In writing the song, Foster wanted to "get inside the head of an isolated, psychotic kid" and "bring awareness" to the issue of gun violence among youth, which he feels is an epidemic perpetuated by "lack of family, lack of love, and isolation."

@chefg_murder1191

2 жыл бұрын

Cuddos Rick... you get it.

@sikksotoo

2 жыл бұрын

As someone with a psychosis diagnosis, the character is actually more psychopathic. He's not driven by delusion and hallucinations.

@shammycat3538

2 жыл бұрын

@@sikksotoo he he said psychotic.

@carlmarks8170

2 жыл бұрын

This song would've been a good choice when Brad & Lex had their "one hit wonders" livestream

@MyRetroLife

2 жыл бұрын

@@carlmarks8170 "Sit Next To Me" was also a hit

One of the happiest sounding but in reality darkest songs you'll ever hear.

@jeffjones6221

2 жыл бұрын

Fact

@jasong.5165

2 жыл бұрын

Yup. My kids used to jam to it whenever it would come on the radio. At 3 and 5 years old they didn’t have a clue obviously but still remember them jamming out to it all the time.

@ThePIMPaboveallpimps

2 жыл бұрын

Up there with I Don’t Like Mondays by The Boomtown Rats

@mmsmith03

2 жыл бұрын

Please review Jeannie C Riley doing Harper Valley PTA

@jackfraschieri6947

2 жыл бұрын

This and Hollywood undead bullet are the happiest sounding horrible songs

It CaN't Be LiTeRaL. It is 100% literal. The juxtaposition of the upbeat music and the grim lyrics is what makes it brilliant. Written from the perspective of a psychotic teen outcast. The mind of a guy willing and ready to "fix things" and no longer be ignored by the popular ones. Eric and Dylan would probably be smiling and whistling along to the song, if they heard it.

@24fretsoffury

2 жыл бұрын

I hope you're not one of those Columbine Stans. If so, go touch grass. They were horribly selfish and self-destructive. What they did was inexcusable, just like all school shooters. Everyone gets picked on in school, just a fact of life. Having the proper support and outlets are needed, but the vast majority of kids do NOT shoot up a school.

@lucaslabruyere6794

2 жыл бұрын

@@24fretsoffury you really don’t understand the comment you’re replying to. I would suggest reading it again, and educating yourself

@kevinprzy4539

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, it describes the kid as somebody that doesn’t really have his parents around as well, basically coming home from a school full of kids that don’t like him and doing nothing but sitting around and when his dad finally comes home he eats a tv dinner goes to sleep and restarts his day until he finally breaks one day.

@jordanrayne4779

Жыл бұрын

@lAcid Rainl I thought like that a lot too. I think one of the only things that held me back was having friends. I'd have vivid fantasies of it and even share it. I only really started understanding how wrong those thoughts were after being out on antipsychotics. I'm thankful I wasn't alone at that age, because I don't know what I could have been capable of

@marquisdelafayette1929

Жыл бұрын

Yeah some reactions I just can’t… it’s hit or miss. Ignoring and trivializing the lyrics and message is irritating at times.

It's creepy how dark the lyrics are, but the tone is so happy.

@steveporter9257

2 жыл бұрын

You said it man

@daviebananas1735

2 жыл бұрын

It’s a happy song. Anyone who says otherwise has a twisted unAmerican world view. Only the taliban hate this song.

@Tijuanabill

2 жыл бұрын

@@daviebananas1735 Only a Sith deals in absolutes.

@daviebananas1735

2 жыл бұрын

@@Tijuanabill Cool

@kentuckyjerk323

2 жыл бұрын

I think it shows how a crazy people probably sees life. Hitler enjoyed life while millions were being slaughtered. Here in America, people watched lynchings for fun. Sad, but real talk.

Oh yes, it’s literal. Always felt bad bopping to this song when the lyrics are about kids outrunning a bullet.

@deezballs4203

2 жыл бұрын

Actually the song is about gun reform google is free

@jacqueline4514

2 жыл бұрын

@@deezballs4203 I get it; the song was never meant to promote actual shooting, but the light boppy sound with the literal thoughts of the shooter overwhelm the anti gun violence message.

@shammycat3538

2 жыл бұрын

@@deezballs4203 Gun reform would yank guns from far more law abiding citizens than not. It’s always been an an issue easy for those virtue signalers to attack.

@TheCabIe

2 жыл бұрын

@@jacqueline4514 I'd say it's moreso mental health awareness message. When someone reaches the point where they feel like ruining their own life (you'll never get away with killing a bunch of people in public, you'll either get killed/have to kill yourself or spend the rest of your life in prison) and taking others with you is a legitimate option you should take, they are clearly not in the right state of mind. Isolation, potential bullying, depression and other issues may push someone towards the path where they feel like their only option is to lash out against society. It doesn't excuse these people for doing that they did, plenty of people have it bad in their youth and come out fine, but just condemning them and saying "they were crazy" isn't a solution either. I think just having a small glimpse into the mind of someone who is psychotic and their potential thoughts may make some people realize how important it is to be kind and empathetic towards others, you truly don't know what they're going through. An interesting TED talk I saw a while back was titled something like "How I almost became a school shooter".

@jacqueline4514

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheCabIe Great explanation!

It’s such a happy chill sounding song but it’s about a lonely kid turned school shooter. The lyrics are meant literally. “Robert's got a quick hand He'll look around the room, but 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, and with a box of fun things 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 better run, better run, outrun my gun All the other kids with the pumped up kicks You better run, better run faster than my bullet.”

@chefg_murder1191

2 жыл бұрын

Great catch...

@MTbone7

2 жыл бұрын

Yep song to be taken literally

@rauwchocolatestarfish21

2 жыл бұрын

👁

@daviebananas1735

2 жыл бұрын

Nonsense. Every kid should have full access to guns. This is just a song celebrating cool sneakers. Anything else is socialist propaganda.

@MTbone7

2 жыл бұрын

@Azul_6.5 everyone thinks that but it has nothing to do with that per this interview kzread.info/dash/bejne/n3p6la6od5m5hNo.html

The way I take it: The kids with the pumped up kicks were the cool kids, the preppy ones who picked on the subject of the song, and he's finally had enough of it. Has his dad's revolver and letting them know that he's not running from them anymore, it's them that need to run.

@jonasturklbach2705

2 жыл бұрын

yes. I believe that was the intent of the song too

@beachamj

2 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, yes.

@bigyodatheman

2 жыл бұрын

Yup

@dhuuki82

2 жыл бұрын

this song is about the colombine school shootings in 1999, "pumped up kicks" were a popular type of shoe back then.

@jonasalden29201

2 жыл бұрын

Oh snap. I was thinking of a psychotic school shooter. I feel way more comfortable with your idea!

I heard this song was written about the Columbine School shooting, so I think Lex is pretty spot on if he's singing from the perspective of the shooters

it's actually a really dark song. The main character in the lyrics is a school shooter. The pleasant melodies and chord progressions are meant to lure you into the state of mind of that character.

The song about the school shootings. It was a big rage back then. Sad song with a good beat.

I heard one of the band members (bassist Cubbie Fink) had a cousin that survived Columbine.

Its a catchy song and group.. Indie pop.. About 10 years ago used to be on the radio a lot. I was like cool! Then my kids told me what its about. Its a very sad song. 😔. They showed me their video. Shooting awareness song. But that group has some groovy songs. There are other ones just dont know the names, my kids listen to them. My kids would know 😆.

@jeffreekoch9298

10 ай бұрын

​@@Lorcinajiok

I love when Lex is certain of something and completely off-base. However, on this song she speaks to the heart of its conception. Mark Foster wrote it from the POV; a troubled and delusional youth with homicidal thoughts. How do you like them kicks?

@AtomixIGN

2 жыл бұрын

It's 100% literal. "All the cool kids are going to get shot for bullying and my home life is bad"

This song was actually banned from some radio stations across the US and the world(circa 2010 - 11).

It is literal guys. Excellent song and an important commentary, too. It's a hard song to react to. Not bullies but assassins.

The 2000-2015 indie scene was really great. Maybe it’s just nostalgia though.

@claudio1741

2 жыл бұрын

2011-2015 real golden age

@mariia099

2 жыл бұрын

@@claudio1741 so true

The “pumped up kicks” refer to the Reebok pump’s that were in fashion back in the 90’s/ early 2000’s so yeah... it’s about a school shooting

Hi Brad and Lex, Yes, a very literal interpretation of this song is what was intended. Very very dark subject matter, with a kick ass catchy chorus. Speaking of the dark subject of this track, ...there is another song by "the Boomtown Rats" called, "I don't like Mondays." Same sort of theme, relating back to a school shooting, presumably, on a Monday. A very popular song for the time, however most are unaware of it's origins.

I remember back in elementary school when pumped up kicks were all the rage. Was out on the playground at recess one day when there was this BANG sounded exactly like gunshot. Turns out some kid pumped his sneakers up so much that when he came down on them - he was playing basketball or something - they blew out. Everyone thought it was some kind of explosion. Edit: "I don't think its literal" - it's pretty literal. Cool kids are the ones with the pumped up kids - they're the one's he's looking to shoot.

Such a catchy song.....happy sounding....yet, so dark. It was literal, and Brad just did not think they would sing of such dark happenings as school shootings. Just a reminder to pay attention and try and realize the kids who are on the edge mentally and going through stuff and need help before they end up snapping.

Another 2000s pop song I think you both would enjoy is 1985 by Bowling for Soup. It is so fun and catchy.

@RandomFandomDragon

2 жыл бұрын

Love Bowling for Soup!

@Scott_Forsell

2 жыл бұрын

Plus did the music for Phineas and Ferb, too.

@NiteDriv3r

2 жыл бұрын

SHE'S THE GIRL ALL THE BAD GUYS WANT

i heard them do an interview on the radio. they talked why they made the song so catchy and fun. they figured if it sounded slow and sad it wouldnt get radio play then no one would hear the message.

Brad to Lex: “You think everything’s going to be rap!” 😂 Adorable 🥰

Always reminds me of Semi-Charmed Kind of Life be Third Eye Blind. Such a happy song... Until you actually listen to the words.

The girl dancing on the video totally captures the way this song set My whole summer on FIRE!!!

I just caught the "better run, better run faster than my bullet" like last week, and this song has been on my playlist for a couple of years lol. As mentioned below, it seems to be about a "weird" kid who finds a gun and starts to imagine what he might do with it.

@YouTubeWatcher9000

2 жыл бұрын

That’s literally the chorus. I don’t understand how people can listen to songs over and over again and not know what they’re saying, especially when it’s not difficult to understand.

@bminturn

2 жыл бұрын

@@KZreadWatcher9000 I'm normally listening at work so not really listening, but the same thought occurred to me lol.

I Don't Like Mondays by Boomtown Rats is a good companion piece to this song. It's kind of eye opening to think that this was so common even in 1979 that pop songs were being recorded about it.

@tileux

2 жыл бұрын

Im not American but as far as I know and remember,ber from that time it wasn’t common in1979 - that’s why geldof wrote a song about it, which he later regretted. If anything, the song encouraged copycat shootings.

@MrPhooey442

2 жыл бұрын

It was not common at all. We had all the same weapons for decades prior but this type of thing didn't become common until this century.

@Dreyno

2 жыл бұрын

@@tileux Unfortunately if you look up school shootings in the USA on Wikipedia, you’ll find it was actually fairly common. Often it was a single killing and often it wasn’t a student but there are also numerous multiple homicides. The difference is in the numbers of deaths in a single incident now tends to be higher and the coverage is now international rather than local news.

@marshsundeen

2 жыл бұрын

@@MrPhooey442 automatic weapons were not common until more recently. The Boomtown Rats wrote about an incident in a UK school. When asked why the kid did it, he said he didn't like Mondays. These incidents were pretty rare until the 1980's and 1990's. That is when the US term, going postal became a thing. According to History Extra, "Meaning to become uncontrollably angry, it originates in a series of events in the USA in the 1980s and 1990s. During those two decades well over 40 people were killed in incidents when workers for the United States Postal Service ran amok and shot guns randomly at fellow employees."

@headingley72

Жыл бұрын

@@marshsundeen you are wrong on a couple of things number 1: it took place in San Diego. Number 2: the killer was not a he, She was called Brenda Ann Spencer she was 16 at the time, she killed the Principal and the Custodian, injured 8 kids and a cop at Cleveland Elementary School. She was phoned by a member of the press just after the shooting and asked why she committed this crime she replied “I don’t like Mondays. This livens up the day”.

3:32 "but he's not a kid". Well no, but its not supposed to actually be Mark Foster (the guy singing this), speaking in the song. The song is written from the perspective of a high school kid (Robert, mentioned in the first verse) who is either thinking about a school shooting or possibly already committing one.

Julia Garner from Ozark series is married to the lead singer Mark Foster who wrote the song. He explains it as an outcast who is wanting revenge.

Thank you for all those explaining what this song is about . far from What I thought when I kept hearing it 8 years ago . didn't even know who sang it untill last year . makes sense now

"Yea i guess...not" :) Anyway, the song is about a school shooter, getting revenge on the "cool kids" that belittle him. Pumped up Kicks refers to the pump basketball shoes that were the cool shoes to have and they were expensive...

This song was on radio nonstop summer of 2011. Good jam

Pumped Up Kicks actually refers to Reebok Pumps. And yeah about gun violence as well. This song has a dark meaning.

Always took it as a kid who was tired of being bullied and let the kids who bullied know their BS was done.

It's literal. It's about a kid finding his dad's gun in a closet and at least threatening the kids "with pumped up kicks"

its literally about a teenager finding his dads gun and telling people to outrun his bullets before he kills them.

whats really messed up is a local high school near me actually plays this song on the pa between classes, its almost as if nobody bothered to see what it was about

Totally not my normal style of music I dig, but this track is a guilty pleasure of mine

This song is true ART!

Y’all should do some Empire of the Sun and some Tame Impala stuff. They’re kinda similar to Foster the People in genre.

I can relate. got bullied in middle school 4 not having pumps. Jordan's peak career.

This is one of very few songs where the live version sounds way better than the recorded video version

@RLucas3000

Жыл бұрын

I like the recorded version better. The live version does sound creepier though.

I remember hearing this for the time on AOTS when they debuted it before anyone else. I never realized at the time… how much this song was a predication to the current times

This song is from the perspective of the Columbine school shooters. The "rich" kids in the school bullied the kids incessantly which is why they went with the guns to shoot them. While it is a very pop happy music and tune with a catchy hook, this is a really freaking dark song.

@Jackson-jd1um

2 жыл бұрын

It’s not true those psychos were bullied, they were the bullies

Mark Foster (pride of Northeast Ohio) wrote this song after the Columbine shooting. It sucks that its still relevant today.

@animeman84

2 жыл бұрын

Columbine happened in 1999-this song came out in 2010

@Seanriver316

2 жыл бұрын

@@animeman84 1- I didnt say when it was released. 2-last time I checked, 2010 is after 1999.

This song was huge when i was at Uni. Proper nostalgic feeling to it for me now. Songs like this are way more interesting than just being a pop song. The music has a chill up-beat vibe but the subject matter is pretty dark (I think some of the lyrics come from what the columbine shooters wrote down)

When I watched the video of the Columbine shooting reconstitution with this song it was scary how it combined. Very impactful.

We (Gen X) had Jeremy by Pearl Jam and they have Pumped up Kicks. The poppy and happy feel is very reminiscent of 80s new wave songs that were singing about nuclear war, nuclear winter and the end of the world ( USA-USSR Cold War) that is catchy and sounds happy and danceable but the lyrics are quite dark. This a very good song.

My editor back in 2011, played this while color grading on deadline for 72 hours. It had to have played 60 of those hours. To his credit he did work in the house and Weethan remix to keep us awake.

Yeah it's literal. I think you have a kid bullied at school (Pumped up kicks were expensive, so only the richies/preps would be wearing them), possibly beaten at home ("he's bringing me a surprise" after a long day, probably out boozing), and experiences a psychotic break (talking to his cigarette), before his final act. He's going after them.

The dude that does DUB to this song ng He does it to this song. Its epic. Freakn crazy

Even without the original video, she had it.

there's a very deep rabbit hole of early 200s alt pop-rock. really good stuff from europe around then. Phoenix, Empire of the Sun, Ladyhawke, Santigold, MIA, the Two Door Cinema Club... really really good music.

@alrivers2297

2 жыл бұрын

Early 2 hundreds, now your going way way back

@tonyzahn8911

11 ай бұрын

2 Door Cinema Club's debut album is just banger after banger with dead space.

Back in the 90’s we had shoes we could pump up - I don’t know if you remember. That’s the shoes he’s talking about. All the other kids who have he doesn’t. Family, nice shoes, etc. It really is a happy sounding song. Then I point out the lyrics.

Y'all should see the cool version they did in concert in Mexico with a Mariachi band! Magical. Musicians On The Same Page!

Such an upbeat song for a tale about getting shot for your shoes.

I work on a college campus, and I first heard this on the college radio station which is pumped through my building. It was cool at first, but then it was played non stop and it got old real quick. I believe this was in 2011.

More Foster The People! They are a fantastic band and REALLY good live! Very positive very talented group.

This tune a guilty pleasure. Houdini a great track too. God bless you all

I think the protagonist was bullied for not having the newest stuff by classmates…then his dad gave him his surprise, a gun…and the kid then went back at the kids who had bullied him. Your shoes are no match for my new toy…essentially.

A few must-listen music tracks : Frankie goes to hollywood (relax) ; Blondie(heart of glass) ; Dire Straits(money for nothing) ; The Cure ( in between days) ; Fine young cannibals (she drives me crazy) ; Kate Bush (Babooshka) ; Killing joke (love like blood) ; Level 42 (running in the family) ; Love and money ( halleluiah man) ; Re-flex (the politics of dancing) ; Rod Stewart (da ya think i'm sexy) ; Texas (I don't want a lover) ; Van Halen (jump) ; The clash (the magnificient seven) 😲😲 AMAZING 😲😲

Always thought it was strange. In my day no one would shoot up the school. Trucks had shotguns and rifles in them...

That whole FTP album (Torches) is awesome. Listen to "Helena Beat," "Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)," and "Houdini."

my gawd! set your sleep while listening to this! cmon!

Oh Brad, you sweet summer child…😂

Lex pretty much nailed it at the end. Good job Lex.

They put on a pretty good show. Seenth them at a music festival. Coming from a metal head these dudes do a good show.

Overthinking, over-analyzing seperates the body from the mind. Don't focus on disecting them so much and just take them in first.

Other very dark songs that sound happy or beautiful: 1) You’re Beautiful by James Blunt 2) Every Breath You Take by The Police 3) Maggie Mae by Rod Stewart 4) Luka by Suzanne Vega

You should do is it true by tame Impala

there used to be literal "pump up" high-tops - i think the first were reebox. you'd lace them first, then pump to make them fit tighter. they're using it more generally, though - to address the more affluent kids who flex their wealth, triggering his frustration about his own life.

It's literal. And Lex is spot on as usual. There is a video out there, I think it was a project, where it shows what they were talking about. kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZIOs06OepqrRiZs.html

Y’all seem to be at each other’s throat, chill it’s just music y’all 😇😎👍

i love how y’all got in an argument about shoes 😂

Mark Foster explained the song's meaning to Spinner UK: "'Pumped Up Kicks' is about a kid that basically is losing his mind and is plotting revenge. He's an outcast. I feel like the youth in our culture are becoming more and more isolated. It's kind of an epidemic. Instead of writing about victims and some tragedy, I wanted to get into the killer's mind, like Truman Capote did in In Cold Blood. I love to write about characters. That's my style. I really like to get inside the heads of other people and try to walk in their shoes." Foster says he considered writing the song from the perspective of the victim, but felt that would be a cop out. He also points out that there is no actual violence in the song, as the threats are all the kid's internal monologue.

Almost kind of cute to watch them try to rationalize every explanation in his favor giving him the benefit of the doubt when he’s 100% just talking about a school shooting straight up lol

I’m new to the channel, you guys are bloody fantastic!

Originally I thought that it was an outcast basically being better than the popular kids or something then years later found out the words and was like oh damn school shooter

Please don’t stop (pun?) with this song, they’ve got a great catalog to explore, very funky and groovy

Helena Beat, Houdini, and I Would Do Anything for You are also great songs off this album, they basically knocked the whole album out of the park.

Lex is definitely on the right track and very insightful. Its a disturbing song about lonely kids that go to the extreme and shoot up their school and the "cool kids" with the "pumped up kicks"..... Yet set to an extremely chill, vibe-like song (as Lex would say) ----- great song

The song is about an outcast (student) who is having thoughts of shooting up his peers (kids in the pumped up kicks)

Love this song

Everybody jamming to this happy sounding song doesn't listen to the dark lyrics

This song is written from the prospective of a kid who is fed up at his wits end with being bullied by the type of kids who thought they were all that because they could afford reebok pumps (one of the most popular basketball shoe way back in the day) and decides to take it out on them with a gun.

"it's so chill" The lyrics: you better run better run, faster than my bullet 😂

Its about school shootings. So catchy, but super dark.

The song is literally talking about the school shootings, Robert is a lonely kid with an abusive father. It is about a school shooting which is terrible. It's a catchy tune with very sad lyrics. I think one of the band members has a cousin that survived a school shooting.

“Helena beat” or “don’t stop” The song is basically describing a school shooter. The pumped up kicks are the “cool kids”. It remind me of the song “Psycho killer”

LMAO I totally knew she was talking about at the very beginning in her defense at the end brad said I didn't see one pair of Jordans😀

Anyone remember pumping up their shoes? I never had them but I knew people that did.

Bullet is a song that goes straight to the top, gun is the artist! Thugs are the pumped up kicks...

The song is pretty literal, it's about Robert planning a school shooting. That's why the kids need pumped up kicks, to run from Robert's bullets.

@moonlitegram

2 жыл бұрын

Idk if the lyric is supposed to be suggesting they need those kind of shoes to run. I think its more about signaling the type of kids he's talking about and thus outlining the story more. The kids with the "pumped up kicks" are probably the popular, and maybe rich, kids in his school that the singer sees as antagonists to himself.

Also, pretty sure Lex nailed it on the meaning. 💯

I think she nailed it at the end there, B. Never knew before what this chirpy catchy song was actually saying, couldn't hear, wasn't listening to the words. 8'>/

I had always assumed it was about a school shooter but here's the meaning... Mark Foster explained the song's meaning to Spinner UK: "'Pumped Up Kicks' is about a kid that basically is losing his mind and is plotting revenge. He's an outcast. I feel like the youth in our culture are becoming more and more isolated. It's kind of an epidemic. Instead of writing about victims and some tragedy, I wanted to get into the killer's mind, like Truman Capote did in In Cold Blood. I love to write about characters. That's my style. I really like to get inside the heads of other people and try to walk in their shoes." Foster says he considered writing the song from the perspective of the victim, but felt that would be a cop out. He also points out that there is no actual violence in the song, as the threats are all the kid's internal monologue.

I know that song. I don't have many "new" songs in my playlists, but I don't rule em out if they hook me on em.

Sit next to me is a JAM by these guys.

Yes!!! Keep the indie music coming!!! Check out tidal wave by Portugal. The man

I love this band! Try are you what you want to be. Then HIGH ON FIRE!