Foster The People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” Pulled From L.A. Radio In Wake Of Newtown Shooting

Carl Williott | December 19, 2012 6:31 am

Foster The People‘s 2011 earworm “Pumped Up Kicks” has been pulled from KIIS-FM’s rotation following the Newtown, CT shooting, according to TMZ. We were a little surprised that the ancient track was even in rotation at this point anyway, but regardless, the L.A. station was wise to yank the song and we wouldn’t be surprised if other stations followed suit.

While it sounds completely saccharine and benign upon first listen, Mark Foster’s ditty is about a school shooter and features the sinister hook: “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.”

This news, of course, follows reports that Ke$ha‘s single “Die Young” saw an 11% decrease in radio plays following the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary on Friday (December 14). K$ has since tweeted that she never even wanted to use those lyrics and was eventually “forced to.” Some rather unexpected (if ultimately trivial) ramifications of the tragedy in Connecticut that illustrate how the event has shaken all aspects of our culture.