A day after it was announced that Ke$ha’s song Die Young was being pulled from the airwaves, another hit single has been temporarily banned from American radio. Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” has been pulled from several radio stations.
After Ke$ha’s song was pulled, the singer wrote on Twitter:
“I’m so so so sorry for anyone who has been effected by this tragedy.and I understand why my song is now inappropriate. words cannot express.”
Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” was pulled from the radio because it depicts a school shooting. Band member Mark Foster told TMZ that the song was inspired by the Columbine shooting in Colorado.
This is the chorus to the song:
“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.”
Fox News reports that “Pumped Up Kicks” was dropped from rotation at the LA radio station KIIS-FM.
The band hasn’t commented on the song yet, but they have talked frequently about the school shooting on their Twitter page.
Days later, still sitting in my room with tears behind my eyes trying to think of a way forward. This country is so polarized.
— Foster The People (@fosterthepeople) December 19, 2012
Doesn’t it seem reasonable to move on from our wild west mentality of being gun-toting cowboys? That was over a hundred years ago.
— Foster The People (@fosterthepeople) December 19, 2012
The film industry has also seen a few top movies get delayed due to the shooting. The release of Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher and Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained have both been postponed due to the shooting.
