"Pump It Up" is a 1978 song by
Elvis Costello
Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in ...
and
the Attractions
The Attractions were an English backing band for the English new wave musician Elvis Costello between 1977 and 1986, and again from 1994 to 1996. They consisted of Steve Nieve (keyboards and ukulele), Bruce Thomas (bass guitar), and Pete Tho ...
. It originally appeared on Costello's second album ''
This Year's Model
''This Year's Model'' is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, released on 17March 1978 through Radar Records. After being backed by Clover for his debut album '' My Aim Is True'' (1977), Costello formed t ...
'', which was the first he recorded with the backing group the Attractions. Written as a sarcastic response to his time during the
Stiffs Live Tour and inspired by "
Subterranean Homesick Blues
"Subterranean Homesick Blues" is a song by Bob Dylan, recorded on January 14, 1965, and released as a single by Columbia Records, catalogue number 43242, on March 8. It was the lead track on the album '' Bringing It All Back Home'', released so ...
" by
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
, "Pump It Up" features a stomping rhythm and sarcastic lyrics.
Released as a single, the track reached number 24 in the UK. It has since become one of Costello's most well-known songs, appearing on several compilation albums and being listed by critics as one of Costello's greatest songs. The song was also accompanied by an iconic video featuring Costello dancing on the sides of his feet.
Background
The song was intended as a commentary on the
Stiffs Live Tour, which Costello had participated in. The tour had been notable for its debauchery;
Ian Dury
Ian Robins Dury (12 May 1942 27 March 2000) was a British singer, songwriter and actor who rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and new wave era of rock music. He was the lead singer and lyricist of Ian Dury and the Blockheads an ...
's "
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
"Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" is a song and single by Ian Dury. It was originally released as a Stiff Records single, with "Razzle in My Pocket" as the B-side, on 26 August 1977. The song was released under the single name "Ian Dury", but three me ...
" served as the setlist's official closing song.
Costello later said of the lyrics, "It was a satire. If you listen to the lyrics, it kind of goes against the grain of hedonism".
He later said, "Well, just how much can you fuck, how many drugs can you do before you get so numb you can't really feel anything?"
Musically, the song was inspired by
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
's "
Subterranean Homesick Blues
"Subterranean Homesick Blues" is a song by Bob Dylan, recorded on January 14, 1965, and released as a single by Columbia Records, catalogue number 43242, on March 8. It was the lead track on the album '' Bringing It All Back Home'', released so ...
"; in his 2015 autobiography ''Unfaithful Music and Disappearing Ink'', Costello explained,
The song was recorded quickly; bassist
Bruce Thomas
Bruce Thomas (born 14 August 1948 in Stockton-on-Tees, England) is an English rock bass guitarist, best known as bassist for the Attractions; the band formed in 1977 to back Elvis Costello in concert and on record.
In addition to his work ...
recalled, "We literally did the best tracks on [''
This Year's Model
''This Year's Model'' is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, released on 17March 1978 through Radar Records. After being backed by Clover for his debut album '' My Aim Is True'' (1977), Costello formed t ...
'']—"Pump It Up", "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea, Chelsea"—in one afternoon. It was like Motown. We'd just go in, play them, and that was it". Costello later said of the track, "I think 'Pump It Up' is a pretty good rock & roll record, of that simple sort of thing, and it's good fun to play".
Lyrics and music
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
critic
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
described "Pump It Up" as being "underscored with sexual menace", while the same site's Mark Deming described the track as "an unblinking look at the physical and emotional costs of what some call the rock & roll lifestyle".
Like many of Costello's songs, "Pump It Up" features frequent
double entendre
A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially ...
s, with the surface-level references to pumped-up music masking the song's description of "a risqué encounter with a girl so enticing,
ostellolikens her to a narcotic", according to ''
The Virginian-Pilot
''The Virginian-Pilot'' is the daily newspaper for Norfolk, Virginia. Commonly known as ''The Pilot'', it is Virginia's largest daily. It serves the five cities of South Hampton Roads as well as several smaller towns across southeast Virginia ...
s Amy Poulter.
Musically, the song is driven by what Deming describes as "a hard, stomping groove that rocks hard but demands to be danced to", driven by bassist
Bruce Thomas
Bruce Thomas (born 14 August 1948 in Stockton-on-Tees, England) is an English rock bass guitarist, best known as bassist for the Attractions; the band formed in 1977 to back Elvis Costello in concert and on record.
In addition to his work ...
and drummer
Pete Thomas.
Deming also notes the presence of "slashing guitar" from Costello. The song features a prominent organ performance by
Steve Nieve
Steve Nieve ( "naïve"; born Stephen John Nason, 21 February 1958) is an English musician and composer. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Nieve has been a member of Elvis Costello's backing bands the Attractions, the Imposters and Madnes ...
that was described by Ryan Prado of ''
Paste'' as "like a carnival train headed off the rails".
Bassist Bruce Thomas said of his part, "When I analyzed it, it was actually a hybrid of a riff from
the Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...
song called "
The Price of Love
"The Price of Love" is a song by the Everly Brothers, released in 1965. It charted at No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 3 on the Irish Singles Chart. It spent one week at Number 1 on the UK's NME chart, but in the US, the song failed to chart ...
". But with the notes changed to those of a
Richard Hell and the Voidoids
Richard Hell and the Voidoids were an American punk rock band, formed in New York City in 1976 and fronted by Richard Hell, a former member of the Neon Boys, Television (band), Television and the Heartbreakers.
History
Kentucky-born Richard He ...
track called "You Gotta Lose". And then there's an odd bar where I played "
You Really Got Me
"You Really Got Me" is a song written by Ray Davies for English rock band the Kinks. The song, originally performed in a more blues-oriented style, was inspired by artists such as Lead Belly and Big Bill Broonzy. Two versions of the song were ...
". It's what I call organic sampling."
Release
In addition to its release on ''
This Year's Model
''This Year's Model'' is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, released on 17March 1978 through Radar Records. After being backed by Clover for his debut album '' My Aim Is True'' (1977), Costello formed t ...
'', "Pump It Up" was released as the second single from the album, after "
(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea". The song reached number 24 in the UK as well as number 55 in Australia.
It has since become a live favorite, often performed as Costello's opening song.
Since its release, "Pump It Up" has appeared on several compilation albums, including ''
The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions'', ''
Girls Girls Girls'', ''
The Very Best of Elvis Costello and The Attractions 1977–86'', ''
The Very Best of Elvis Costello'', and ''
The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years''. The song also appeared on live albums ''
Live at Hollywood High
''Live at Hollywood High'' (officially released as ''Live at Hollywood High/The Costello Show Vol. 2'') is a recording by Elvis Costello and the Attractions from a 1978 concert at Hollywood High School in Los Angeles, California. Three songs fr ...
'' and ''
Live at the El Mocambo''. Additionally, because of the song's regular presence at sporting events, the song has appeared on multi-artist compilation albums such as ''
Jock Rock 2000'' and ''ESPN Presents Slam Jam Volume 1''.
Costello joked of the song's association with sports, "I'm not a big ice hockey fan myself but would YOU tell them to stop playing it while they have those big sticks in their hands?"
"Big Tears"
The B-side of the single was the non-album track "Big Tears".
Mick Jones of
the Clash
The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the wa ...
performs guitar on the song; he was also asked to perform on "Pump It Up" as well, but rumors of Costello attempting to "poach" Jones to be a guitarist for
the Attractions
The Attractions were an English backing band for the English new wave musician Elvis Costello between 1977 and 1986, and again from 1994 to 1996. They consisted of Steve Nieve (keyboards and ukulele), Bruce Thomas (bass guitar), and Pete Tho ...
prevented him from doing so. Since its appearance on the "Pump It Up" single, "Big Tears" has appeared on the American compilation ''
Taking Liberties'', and the UK compilation ''
10 Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers''.
Music video
The music video for "Pump It Up" was directed by Paul Flattery for Jon Roseman Productions. Costello recalled the video as "cheaply produced" and noted the director's use of a
fisheye lens
A fisheye lens is an ultra wide-angle lens that produces strong visual distortion intended to create a wide panoramic or hemispherical image. Fisheye lenses achieve extremely wide angles of view, well beyond any rectilinear lens. Instead of pr ...
that made him look "bug-eyed". The video features Costello's signature jerky dancing. Costello explained,
The video for "
(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" was shot the same day in London, and all the musicians can be seen wearing the same clothes, although drummer
Pete Thomas sports a plain grey jacket for "Pump It Up". Bassist
Bruce Thomas
Bruce Thomas (born 14 August 1948 in Stockton-on-Tees, England) is an English rock bass guitarist, best known as bassist for the Attractions; the band formed in 1977 to back Elvis Costello in concert and on record.
In addition to his work ...
had cut his right hand on a bottle a few weeks previously and had needed eight stitches; his bandage can be clearly seen in both videos.
Reception
Since its release, "Pump It Up" has seen positive reception from critics.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
's Deming calls the song "as exciting, insistent, and physically powerful as anything Costello might have been railing against" and noted that the track "perfectly captures the giddy but terrifying feeling of a wild, adrenaline-fueled all-night party that's dangling on the verge of collapse".
Amy Poulter of ''The Virginian Pilot'' writes, "Even if you're not a fan, you've most likely heard the song and gotten caught up in its infectiously-peppy rhythm and melody".
Matt LeMay of ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' praised Pete Thomas' drumming on the song as "nothing short of perfect", while Jeremy Allen of ''
the Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' described the song as a "classic".
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
has called the song "...intense and as well groomed as can be. With tender hooks and dirty looks." but then goes on to say that it has "Too many thoughts, way too wordy. Too many ideas that just hang up against themselves."
"Pump It Up" has also been named one of Costello's best songs on several rankings. Jim Beviglia of ''American Songwriter'' named it Costello's 20th best song, calling it "a true tour de force for bassist Bruce Thomas" and stating, "When Thomas joins up with Costello on guitar and Steve Nieve on organ for that thundering riff, it's one of those great rock moments, the power of which you can never properly explain to someone without saying, 'Here, listen to this.
Ryan Prado of ''
Paste'' named it Costello's 12th best, writing, "Easily Costello’s most recognizable song, 'Pump It Up' is one of the few he's written whose core lovability can be boiled down to the fact that it's just a great, peppy punk dance rocker. ... You cant not want to pump something up after listening to this song".
In a list for ''Louder'',
David Ford named the song one of Costello's top ten best, calling it "a glorious piece of sweaty pop' and "a brilliantly constructed record".
Martin Chilton of ''
the Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
'' named it Costello's 30th best.
Personnel
Credits sourced from Mix and AustralianMusician
*
Elvis Costello
Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in ...
- lead and backing vocals, electric guitar
*
Steve Nieve
Steve Nieve ( "naïve"; born Stephen John Nason, 21 February 1958) is an English musician and composer. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Nieve has been a member of Elvis Costello's backing bands the Attractions, the Imposters and Madnes ...
-
Vox Super Continental organ, piano
*
Bruce Thomas
Bruce Thomas (born 14 August 1948 in Stockton-on-Tees, England) is an English rock bass guitarist, best known as bassist for the Attractions; the band formed in 1977 to back Elvis Costello in concert and on record.
In addition to his work ...
- bass guitar
*
Pete Thomas - drums
Notes
Cover versions
"Pump It Up" has been covered by
the Hotrats
The Hotrats (originally the Diamond Hoo Ha Men) were a cover band formed by Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey as a side-project from their main band Supergrass. The band were named after Frank Zappa's album '' Hot Rats''. The duo recorded a set o ...
as well as
Mudhoney
Mudhoney is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988, following the demise of Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison and drummer Dan Peters. Orig ...
; the latter rendition was described by Deming as "manag
ngto actually build on Costello's surliness, though their rendition had a purposefully woozy quality that suggested the hangover had already started to set in."
The song's drum beat inspired
the Knack
The Knack was an American rock band based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with its first single, "My Sharona", an international number-one hit in 1979.
History Founding (1977–1978)
Singer Doug Fieger was a native of Oak Park, Michigan, a no ...
's 1979 hit "
My Sharona
"My Sharona" () is the debut single by the Knack. The song was written by Berton Averre and Doug Fieger, and it was released in 1979 from their debut album, '' Get the Knack''. It reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart, w ...
", according to Knack guitarist
Berton Averre
Berton Leslie Averre (born December 13, 1953) is an American guitarist. He was the lead guitarist and one of the founders of the band The Knack. That group had a No. 6 UK / No. 1 US hit with "My Sharona", which sold 10 million copies in ...
.
Electronic band
Rogue Traders
Rogue Traders is an Australian electronic rock band formed in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria in 2002 by mainstay James Ash on keyboards. In 1989, Ash met fellow original member Steve Davis in London while both were working as DJs. B ...
used the track's riff on their 2005 song "
Voodoo Child".
Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Isabel Rodrigo (born February 20, 2003) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She gained recognition in the late 2010s with her lead roles on the Disney television programs ''Bizaardvark'' and '' High School Musical: The Music ...
's 2021 song "
Brutal" features a guitar riff similar to that of "Pump It Up", leading to accusations of plagiarism.
In response, Costello—who cited
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
's "
Subterranean Homesick Blues
"Subterranean Homesick Blues" is a song by Bob Dylan, recorded on January 14, 1965, and released as a single by Columbia Records, catalogue number 43242, on March 8. It was the lead track on the album '' Bringing It All Back Home'', released so ...
" as inspiration for "Pump It Up"—commented, "This is fine by me ... It's how rock and roll works. You take the broken pieces of another thrill and make a brand new toy. That's what I did."
References
Citations
Sources
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*
{{Authority control
1978 singles
Elvis Costello songs
Songs written by Elvis Costello
Radar Records singles
Song recordings produced by Nick Lowe
1978 songs