Mark Foster reflects on "Pumped Up Kicks" following the Vegas massacre The song is about a boy who fantasizes about shooting up his school Washington CNN — "Pumped Up Kicks" is a song that manages to be both catchy and thought-provoking, addressing a difficult issue in a way that is accessible to a wide audience. Its themes of mental health, social isolation, and gun violence are more relevant than ever in today's society, and its legacy continues to inspire change and promote important While Pumped Up Kicks references a shooter named Robert, the track is actually hinting heavily to the Columbine Massacre. Although it's never directly confirmed, there are lyrics in the song that directly point to the notorious 1999 high school shooting. Read on to learn more about Foster the People's track, and the deadly shooting it Background According to Foster himself, the track as a whole indeed describes the problem of mass school shootings in the United States. When writing the song in 2009, he felt that the country's handling of these shootings would continue to become a growing problem rather than seeing any improvement. "Pumped Up Kicks" succeeds because of simplicity. The lyrics are spellbinding, around the issue of gun violence and absent parents. It can be very effective to almost belie the profundity of a lyric by setting it to a cheerful, bouncy chorus. Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks (Lyrics) 7clouds. 21.4M subscribers. 7.8M views 11 months ago #pumpedupkicks #7clouds #fosterthepeople. rhjQ.