Foster the people - pumped up kicks - Lyrics Meaning

Written by Mark Foster the song released as a there debut single hit in 2010, the inspiration came from according to Mark, "But I wasn't inspired when I wrote 'Pumped Up Kicks,' and that's what came out. So..." meaning he wrote the song uninspired at the time and it was more of a spur of the moment that the song came out of, the lyrics are viewed from youths that suffer from troubled and delusional thoughts caused by bulling and societies dysfunctions, giving strong notions of gun violence, Marks intention was to quote "get inside the head of an isolated, psychotic kid" unquote, to bring awareness to the issues of gun violence.

The lyric "Pumped Up Kicks" refereeing to sport shoes like Nikes meaning people with a fashion obsession or trendy popular kids, he is envious of them.

He refers Robert as the perspective of this song, referring him as a metaphor to the youths that have built anger within themselves.

His farther is negligent "He'll be coming home late" his mother is never mentioned giving the notion that she has left or passed away.

The songs overall tone is double sided against the dark lyrics which mirrors what often occurs in this type of individuals in society "Robert "seems fine on the outside, but within something is about to erupt.