Tied for tenth on Village Voice’s Pazz & Jop poll of 2011’s best songs is ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ by Foster the People.
I am far more aware of this song than I am familiar with it. I’ve read a lot about it, but I can’t say that I’ve heard it in its entirety more than once or twice. But that’s not a reflection on the song, which I find incredibly catchy.
‘Pumped Up Kicks’ has received most of its press due to its subject matter, and particularly how that subject matter juxtaposes with the light, indie-pop reggae feel of the music. Is it appropriate to tap your feet and whistle along to a tune about a disturbed kid who opens fire on his classmates?
Foster the People aren’t glamorizing the shooter (in fact, one band member has a cousin who survived the Columbine attacks and said he views the song as a vehicle to discuss teen violence) but they sure do make him swing.
He’ll look around the room, he won’t tell you his plan
He’s got a rolled cigarette
Hanging out of his mouth, he’s a cowboy kid
He found a six-shooter gun
In his dad’s closet 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’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’ll be coming home late and he’s coming home late
And he’s bringing me a surprise
‘Cause 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’ve 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
Run run run run
Ru-ru-ru-run run run
Ru-ru-ru-run run run run
Ru-ru-ru-run run run ru-run run
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
Meet Me In Montauk 
As I indicated when I revealed my top 10 songs of the year, this song is right up there near the top. In fact, I flirted with the idea of making it my number one song, but ultimately yielded to the wonderful “Rolling in the Deep.” Still, I find “Kicks” to be one of the most refreshing and vibrant songs I have heard in years.
Unlike you, I have heard the song dozens of times, but it never gets stale. I’ve heard one or two other singles from Foster the People that they have released since and they are good, but nothing like this one. For some artists, lightning in a bottle only strikes once, and I suspect that Foster the People may end up being one of those one hit wonders years from now–the Aha of the 2010s – but, much like “Take on Me,” what a one hit it is.
I came across this song/band on SNL and i immediately loved it. Although the subject matter was pretty disturbing, I immediately gravitated to the irresistible catchiness of the song. For someone at 57 to start wanting to dance about like a teen, you know there has to be some magic to it!
Aw, sis, you got the moves like Jagger:)
I love this song, yet each of the many, many times I have listened to it, I can’t believe that I’m singing along with the words “you’d better run, better run, faster than my gun.” It’s beyond disturbing, yet the song couldn’t be any more fun. Not sure how it causes people to talk about violence, but it definitely is a great avenue for talking about tone and irony.