The year 2011 was full of massive global events. A tsunami rocked Japan and caused a near-nuclear meltdown. The ‘Arab Spring’ saw protests inspired and presidents toppled across the Middle East. Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, riots rocked London, Steve Jobs died, and Prince William got married. And, if you remember these events set to the soundtrack of “Pumped Up Kicks”, you’re not alone.
This breakout single from Foster the People was released in late 2010, but by 2011 it was one of the biggest songs of the summer. This band seemingly came out of nowhere, but they had one of the biggest songs even of the whole decade. Have you ever wondered about the meaning of “Pumped Up Kicks” song lyrics? Me, too! So, here’s what I’ve found out about this song.
The Background to Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks”
This song was written in 2009 by Mark Foster, who had just put together the band, Foster the People (named after himself, obviously). At the time, Foster was living in Los Angeles and was working as a jingle writer in addition to his band work.
He wrote “Pumped Up Kicks” as an emotional response to events in the news. Namely, gun violence and teenage mental illness. According to Foster, these were topics unfamiliar to him, and that made them themes he wanted to explore in his work.
According to Foster…
He forced himself to go and do some songwriting one day, though what he really wanted to do was go to the beach and be lazy. Luckily, his hard work and dedication to his craft paid off. He ended up writing a great song that was fun and bouncy. But, at the same time, opened up the conversation about school violence.
Quite unusually, Foster sat in the studio and worked out the orchestration of the song by himself. Since he was alone, he laid down all the different tracks that make up this tune – the drums, vocals, guitar, and synth – on his own. He then mixed the song to make a demo that his band could later work with and develop. But, in the end, this demo version is the version Foster the People actually released as a single.
On September 14, 2010, “Pumped Up Kicks” was released as Foster the People’s first single. It was put out for free online and built up a huge amount of buzz. Eventually, this led to the band being given a record deal with Columbia Records. The song was then re-released on their debut record, Torches, released in May 2011. The buzz was backed by other great songs, and this record eventually went platinum.
What Is The Meaning Of “Pumped Up Kicks” Song Lyrics?
The themes and content of “Pumped Up Kicks” are a big surprise to many people. After all, the tune has a fun, bouncy dance beat, and a great hook that you can bob your head to. It generally feels bright and bubbly. So, how can this possibly be a song about violence and mental illness?
The contrast between the positive feel of the music and the dark, negative lyrics creates a juxtaposition that’s quite interesting and creates a talking point. See, this song works whether you pick up on the meaning of the lyrics or not. I mean, they’re even fun to sing along to without knowing what their intent is, and that makes the song work on two very different levels.
I’m pretty sure that’s what art is…
The song starts with a verse about a kid named Robert, who is the main character of the narrative. The first verse describes him as a pretty cool character, like a cowboy or an outlaw. This is followed by a second verse which is rather ominous. It tells of how Robert has found his dad’s gun and “other things,” and now he is on his way to seek some sort of retribution.
The first two verses are written in the third person, then the chorus is written in the first-person perspective. But, here, I think it’s Foster being delightfully sneaky.
I think the first two verses are supposed to be in the mind of the main character. So, it is him imagining himself being described in these terms. This can even represent his fantasies about being described on the news in a certain way, as most school shooters are.
While the song doesn’t explicitly say that it’s about school shootings…
The chorus certainly suggests it. In the chorus, Robert warns the other kids to try to avoid him, so they don’t get shot or hurt. These are the kids in “pumped up kicks” that the title refers to.
Why “pumped up kicks”?
Back when Foster was at school in the mid-90s, sneakers were a big deal. But there wasn’t so much choice back then. You either had Air Jordans or Reebok Pumps, or you weren’t cool. So, that was the inspiration for “Pumped Up Kicks” and the character.
Foster saw Robert as a kid who may have been bullied or excluded by kids who were well-off and able to afford the latest fashions. The song evokes his plan or fantasy to extract a sort of revenge.
The other two verses are a bit more cryptic…
They seem to suggest, however, that Robert is mentally unstable. This is portrayed by him talking to his cigarette and describing himself as having a hair-trigger temper.
The other very interesting thing about the narrative is that we’re not sure what’s fantasy and what’s reality. There’s a strong suggestion that Robert is planning a violent rampage, but no real indication of whether he’s actually doing it or going to. It could all just be a violent fantasy created by a disturbed mind.
This sort of ambiguity is a stroke of genius because it just makes the song a lot more thought-provoking.
What Inspired Foster to Write “Pumped Up Kicks”?
While I already went through the situation that Mark Foster was in when he wrote the song, I haven’t touched on his inspiration. And, while the song seems to very strongly suggest school shootings, Foster has claimed that isn’t explicitly what “Pumped Up Kicks” is about.
At the same time, he has publicly talked about the meaning of “Pumped Up Kicks” lyrics and where they may have come from. Foster had felt confronted by news of teen violence regularly and felt it was something to explore. He quite rightfully also blended in curiosity about teen mental health and blended these ideas to create his narrative.
There are another couple of important clues, too…
Bass player and close friend of Foster, Cubbie Fink, has a close relationship with a Columbine School Massacre survivor. His cousin lived through the incident, and Cubbie was directly involved in supporting her. So, this was something that Foster knew about and may have taken as inspiration.
The other point is that Mark Foster himself was bullied at school. So, he may have even taken experiences from his own life, like being shunned for wearing the wrong sneakers or even dark revenge fantasies. Well, who’s laughing now?
The Success of “Pumped Up Kicks”
The incredible rise of this song is almost impossible to believe. Consider for a minute who Foster the People were. This was a band that had only recently been put together by Foster, including Cubbie Fink on bass, Mark Pontius on drums, and programmer Zach Heiligman.
They played their first gig on October 9th, 2009, at a small club in Santa Monica. After that, they played a few gigs and wrote a few songs, but there were no signs that of any imminent success.
Then “Pumped Up Kicks” came around…
As I’ve already detailed, Foster recorded and mixed the song all by himself as a demo. But, later, he liked it enough to put it out on his website for free, and it just snowballed. The song was released under the band name Foster the People, which most people had never heard of.
After picking up some serious momentum on college radio stations, this song became a hit that crossed over into the mainstream. It ended up going all the way to #2 in the charts, stuck behind Maroon 5 for eight weeks. Imagine that – Maroon 5 had been around for a decade and had numerous hits and big money behind them, and “Pumped Up Kicks” still came second to their “Moves Like Jagger”.
After being re-released on their debut album…
The song got even more exposure. It has also been used in lots of films and TV, like HBO’s Entourage, Gossip Girl, C.S.I., The Vampire Diaries, Friends With Benefits, and many more. It won a 2011 Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
It sold so many units worldwide that it has been certified 5x platinum in both Canada and Australia and 4x platinum in the USA. And, of course, it launched the careers of Foster the People.
The Music Of “Pumped Up Kicks”
Now that we’ve talked about the lyrics, let’s get into the other side of this song – its super-cool sound. The whole tune is based around two things: a solid drum beat and a low guitar riff.
The beat seems to be just a straight-up backbeat, but there’s something a little extra in it. It has just a few extra 8th notes on the hi-hats that add some texture and keep it from being overly monotonous. The main guitar riff is really simple, but funky and delightfully infectious. It grooves with the beat nicely, making a perfect bouncy Pop song.
But there’s a lot more to the song than meets the eye or ear…
First, there’s a heavy-on-the-reverb higher guitar part that echoes the main guitar riff but gives it some more dimension. The guitar also plays tight staccato chords in the chorus to add bounce to the rhythm. The beat itself is reinforced in the chorus by hand claps which add another fun element. There are also moody, ambient synth sounds during the chorus to help flesh it out.
The vocals are done through heavy effects, making it hard to recognize the singer’s actual voice. In the verses, Foster sings almost in a speaking voice that’s distorted to sound like he’s down a well and using a toy megaphone. But then, in the chorus, his voice comes through brighter, though there’s some chorus and sustain there to make it a bit spacey.
The chorus hook is just way too Pop-perfect to ignore…
And it’s repeated through whistling towards the end of the song, creating a sound very reminiscent of the 2006 Peter, Bjorn, and John song “Young Folks”.
The whole composition of this song is brilliant. It’s dripping with Pop, but there are enough hip Indie elements to make the song appeal to music lovers of all styles. And that’s what makes a brilliant crossover hit.
Meaning Of “Pumped Up Kicks” Song Lyrics – Controversy
As soon as something hits big and gets famous, it’s bound to attract criticism. In the case of “Pumped Up Kicks”, this was, of course, because of the lyrical content.
Many people saw through the bouncy Pop music and picked up on the lyrics. These probably deliberately unclear lyrics made the song open to interpretation, and this invited controversy. While Foster came out and stated that the song wasn’t directly about school violence, he was also clear that teen mental health and violence were his inspirations.
However, many people interpreted this song as glorifying school violence…
In some cases, like during the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting incident, the song was pulled from the radio waves. At present, the song has been permanently dropped from Foster the People’s live shows. The song carries a lot of baggage for the band, and they feel it belongs in their back catalog while they move into the future.
Want More Music Dealing With Sensitive Subjects?
If so, check out our thoughts on the Best Songs About Death, the Best Songs About Revenge, the Best Songs About Depression, the Top 10 Songs About Addiction, the Top 6 Songs About Divorce, and the Best Songs About Pain & Suffering for more somber song selections.
Meaning of “Pumped Up Kicks” Song Lyrics – Final Thoughts
Unlike so many songs out there, the words and music of this great song don’t match. Furthermore, they’re totally opposite, and that creates interest and tension in this song that makes it so delicious. This was no mistake, as the creator, Mark Foster, was keenly aware of what he was doing when he put it together.
This is a bright, bouncy Pop-inspired song. But, the lyrics of “Pumped Up Kids” are dark and violent. They portray a troubled teen who has fantasies about enacting violence against people who may have hurt him. And, if that bothers you, well, it was meant to. So, the next time you whistle along, you might be inclined to stop and think about where this song is coming from.
Until next time, happy listening.
