Pumped up kicks was a song that was very popular awhile back. It was written by Mark foster, lead singer in Foster the People. Of course, I had heard this song a few times. Whether it was on the radio or over hearing someone else singing it (Brock Herrin), and not very well I might add, the song seemed to be everywhere. I can’t say that it was one of my most favorite songs in the world, most likely it’s because I listen to country and this song is indie rock, but it was very catchy… the chorus was at least. I could never understand the rest of the song, because of the way they sang it. So when we were asked to do this blog about it the first thing that I did was look up the lyrics.
Before reading the lyrics I just thought the song was basically just saying “Run. I’m going to kill you.” It seemed to be funny, weird, and a little sickening all at the same time. I realized soon though that the song ended up having a deeper meaning then what I was lead to believe at first. I think that the song was made to get messages out about any kind of shooting in general, and how the killers may not even know what they are doing themselves. It’s about how much pain a person could be in and how far they feel they have to go when they can’t find a way out.
I believe Foster’s purpose behind this song was to get people to understand what’s maybe, and what’s not, going through a person’s mind as they commit this type of crime. He himself, I think, got a glimpse of what they felt when he was bullied as a child. So he wanted to get a message out to everybody in a discreet and fun way, but also keeping it memorable. To help get his message out to a broader audience he made the song more upbeat then most might have done, seeing the darker side to the lyrics. Let’s face it, the most catchy songs are always the corny happy ones we hear and remember. No matter how annoying they really are. So Foster was brilliant to say the least when he wrote this song. What faster way to get something out to the public then making it everyone’s new song of the day?
I agree with you it wasnt the best song mainly because of how much we hear it these days. Its way over played probably because its been named the song of the summer. I think the song is very dark and I know Foster was trying to get the point across that we should stop bullying but at the same time when I listen to it, it almost sounds likea sweet bitter revenge type of situation going on. Robert is being bullied by kids who wear these pumped up kicks so he gets in his dads closet, finds the gun and is now after these kids. Its almost like saying well if your bullied alot why dont you also just go get daddys gun and just get even. Like making them feel the pain that you have incountered. Its a pretty dark song if you really think about it. The great thing about music is a song can mean almost anything you really want it to meann. just because it means one thing to you doesnt mean its going to mean the same thig to anyone else. And I think thats why music is so big these days. It can make you feel any way you want to feel that day.
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Jessica E.
I agree with you completely. Even though the song is about something dark, it probably wouldn't be nearly as popular if it was a dark song. The catchy beat is all I really knew about the song, and like you the first thing I did was look up the lyrics. All the lyrics I had know before were "All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you better run better run..." but I didn't know what they were running from. When I looked up the lyrics I actually understood what was going on, this made me like the song a little more than I had before. Which before I didn't really care for it, something about hearing it five times a day on the radio made me not such a big fan. I think that was all part of Foster's big plan though, get everyone interested enough to go look up the lyrics. I believe it is a great message and probably one of the best ways to get that message out to the audience he was trying to reach. For me that audience would be young people, I mean I don't know many adults that listen to Foster the People but i'm sure some do.
ReplyDeleteKarah Trinkle
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