Are we the music we listen to? Music serves as the perfect medium of expression, and writing a song is a great way to bring about a message. An artist’s song lyrics can often convey how I am feeling when I cannot find the words myself. So, why is Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” so consistently popular? Sure, the tune may be catchy, but is it healthy to have this song playing on repeat?
Foster claimed that he wrote the song from the perspective of a teen shooter in order to “raise awareness” about gun violence. Unfortunately, the seriousness of the subject is overpowered by the upbeat tune, and the song’s simplicity conflicts with its complex, morbid lyrics. Despite Foster’s intentions, the addictive song seems to glorify gun violence–consider that a YouTube video displaying the song’s lyrics had over 71,000 “likes” and only 3,000 “dislikes.” Does that mean that 71,000 people are ignoring the song’s dark meaning?
The recent tragedies in Newtown, Connecticut and in Aurora, Colorado prove that gun violence is an issue that should not be taken lightly. In light of these concerns, Foster the People’s song “Pumped Up Kicks” was taken off several radio stations. I am not, in any way, blaming Foster for these shootings. I am only suggesting that his song may have a bigger psychological impact than we realize. The song itself is harrowing enough, but the lack of concern for its message is even more disturbing.