubbly synth-pop melody, it became an instant favourite. I love the disparity between the music and the lyrics, which strikes me as somewhat brilliant. I'm not saying its the greatest song EVAR in that regard, but certainly it is very good IMO.

[The Wolf]

I'm done debating. I'm at work and its pretty tough following along on my BlackBerry while trying to get work done. I'll just admit it, I wear skinny jeans a lot of the time and listen to types of music that not a lot of the people on this board seem to enjoy. I've been called everything from emo to hipster to ***got and it's not right.

[Fobio]

I'm not going to wade into the hipster debate (in fact I skimmed over most of what was written) but I'll just add this: I also originally thought it was just a decently catchy tune. When I realized what the lyrics were actually about, and consider the juxtaposition with this bubbly synth-pop melody, it became an instant favourite. I love the disparity between the music and the lyrics, which strikes me as somewhat brilliant. I'm not saying its the greatest song EVAR in that regard, but certainly it is very good IMO.

A lot of ppl prolly never heard of or forgot about Aerosmith's "Janie's Got a Gun"...I still remember the outrage from the "think of the children" crowd...and that song was there to empower women, to a certain extent[ as much as that might've menat something back in the 90's]. "Pumped Up Kicks" on the other hand goes right after the mindset of a disturbed individual, and more applicable to today's teen angst.

BTW...my analysis of

"Because dinner's in the kitchen and it's packed in ice
I've waited for a long time"

as

Revenge is best served cold. I'm waiting for you, dad.

Kinda like Skrillex's "Kill Evrybody"...these songs are not made cuz the artist is ****ed in the head...music reflects us as a society. Thd old folks care about this because it's a reflection of the society that they've built and created...and no one likes to be criticized, esp the older folks.

[Fobio]

I'm done debating. I'm at work and its pretty tough following along on my BlackBerry while trying to get work done. I'll just admit it, I wear skinny jeans a lot of the time and listen to types of music that not a lot of the people on this board seem to enjoy. I've been called everything from emo to hipster to ***got and it's not right.

You hold down a job...therefore, you must not be a hipster...lol...anyway, I never ID hipster solely by what they wear...it's their attitutde towards the world, an underserved sense of entitlement, and lack of any actual doing that gets to ppl when the rest of the world is worried about putting food on the table.

you, or anyone for that matter, do not deserve to be called anything derogatory for your wear or use. the hipster distinction used for our discussion is to ID a musical preference that also has social implications. however, this is not about hipsters.

looking at it from theother side...the regular kids are also jealous of the care-free happy-go-lucky, things-are-fine lifestyle of these previleged hipster kids. this is prolly the side on the cultural exchange that ppl usually don't think about.

[Soulsofmischief]

I'm done debating. I'm at work and its pretty tough following along on my BlackBerry while trying to get work done. I'll just admit it, I wear skinny jeans a lot of the time and listen to types of music that not a lot of the people on this board seem to enjoy. I've been called everything from emo to hipster to ***got and it's not right.

not in a million years would i stoop to the level of name calling to that .. what does any of that have to do with what you choose to listen to, dress or even sexual orientation for that matter? ( and im not saying that your homosexual im just sayin that if you or me or anyone was, calling them a f***t doesnt prove anyone right, and certainly doesnt make the name caller intelligent ) as long as you keep it " authentic " and it seems that you do, dont worry about what people say. just keep it real, and that makes you YOU and an individual.

[The Wolf]

^ I appreciate what you're saying and what's behind it. I don't really care what people say/think about me all that much, but that doesn't make it right and that's the point I'm trying to make. I hear a lot of people say "that's gay" and use offensive derogitory terms on this site quite often and it seems to be symptomatic of the "macho" car culture, as it is certainly rare on a local music forum I'm part of.

[Slade]

Society is the cause of most of these issues.

I wear baggy pants and clothes, not because I'm a "wigger" but because I am "fat", I couldn't possibly wear "skinny" jeans as I would be busting at the go-nads.

I listen to everything, from Deadmau5, to Coldplay, Tech9, AC/DC, 50cent, Cypress Hill...

Here is what is on my usb key that I listen to right now,

http://i56.tinypic.com/2q39mol.jpg

To me it's variety, to some its probably garbage.

People also think I'm probably a redneck because I drive a truck with 18's and off road tires and a system in it.

Don't judge unless ye be judged.

I work with A LOT of different people with A LOT of different interest, and we all get a long..

[Fobio]

Guys...these last 3 posts above me is exactly why I posted this song...eventho it 2011, kids have it just as rough as we had it back in the day. With what they wear vs others...what phone they use vs others...esp in the city.

[Booostin]

^ I hear a lot of people say "that's gay" and use offensive derogitory terms on this site quite often and it seems to be symptomatic of the "macho" car culture, as it is certainly rare on a local music forum I'm part of.

The funny thing about that is I have heard gay people saying "thats gay" before which is kinda ironic. I don't think its that bad...
I mean, the original intent of the word "gay" wasn't to refer to someone homosexual anyway.

[Fobio]

The funny thing about that is I have heard gay people saying "thats gay" before which is kinda ironic. I don't think its that bad...
I mean, the original intent of the word "gay" wasn't to refer to someone homosexual anyway.

When homosexuals use the word "gay", it's akin to African-CDN's calling each other the "n-word"...it's a form of empowerment in that they're taking ownership of the words that had been used against them in a oppressive, derogatory and undermining manner.

Also, "gay" to homosexuals, does not mean the same as when us hetero's use it...lol...

[The Wolf]

The n-word wasn't originally a racial slur either, it's what it has become and is now synonymous with. When you say something's gay, its generally carries negative connotations. It. Just sounds ignorant and gets under my skin. I could provide you with a handful of colloquialisms that I consider to be similarly offensive, but I don't think it's neccesary to prove my point.

Jeez what's with me lately? I take every thread wildly off-topic :(