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| Photo Credit: Williams + Hirakawa |
That’s certainly the case with Foster The People’s latest single, “Pumped Up Kicks.”
The tune is all over radio and is currently No. 2 on iTunes’ top-selling singles.
It's an awesome groove and it’s no wonder that the song’s a hit with its simple, but groovy bassline and dreamy, melodic vocals.
But it’s a violent song.
The poppy tune includes lyrics about guns, bullets and a kid named Robert, which some have claimed is meant to depict Robert Hawkins, the gunman who killed eight and injured six people before taking his own life at Omaha’s Von Maur store in 2007.
I first heard about it when several people contacted me over the weekend to ask me what I knew. Namely, "Is it true that it's about the Westroads shootings? That's totally going to ruin the song for me.
So, are the rumors true?
“This is completely false. The character name in the song is just a coincidence,” the band’s publicist wrote in response to The World-Herald’s questions.
The first verse contains lines such as “Robert’s got a quick hand,” “found a six shooter gun in his dad’s closet” and “he’s coming for you.”
And then there’s the chorus: “All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, better run, better run, outrun my gun/All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, better run, better run, faster than my bullet.”
It's also not about Robert Butler Jr., the Millard South student who killed his vice principal, shot his principal and killed himself. The song came out in early 2010. Butler shot up his school in 2011.
The song is violent enough, anyway, to cause MTV to ask the band to submit a version of the song without references to guns or bullets. The band complied, even though singer Mark Foster told “Time Out Chicago” that the song’s not actually about killing people.
“Kids are just getting younger and younger and losing their minds and going on killing sprees. It really was bothering me, and I was trying to figure out why that was happening more and more. I wanted to tell that story and get inside the head of a kid going crazy,” he said. “The song’s about isolation, being an outcast, and seeing the world through the character’s eyes. It’s not about him actually physically going and doing anything, it’s about his mental state.”
It seems the Internet — Wikipedia in particular — and its tendency to proliferate rumors have struck once again.
On SongMeanings.net, a poster posited that the Robert in the song might be Hawkins. An Omahan’s reply to his post said that the song is definitely about the shootings, though his only claim to holding the truth was that the poster went to high school with Hawkins.
Additional blog posts on CityUnlisted.com, Tumblr.com and even prominent alternative newsweekly Seattle Weekly all have referenced Hawkins.
Perhaps the biggest offender (and possibly the source of all of the other rumors) is the song’s entry on Wikipedia, which states “The lyrics refer to the shooter Robert A. Hawkins in the murder-suicide at the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska on Wednesday, December 5, 2007.”
Wikipedia can be edited by anyone and often contains mistakes. Facts are often cited with links to other articles.
The citation next to the note about Hawkins? There isn’t one.
Watch the video for "Pumped Up Kicks" below.
So, because a publicist said it isn't about Robert A. Hawkins, you believe it? Wow, you are gullible. Moreover, the song is about anything the people listening to it think that it's about, and the The Westroads Mall connection is a pretty automatic and obvious one. I find it difficult to believe that whoever wrote wasn't aware of that allusion.
ReplyDeleteactually if you read this article... Mark Foster says its not about him...“Kids are just getting younger and younger and losing their minds and going on killing sprees. It really was bothering me, and I was trying to figure out why that was happening more and more. I wanted to tell that story and get inside the head of a kid going crazy,” he said. “The song’s about isolation, being an outcast, and seeing the world through the character’s eyes. It’s not about him actually physically going and doing anything, it’s about his mental state.”
DeleteThat is why when I look up things I never look in wikipedia...anyone i anyone can edit anything on it including me! dumb people believe everything the press tells ya!?!?!
DeleteOf course people are going to connect this song with the events in Omaha, as it became a widespread rumor before anyone reported on it. The song's lyrics talk about a kid named Robert with a gun.
ReplyDeleteHowever, no one can be sure exactly what Mark Foster was referencing, if anything. The Westroads shooting was national news, of course, but who knows if Foster was ever aware of it.
The publicist speaks on behalf of the band. And this is journalism (not a rumor mill), so I have to quote the source.
@Gone
ReplyDeleteDid you not read the article? The shooting took place in 2011. The song was produced in 2010. Pretty clear it wasn't a Robert Hawkins reference.
Actually the Westroads Mall shooting happened in 2007, the incident in 2011 was when Robert Butler killed Principle, Vice Principle and himself. Either way, The song is clearly not advocating violence. Mark Foster explains that but rather about the mental state of the kid.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteColumbine High School shooting?? it could be about that? idk there are many shootings this song can be about.
ReplyDeleteI seriously doubt Mark Foster wrote the song about Robert Hawkins. The song says "he found a six shooter gun" - six shooter, as in a revolver, which is a six shot pistol. Robert Hawkins used a semi-automatic rifle with two 30-round magazines during the Omaha 2007 shooting. Seems like the name "Robert" is a coincidence, and people are jumping to conclusions.
ReplyDeleteThe video is sooooo much different than the lyrics.. I'm debating just the same as others, BUT .. not once does it show a gun, nor a reference to KICKS(shoes)..and it shows men having a goodtime playing around and actually socializing..not a violent video!! WORDS are more impressionable than a video.
ReplyDelete@NickBallard: "The poppy tune includes lyrics about guns, bullets and a kid named Robert, which some have claimed is meant to depict Robert Hawkins, the gunman who killed eight and injured six people before taking his own life at Omaha’s Von Maur store in 2007."
ReplyDeleteThere were two shootings involved: One in 2011 (Robert Butler), and another one in '07 (Robert Hawkins).
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete@anonymous from Oct 31, 2011 7:14 PM...Are you actually trying to defend the Band's word on the meaning of the song, in which you ignorantly use the word "retarded"? The Band said it was about kids that are outcasts or isolated...or are you defining "retarded" as someone other than a person with a genetic mental disorder?
ReplyDeleteNot saying the band's definition is logical either...what the heck did the lead singer mean with these words: "kids are just getting younger and younger..."? What...like Benjamin Button?
They state the song is not about "him actually physically going and doing anything-". Then what are these lyrics describing:"But he's coming for you, yeah he's coming for you"..."Yeah the slight of my hand is now a quick pull trigger"? That would be like saying "Firework" by Katy Perry is really about the science of creating a trajectory with a controlled burn of substances generating bright light at a specific altitude. The meaning they give just doesn't line up. If it's about being an outcast by the kids with brand name shoes & expensive clothing as well as lack of family, then why does the character shoot his father? That only makes his family smaller. In addition, if he had the money to wear 'pumped up kicks', would he then no longer be isolated and going crazy?
The song seems more likely to be about jealousy, a kid taking his father's life in anger over: material things other kids have & that he doesn't have but desires (somewhat secretly).
Or he's just making fun of kids that look like cowboys.
Guy up above states this degenerate McDonald's employee used 2..30rd clips? And only killed 8 people....sounds to me that the pumped up kicks were working well and they did outrun the bullets... too bad for the dead... lets dont give this dirtball props about a song named after him.... i am sure its referenced to jacked up kids and violence
ReplyDeletei think that he is telling the truth about the song isnt about a kid going and doing anything just the mind of the kid i also do believe that he got inspiration from robert hawkins shooting witch is why he wanted to kno about the youth violence
ReplyDeleteIt says Robbie has a six shooter Robert A. Hawkins has a semi automatic assault rifle
ReplyDeleteall u guys are losers grow up ya nerdz
ReplyDeleteIts comment likes what u just said about all of us being nerds and losers is why kids go blow up And shoot there school have more respect for others point of views and perspectives and stop being a certified douche bag with a stamp
ReplyDeleteregardless,this song does stress violence. I love this song not for the words but because it has a nice dance beat. If people are going to listen to a song and do something weird its because they are messed up from the start and the song didnt have anything to do with it.
ReplyDeleteI know it says "Six shooter gun" but maybe it refers to as an automatic weapon.. Because Unlike automatic weapons.. There are weapons that are semi-automatic like 1 shoters basically.. and tri shots.. he said six shooter to refer to a automatic gun.. (Thats my opinion) Notice how he said "he'll look around the room.. he wont tell you his plan.." Robert Hawkins Enter the mall.. Looked around.. and walked back out.. He also speaks about finding the gun in his dads closet.. (Which robert found in his dads closet) and then of course the obvious one which is "Robert's got a quick hand" that's pretty self explanitory.. To be honest.. I dont care if its about a shooting or not.. I like the song PERIOD... Nothings going to make it change.. It does feel a little creepy to think what its about but.. it doesnt change the fact that i like it..
ReplyDeleteif the kid's name wasn't Robert noone would even be concerned with the lyrics. Maybe they should've used a girl's name. There are much more important things going on in this world than this song
ReplyDeleteCubbie Fink (the bass player) had a cousin he was close with who was present at Columbine (in the library) and he had flown in to be with her. Surely that could have been on Mark's consciousness. However, early on before the spin machine got too slick, he admitted that the chorus was meant to be kind of a gangsta rappish statement of confidence, a power mantra. We know he himself was victim of repeated bullying as a child, and that his response was almost always to fight. Got his jaw broken and got suspended apparently often. In a nutshell, I do believe for the most part he himself is Robert--and finally getting his revenge in best possible way.
ReplyDeleteIf you are determined to hate on the song. Stop holding onto some idea that the song is based on the shooting. The timeline disproves you. Instead think, like every other stupid American that blames youth violence on media and games, that the violent shooting was based on the song. There! An argument for you! But whatevs, I think the song is top!
ReplyDeletei find it funny that as a musician i feel like im the only person here who knows that when you write a song like this... sometimes you just go through names that sound good with the line...
ReplyDelete@The Web Divas - I am not a musician, but I was thinking the same EXACT thing. You go with names and words that fit into the lines of the song. I don't understand why people are making such a big deal out of this. It seems pretty stupid and insignificant to me.
ReplyDeleteI heared that the song was talking out killing black people thats why they say all the other kids with the pumped up kicks because thats the kind of shoes that african american kids wear .. is thats true? i hope not because i liked the sone til i heared that about it
ReplyDeleteNooo that's not true.
ReplyDelete