Pump up the Volume (song)
Encyclopedia
"Pump Up the Volume" is a song and the only single
by British
recording act MARRS
. It was a number-one hit in many countries and is generally regarded as a significant milestone in the development of British house music
and music sampling
.
The single was the product of an uneasy collaboration between reggae
group Colourbox
and alternative rock
band A R Kane
, two groups signed to the independent label 4AD
. The link-up was suggested by label founder Ivo Watts-Russell
after the two groups had independently sounded him out about the possibility of releasing a commercially oriented dance record, inspired by the American house music that was starting to make an impact on the British charts. When the M|A|R|R|S project was first released early in 1987, the popularity of the style of the song had already started to grow.
Just as important to M|A|R|R|S in the long run was the underground dance scene which was beginning to emerge in the UK, particularly records such as "Say Kids What Time Is It?
" by Coldcut
and "All You Need Is Love
" by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu
. These sample-heavy dance records were critically acclaimed, but failed to achieve mainstream success.
found himself in the middle and unable to resolve the conflict between the two groups. The result was that instead of working together, the two groups ended up recording a track each, then turning it over to the other for additional input. Colourbox came up with "Pump Up the Volume", a percussion-led near-instrumental, featuring an Eric B. & Rakim
sample which gave it its title, while A R Kane created the more deliberately arty "Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance)" in another studio. Colourbox then added a heavy drum-machine
rhythm and effects to "Anitina" and A R Kane overdubbed some additional guitar to "Pump Up the Volume." The coup de grace, however, was the addition of scratch
mix effects and samples by DJs Chris "C.J." Macintosh and Dave Dorrell.
The two tracks were released to United Kingdom dance clubs in July 1987, on an anonymous white label
with no artist credit. "Pump Up the Volume" proved to be the more popular side and was the track more heavily promoted. 4AD released the 12" single
(as, officially, a double A-side) on 24 August of that year. It entered the UK Singles Chart
the following week at number 35, a strong initial showing for an unknown act, especially on 12" sales. However, what gave "Pump Up the Volume" its commercial edge was the remix
released a week later. This remix became the best-known version of the track, transforming it by the addition of numerous samples which provided the record with additional hooks besides its oft-repeated title chant, such as samples of tracks by Public Enemy, Criminal Element Orchestra and the Bar-Kays
being used. It was this remix, rather than the original, that was edited down to create the 7-inch version of the track, which began picking up radio play.
As the record climbed the charts, the single ran into legal difficulties. With "Pump Up the Volume" standing at number two, an injunction
was obtained against it by pop music producers Stock Aitken Waterman
(SAW), who objected to the use of a sample from their hit single "Roadblock". Distribution was held up for several days while negotiations took place, which resulted in an undertaking that overseas releases would not include the "Roadblock" sample. Dave Dorrell later stated that he believed SAW would never have noticed the highly distorted sample had he not rashly boasted about it in a radio interview. The offending article consisted of 7 seconds of an anonymous background voice moaning the single word "hey", involved no musical or melodic information, and could never be considered plagiarism in the literary sense. SAW member Pete Waterman
wrote an open letter to the music press calling such things "wholesale theft". Some publications were quick to point out that Waterman was currently using the bassline from the Colonel Abrams
song "Trapped" in his production of Rick Astley
's "Never Gonna Give You Up
," which was competing in close proximity to "Pump Up the Volume" in the pop charts. Many observers suggested that SAW's motives had just as much to do with extending the run of "Never Gonna Give You Up
" at the top of the chart. SAW had access to almost limitless legal resources and M|A|R|R|S stood little if any chance of a successful defence. Despite all this, "Pump Up the Volume" went on to spend two weeks at number one in October 1987 and was a chart hit in many other countries, receiving considerable airplay on American, Australian and European airwaves. While it was stripped from the official American release, the version containing the offending "Roadblock" sample was the version that the Australian charts credited.
's "Paid in Full
", which had been released prior to the MARRS track also hit the top twenty in November, both singles heavily borrowed from Coldcut
's previous UK chart success "Say Kids What Time Is It?
". This was a very rapid response indeed, since "Pump Up the Volume" seemed to catch the record industry off-guard. It was not until February 1988, four months after "Pump Up the Volume" reached the top ten, that the floodgates truly opened. Like "Pump Up the Volume", many of the first major wave of British house hits were on independent labels. Not all of them displayed an obvious influence from M|A|R|R|S, though many did.
While Two Men, a Drum Machine and a Trumpet
's "Tired of Getting Pushed Around", one of the first such hits, was principally just a dance groove with minimal use of samples, it was the sampling angle that made most impact on the public consciousness in the short term. Among the hits clearly following in M|A|R|R|S' footsteps were "Beat Dis
" by Bomb the Bass
, "Theme from S'Express
" by S'Express
, and "Doctorin' the House
" by Coldcut
featuring Yazz and the Plastic Population
. These in turn spawned imitators from across Europe and the U.S. The sample montage craze would soon burn itself out, since many of the later records relied heavily on recycling the same samples already heard on the hits mentioned above. Litigation would also play its part and the adage "Where there's a hit—theres a writ" was coined as both house and hip hop
artists underwent a period of being sued for using unlicenced samples in their recordings. The sampling style was also being parodied
, notably by Star Turn on 45 (Pints)
, with their UK #12 hit "Pump Up the Bitter", and by Harry Enfield
's "Loadsamoney" single (incidentally produced by a young William Orbit
). Les Adams also released "Check This Out" under the LA Mix moniker — a record that replayed "Pump Up the Volume" and "This is a journey into sound" soundbites before a male voice yells, "Oh not again! Get off!" Tastes started to change and acid house
started to dominate the charts.
M|A|R|R|S themselves never came close to recording again. A R Kane gave interviews to the music press in which they explained that while they were proud to have been part of M|A|R|R|S, it was not an experience they were keen to repeat. They were particularly unhappy at having their contribution to "Pump Up the Volume" all but removed from the track. Colourbox attempted to carry on using the name M|A|R|R|S, but were not willing to pay the £100,000 that A R Kane wanted for full rights to the name, and the project remained a one-off.
Disco Mix Club Records, a British DJ pool and remix service, sought permission to remix "Pump Up the Volume" for several years. After continual setbacks resulting from the uneasy M|A|R|R|S collaboration, the organization gave up and released its own version in 1995 under "Greed featuring Ricardo da Force."
sketch comedy
show Pulttibois
. The song appeared in all the show's intros during the second and third season as well as occasionally playing over the credits. In the intro the stars of the show, Pirkka-Pekka Petelius
and Aake Kalliala
, dance and perform silly actions to the beat of the music while wearing suits against a red background. They also mouth the lyrics: "Brothers and sisters! Pump up the Volume!"
Remix 12" single (BAD 707R)
7" single (AD 707)
CD maxi single (BAD 707 CD)
U.S. CD maxi single (AD 707 CD)
U.S. CD maxi single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
recording act MARRS
MARRS
MARRS was a 1987 one-off recording act formed by the groups A.R. Kane and Colourbox which only released one commercial disc...
. It was a number-one hit in many countries and is generally regarded as a significant milestone in the development of British house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
and music sampling
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
.
The single was the product of an uneasy collaboration between reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
group Colourbox
Colourbox
Colourbox were an English electronic musical group on the 4AD label, releasing a number of records between 1982 and 1987. The band was formed by brothers Martyn and Steve Young, along with guest singers, until Lorita Grahame joined as a permanent member in 1983....
and alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band A R Kane
A R Kane
A.R. Kane were a British dream pop duo consisting of Alex Ayuli and Rudy Tambala that formed in 1986. Their name was partially derived from their first names, the "A" in Alex and the "R" in Rudy. The duo hailed from East London...
, two groups signed to the independent label 4AD
4AD
4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
. The link-up was suggested by label founder Ivo Watts-Russell
Ivo Watts-Russell
Ivo Watts-Russell was joint-founder with Peter Kent of the English indie record label 4AD. He has also produced several records, himself preferring to use the term "musical director" to explain his role in the creation....
after the two groups had independently sounded him out about the possibility of releasing a commercially oriented dance record, inspired by the American house music that was starting to make an impact on the British charts. When the M|A|R|R|S project was first released early in 1987, the popularity of the style of the song had already started to grow.
Just as important to M|A|R|R|S in the long run was the underground dance scene which was beginning to emerge in the UK, particularly records such as "Say Kids What Time Is It?
Say Kids What Time Is It?
"Say Kids What Time Is It?" is the debut single of British dance music duo Coldcut. It is renowned as one of the first tracks to be built entirely around music sampling.-Release of the single:...
" by Coldcut
Coldcut
Coldcut are an English dance music duo, comprising Matt Black and Jonathan More. Their signature style is electronic dance music, featuring cut up samples of hip hop, breaks, jazz, spoken word and various other types of music, as well as video and multimedia.-1980s:In 1986, computer programmer Matt...
and "All You Need Is Love
All You Need Is Love (The JAMs song)
"All You Need Is Love" is a song by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, independently released as their debut single on 9 March 1987. A politically topical song concerning the UK media's AIDS furore, the track was initially given a 12" white label release because of its sampling of other records.The...
" by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu
The KLF
The KLF were one of the seminal bands of the British acid house movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
. These sample-heavy dance records were critically acclaimed, but failed to achieve mainstream success.
Production
The collaboration between the two groups did not go entirely to plan. Once in the studio, the groups' different working methods and personalities failed to gel. Producer John FryerJohn Fryer (music)
John Fryer is an English record producer. Best known for his production work, he also branched out as a musician as one of only two constant members of This Mortal Coil , providing keyboards, strings and synthesizer sequencing for the band, and its offshoot, The Hope Blister.- Career :Starting out...
found himself in the middle and unable to resolve the conflict between the two groups. The result was that instead of working together, the two groups ended up recording a track each, then turning it over to the other for additional input. Colourbox came up with "Pump Up the Volume", a percussion-led near-instrumental, featuring an Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop duo composed of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim .Hailing from Long Island, New York, the pair are generally considered by hip hop enthusiasts to be one of the most influential and innovative groups in the genre...
sample which gave it its title, while A R Kane created the more deliberately arty "Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance)" in another studio. Colourbox then added a heavy drum-machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
rhythm and effects to "Anitina" and A R Kane overdubbed some additional guitar to "Pump Up the Volume." The coup de grace, however, was the addition of scratch
Scratching
Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used...
mix effects and samples by DJs Chris "C.J." Macintosh and Dave Dorrell.
The two tracks were released to United Kingdom dance clubs in July 1987, on an anonymous white label
White label
White label records are vinyl records with adhesive plain white labels affixed. Test pressings, usually with Test Pressing written on the label, with catalogue number, artist and recording time or date, are produced in small quantities to evaluate the quality of the disc production...
with no artist credit. "Pump Up the Volume" proved to be the more popular side and was the track more heavily promoted. 4AD released the 12" single
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
(as, officially, a double A-side) on 24 August of that year. It entered the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
the following week at number 35, a strong initial showing for an unknown act, especially on 12" sales. However, what gave "Pump Up the Volume" its commercial edge was the remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
released a week later. This remix became the best-known version of the track, transforming it by the addition of numerous samples which provided the record with additional hooks besides its oft-repeated title chant, such as samples of tracks by Public Enemy, Criminal Element Orchestra and the Bar-Kays
Bar-Kays
The Bar-Kays are a popular soul, R&B, and funk group who began performing in 1966 and continue to perform today, although with only one original member. The group had dozens of charting singles from the 1960s to the 1980s, including "Soul Finger" The Bar-Kays are a popular soul, R&B, and funk group...
being used. It was this remix, rather than the original, that was edited down to create the 7-inch version of the track, which began picking up radio play.
As the record climbed the charts, the single ran into legal difficulties. With "Pump Up the Volume" standing at number two, an injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
was obtained against it by pop music producers Stock Aitken Waterman
Stock Aitken Waterman
Stock Aitken Waterman, sometimes known as SAW, were a UK songwriting and record producing trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman. They had great success during the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s...
(SAW), who objected to the use of a sample from their hit single "Roadblock". Distribution was held up for several days while negotiations took place, which resulted in an undertaking that overseas releases would not include the "Roadblock" sample. Dave Dorrell later stated that he believed SAW would never have noticed the highly distorted sample had he not rashly boasted about it in a radio interview. The offending article consisted of 7 seconds of an anonymous background voice moaning the single word "hey", involved no musical or melodic information, and could never be considered plagiarism in the literary sense. SAW member Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
wrote an open letter to the music press calling such things "wholesale theft". Some publications were quick to point out that Waterman was currently using the bassline from the Colonel Abrams
Colonel Abrams
Colonel Abrams is a house and urban musician who was born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in New York City, New York. He graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School currently known as Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics which is in East Harlem section of Manhattan, there he met a fellow...
song "Trapped" in his production of Rick Astley
Rick Astley
Richard Paul "Rick" Astley is an English singer-songwriter, musician, and radio personality. He is known for his 1987 song, "Never Gonna Give You Up", which was a #1 hit single in 25 countries...
's "Never Gonna Give You Up
Never Gonna Give You Up
A group of London dance producers, called The Rickrollerz made a house music cover version of "Never Gonna Give You Up" on that day, and in honor of that event....
," which was competing in close proximity to "Pump Up the Volume" in the pop charts. Many observers suggested that SAW's motives had just as much to do with extending the run of "Never Gonna Give You Up
Never Gonna Give You Up
A group of London dance producers, called The Rickrollerz made a house music cover version of "Never Gonna Give You Up" on that day, and in honor of that event....
" at the top of the chart. SAW had access to almost limitless legal resources and M|A|R|R|S stood little if any chance of a successful defence. Despite all this, "Pump Up the Volume" went on to spend two weeks at number one in October 1987 and was a chart hit in many other countries, receiving considerable airplay on American, Australian and European airwaves. While it was stripped from the official American release, the version containing the offending "Roadblock" sample was the version that the Australian charts credited.
Influence
As one of the first big British-made house hit, "Pump Up the Volume" marked a turning-point in the popularity of the genre. Eric B. & RakimEric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop duo composed of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim .Hailing from Long Island, New York, the pair are generally considered by hip hop enthusiasts to be one of the most influential and innovative groups in the genre...
's "Paid in Full
Paid in Full (Eric B. & Rakim song)
"Paid in Full" is a song written, produced and recorded by American rap duo Eric B. & Rakim, released as the fifth and final single from their debut album of the same name, Paid in Full....
", which had been released prior to the MARRS track also hit the top twenty in November, both singles heavily borrowed from Coldcut
Coldcut
Coldcut are an English dance music duo, comprising Matt Black and Jonathan More. Their signature style is electronic dance music, featuring cut up samples of hip hop, breaks, jazz, spoken word and various other types of music, as well as video and multimedia.-1980s:In 1986, computer programmer Matt...
's previous UK chart success "Say Kids What Time Is It?
Say Kids What Time Is It?
"Say Kids What Time Is It?" is the debut single of British dance music duo Coldcut. It is renowned as one of the first tracks to be built entirely around music sampling.-Release of the single:...
". This was a very rapid response indeed, since "Pump Up the Volume" seemed to catch the record industry off-guard. It was not until February 1988, four months after "Pump Up the Volume" reached the top ten, that the floodgates truly opened. Like "Pump Up the Volume", many of the first major wave of British house hits were on independent labels. Not all of them displayed an obvious influence from M|A|R|R|S, though many did.
While Two Men, a Drum Machine and a Trumpet
Fine Young Cannibals
Fine Young Cannibals were a British band formed in Birmingham, England, in 1984, by bassist David Steele and guitarist Andy Cox , and singer Roland Gift...
's "Tired of Getting Pushed Around", one of the first such hits, was principally just a dance groove with minimal use of samples, it was the sampling angle that made most impact on the public consciousness in the short term. Among the hits clearly following in M|A|R|R|S' footsteps were "Beat Dis
Beat Dis
"Beat Dis" is a track by British act Bomb the Bass, a studio production formed by producer Tim Simenon, from the act's album Into the Dragon. It, like other hits of the era such as "Pump Up the Volume" by M|A|R|R|S and "Theme from S'Express" by S'Express, largely consisted of samples.The single was...
" by Bomb the Bass
Bomb the Bass
Bomb the Bass is the umbrella title for the output of British musician and producer, Tim Simenon. The band, which has evolved its style over the years, has been classed as electronic or dance....
, "Theme from S'Express
Theme from S'Express
"Theme from S-Express" is an acid house song by English dance music band S'Express from their album Original Soundtrack. It is widely regarded as a pivotal moment in dance music history and is notable for introducing acid house culture to the UK's charts....
" by S'Express
S'Express
S'Express were a British dance music act from the late 1980s, who had one of the earliest commercial successes in the acid house genre."Theme from S'Express", based on Rose Royce's "Is It Love You're After", was also one of the earliest recordings to capitalize on a resurgence of sampling culture...
, and "Doctorin' the House
Doctorin' the House
"Doctorin' the House" is a single by Coldcut with British singer Yasmin Evans released in 1988. The track incorporates samples from various sources, mainly TV and film dialogue. The song peaked at #6 on the UK Singles Chart in March 1988 and spent four weeks in the Top 10, making it Coldcut's...
" by Coldcut
Coldcut
Coldcut are an English dance music duo, comprising Matt Black and Jonathan More. Their signature style is electronic dance music, featuring cut up samples of hip hop, breaks, jazz, spoken word and various other types of music, as well as video and multimedia.-1980s:In 1986, computer programmer Matt...
featuring Yazz and the Plastic Population
Yazz
Yazz is a British pop singer, who remains best known for her successful 1988 dance track, "The Only Way Is Up". Some of her records were credited to Yazz & The Plastic Population...
. These in turn spawned imitators from across Europe and the U.S. The sample montage craze would soon burn itself out, since many of the later records relied heavily on recycling the same samples already heard on the hits mentioned above. Litigation would also play its part and the adage "Where there's a hit—theres a writ" was coined as both house and hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
artists underwent a period of being sued for using unlicenced samples in their recordings. The sampling style was also being parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
, notably by Star Turn on 45 (Pints)
Star Turn on 45 (Pints)
Star Turn on 45 is an English novelty song musical ensemble, led by Steve O'Donnell. As well as O'Donnell, the group included Colin Jennings and J. Vincent Edwards...
, with their UK #12 hit "Pump Up the Bitter", and by Harry Enfield
Harry Enfield
Henry Richard "Harry" Enfield is a BAFTA-winning English comedian, actor, writer and director.-Early life:...
's "Loadsamoney" single (incidentally produced by a young William Orbit
William Orbit
William Orbit is an English musician, composer and record producer, perhaps best known to most for his work on Madonna's album Ray of Light. He has also co-produced several unreleased Madonna songs originally recorded for other albums...
). Les Adams also released "Check This Out" under the LA Mix moniker — a record that replayed "Pump Up the Volume" and "This is a journey into sound" soundbites before a male voice yells, "Oh not again! Get off!" Tastes started to change and acid house
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
started to dominate the charts.
M|A|R|R|S themselves never came close to recording again. A R Kane gave interviews to the music press in which they explained that while they were proud to have been part of M|A|R|R|S, it was not an experience they were keen to repeat. They were particularly unhappy at having their contribution to "Pump Up the Volume" all but removed from the track. Colourbox attempted to carry on using the name M|A|R|R|S, but were not willing to pay the £100,000 that A R Kane wanted for full rights to the name, and the project remained a one-off.
Disco Mix Club Records, a British DJ pool and remix service, sought permission to remix "Pump Up the Volume" for several years. After continual setbacks resulting from the uneasy M|A|R|R|S collaboration, the organization gave up and released its own version in 1995 under "Greed featuring Ricardo da Force."
Pulttibois
In 1990, Pump Up the Volume became the theme song for the highly popular FinnishFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
show Pulttibois
Pulttibois
Pulttibois was a popular Finnish sketch comedy television show that premiered on MTV3 in 1989 and which starred a two-man cast of comedic actors - Pirkka-Pekka Petelius and Aake Kalliala...
. The song appeared in all the show's intros during the second and third season as well as occasionally playing over the credits. In the intro the stars of the show, Pirkka-Pekka Petelius
Pirkka-Pekka Petelius
Pirkka-Pekka Petelius is a Finnish actor and screenwriter. He has also written manuscripts for Finnish TV series and made six records as a singer....
and Aake Kalliala
Aake Kalliala
Aarne "Aake" Kalliala is a Finnish actor. He is most famous for appearing on comedy-sketch shows such as Velipuolikuu and Pulttibois ....
, dance and perform silly actions to the beat of the music while wearing suits against a red background. They also mouth the lyrics: "Brothers and sisters! Pump up the Volume!"
Samples used
The table below is a select list of samples used in "Pump Up the Volume"; also listed is which versions of "Pump Up the Volume" the sample appears in. Due to the song's legal history, samples used in the different U.S. and UK versions vary.| Sampled track | Sampled portion | Original UK version | U.S. version/12" remix[A] | UK radio edit | U.S. radio edit | Bonus Beats version | Original release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afrika Bambaataa Afrika Bambaataa Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal... and James Brown James Brown James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr... , "Unity Unity (song) "Unity" is a song recorded by Afrika Bambaataa and James Brown as a duet in 1984. It is notable for being the first recording in which James Brown collaborated with a performer associated with hip hop, a then-new idiom heavily influenced by Brown's own funk music. The record's title and its cover... (Part Three - Nuclear Wildstyle)" |
Repeated vocal sample ("Ah...") | Unity, 1984 (12") | |||||
| Bar-Kays Bar-Kays The Bar-Kays are a popular soul, R&B, and funk group who began performing in 1966 and continue to perform today, although with only one original member. The group had dozens of charting singles from the 1960s to the 1980s, including "Soul Finger" The Bar-Kays are a popular soul, R&B, and funk group... , "Holy Ghost Money Talks (album) Released on Stax Records in the October of 1978 to capitalize on The Bar-Kays newfound success. This album would chart at number twenty one on the Billboard Soul Album charts... " |
Drums, with moog | Holy Ghost, 1978 (12") | |||||
| James Brown James Brown James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr... , "Super Bad (Part One) Super Bad (song) "Super Bad" is a 1970 James Brown song. Originally released as a three-part single, it went to number one on the soul singles chart and number 13 on the Hot 100.... " |
Vocal sample ("Watch me") | Super Bad, 1970 (12") | |||||
| Tom Browne, "Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)" | Trumpet | Love Approach, 1980 (LP) | |||||
| Bobby Byrd Bobby Byrd Bobby Byrd born Robert Howard Byrd was an American funk/soul/R&B/gospel musician, songwriter and record producer. He was born in Toccoa, Georgia, and is a 1998 winner of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's prestigious Pioneer Award... , "Hot Pants - I'm Coming, I'm Coming, I'm Coming" |
Drums | Hot Pants - I'm Coming, I'm Coming, I'm Coming, 1972 (7") | |||||
| Choice M.C.'s and Fresh Gordon, "Gordy's Groove" | Vocal sample ("Oh yeah") | Beat of the Street, 1985 (12") | |||||
| Criminal Element Orchestra, "Put the Needle to the Record" | Vocal sample ("Put the needle on the record when the drum beats go like this") | Put the Needle to the Record, 1987 (12") | |||||
| Eric B. & Rakim Eric B. & Rakim Eric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop duo composed of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim .Hailing from Long Island, New York, the pair are generally considered by hip hop enthusiasts to be one of the most influential and innovative groups in the genre... , "I Know You Got Soul (acapella version)" |
Vocal sample ("Pump up the volume, dance") | I Know You Got Soul, 1987 (12") | |||||
| Fab 5 Freddy featuring Beeside, "Change le Beat" | Beep effect and distorted vocal sample ("Ah") | Street Music Material, 1984 (LP) | |||||
| D.ST Grand Mixer DXT Grand Mixer DXT is an American turntablist. He was formely known as Grand Mixer D.ST. "D.ST" is a reference to Manhattan, New York City's Delancey Street on the Lower East Side... and Jalal Mansur Nuriddin Jalal Mansur Nuriddin Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin, born in Brooklyn, New York, 1944, is one of the founding members of The Last Poets, a group of poets and musicians that evolved in the 1960s out of the Harlem Writers Workshop in New York City.-Biography:... , "Mean Machine"[B] |
Chanting | Mean Machine, 1984 (12") | |||||
| Graham Central Station Graham Central Station Graham Central Station is a funk band named after founder Larry Graham . The name is a pun on New York City's Grand Central Terminal, often incorrectly called Grand Central Station.... , "The Jam" |
Drums and repeated vocal samples ("Hu, ha") | Ain't No 'Bout-a'Doubt It, 1975 (LP) | |||||
| Jimmy Castor Bunch, "It's Just Begun" | Vocal sample ("It's just begun") | It's Just Begun, 1972 (LP) | |||||
| Kool & the Gang Kool & the Gang Kool & the Gang are an American jazz, R&B, soul, and funk group, originally formed as the Jazziacs in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964.They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and... , "Jungle Jazz" |
Drums | Spirit of the Boogie Spirit of the Boogie -Reception:Spirit of the Boogie is the highly successful eighth studio album released in 1975 by Kool & the Gang. It can be seen as a follow-up to Wild and Peaceful ; The instrumental "Jungle Jazz" uses the same basic rhythm track heard in "Jungle Boogie", but lets the players improvise on their... , 1975 (LP) |
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| George Kranz George Kranz George Kranz is a German dance music singer and percussionist. He is best known for his song "Trommeltanz", otherwise known as "Din Daa Daa". The song hit No. 1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1984 and then returned to the chart in a new version in 1991, peaking at No. 8... , "Din Daa Daa (Trommeltanz)" |
Vocal sample ("Din daa daa...") | Din Daa Daa, 1983 (12") | |||||
| Lovebug Starski Lovebug Starski Lovebug Starski is an American MC, musician and record producer. He began his career as a record boy in 1971 as hip-hop first appeared in the Bronx, and he eventually became a DJ at the Disco Fever club in 1978.Starski recorded his first single, "Positive Life," on the Tayster record label in 1981... and The Harlem World Crew, "Positive Life" |
Vocal sample ("That's right, dude, this gotta be the greatest record of the year/Check it out") | Positive Life, 1981 (12") | |||||
| Trailer to the 1968 film Mars Needs Women Mars Needs Women Mars Needs Women is an American International Pictures made for TV science fiction film filmed in 1966 and released in 1967 which features Tommy Kirk, Yvonne Craig, and Byron Lord. it was shot during a two week period in Houston and Dallas, Texas... |
Vocal sample ("Mars needs women") | ||||||
| Montana Sextet, "Who Needs Enemies (With a Friend Like You)" | Vocals | Who Needs Enemies (With a Friend Like You), 1983 (LP) | |||||
| Nuance, "Loveride" | Vocal sample ("Oh") | Stop, Dance, Rap, Romance, 1985 (LP) | |||||
| Original Concept Original Concept Original Concept were an 80s hip hop group from Long Island, New York, arguably best known for their single, “Can You Feel It.” They only made one album and it was notable for the absence of lyrics on many of the tracks... , "Pump That Bass" |
Vocal sample ("Pump that bass") | Bite'n My Stylee, 1986 (12") | |||||
| Pleasure, "Celebrate the Good Things" | Horn samples | Get to the Feeling, 1978 (LP) | |||||
| Pressure Drop, "Rock the House (You'll Never Be)" | Vocal sample ("Rock the house") | Rock the House (You'll Never Be), 1983 (12") | |||||
| Public Enemy, "You're Gonna Get Yours (My 98 Oldsmobile) You're Gonna Get Yours "You're Gonna Get Yours" is a 1987 single by hip hop group Public Enemy from their debut album Yo! Bum Rush the Show . Chuck D references the Oldsmobile 98 automobile in the song's lyrics. It peaked at number 88 on the UK Singles Chart.M|A|R|R|S sampled the song on their 1987 song "Pump Up the... " |
Vocal sample ("You're gonna get yours") | Yo! Bum Rush the Show Yo! Bum Rush the Show * Q magazine - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...a stunning opening...just the first, in retrospect almost shy, step on a remarkable journey...a hard, droning extension of the basic drum`n'scratch Def Jam template that had served LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys so well."* Melody Maker - Recommended - "It... , 1987 (LP) |
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| Run-D.M.C. Run-D.M.C. Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.Run–D.M.C... , "Here We Go (Live at the Funhouse)" |
Vocal sample ("Aw, yeah") | Here We Go, 1985 (12") | |||||
| The Soul Children The Soul Children The Soul Children was an American vocal group who recorded soul music for Stax Records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They had three top ten hits on the Billboard R&B chart – "The Sweeter He Is" , "Hearsay" , and "I'll Be The Other Woman" – all of which crossed over to the Hot... , "I Don't Know What This World Is Coming To" |
Vocal sample ("Brothers and sisters") | Wattstax: The Living Word, 1972 (LP) | |||||
| Stock Aitken Waterman Stock Aitken Waterman Stock Aitken Waterman, sometimes known as SAW, were a UK songwriting and record producing trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman. They had great success during the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s... , "Roadblock (7" version)" |
Vocal sample ("Hey") | Roadblock, 1986 (12") | |||||
| Trouble Funk Trouble Funk Trouble Funk is an American R&B and funk band from Washington, DC. It helped to popularize that area's local funk subgenre known as go-go. Among the band's well-known songs are the go-go anthem "Hey, Fellas." They released several studio albums including Drop the Bomb, In Times of Trouble, Live,... , "Pump Me Up" |
Vocal sample ("Pump-pump me up") | Drop the Bomb, 1982 (LP) | |||||
| Fred Wesley Fred Wesley Fred Wesley is an American jazz and funk trombonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:... and The J.B.'s The J.B.'s The J.B.'s were James Brown's band during the first half of the 1970s. On record the J.B.'s were sometimes billed under various alternate names such as The James Brown Soul Train, Maceo and the Macks, A.A.B.B., The First Family and The Last Word... , "Introduction to the J.B.'s" |
Vocal sample ("Without no doubt") | Doing It to Death Doing It to Death (album) Doing It to Death is an album by The J.B.'s, released in 1973 by People Records. The album includes a ten-minute version of the #1 R&B hit "Doing It to Death", which is led by Danny Ray's introduction to simulate his MC in concerts.-Track listing:... , 1973 (LP) |
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| Fred Wesley Fred Wesley Fred Wesley is an American jazz and funk trombonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:... and The J.B.'s The J.B.'s The J.B.'s were James Brown's band during the first half of the 1970s. On record the J.B.'s were sometimes billed under various alternate names such as The James Brown Soul Train, Maceo and the Macks, A.A.B.B., The First Family and The Last Word... , "More Peas" |
Vocal sample ("Yeah, yeah") | Doing It to Death Doing It to Death (album) Doing It to Death is an album by The J.B.'s, released in 1973 by People Records. The album includes a ten-minute version of the #1 R&B hit "Doing It to Death", which is led by Danny Ray's introduction to simulate his MC in concerts.-Track listing:... , 1973 (LP) |
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| Whistle Whistle (band) Whistle was an American 1980s hip hop and R&B group, consisting of Jazzy Jazz, Kool Doobie, and DJ Silver Spinner. They later brought in Kraze and then Terk after Kool Doobie left the group to go solo. Their biggest hit single was " Just Buggin" in 1986... , "(Nothing Serious) Just Buggin'" |
Whistle sample | Whistle, 1986 (LP) | |||||
| Dunya Yusin, "Abu Zeluf" | Vocals | Music in the World of Islam, 1: The Human Voice, 1976 (LP) | |||||
4AD
12" single (BAD 707)- "Pump Up the Volume" - 5:08
- "Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance)" - 6:38
Remix 12" single (BAD 707R)
- "Pump Up the Volume (Remix)" - 6:28
- "Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance) (Remix)" - 7:29
7" single (AD 707)
- "Pump Up the Volume (Radio edit)" - 4:08
- "Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance) (7" version)" - 5:02
CD maxi single (BAD 707 CD)
- "Pump Up the Volume (Re-Mix)" - 6:27
- "Pump Up the Volume" - 5:07
- "Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance)" - 6:39
- "Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance) (Remix)" - 7:40
U.S. CD maxi single (AD 707 CD)
- "Pump Up the Volume (Radio edit)" - 4:07
- "Pump Up the Volume" - 7:10
- "Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance)" - 6:39
- "Pump Up the Volume (Bonus Beats)" - 4:47
- "Pump Up the Volume (Instrumental)" - 5:07
4th & Broadway
U.S. 12" single- "Pump Up the Volume" - 7:10
- "Pump Up the Volume (Bonus Beat)" - 4:49
- "Pump Up the Volume (Instrumental)" - 5:04
- "Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance)" - 4:20
U.S. CD maxi single
- "Pump Up the Volume" - 7:12
- "Pump Up the Volume (Bonus Beat)" - 4:48
- "Pump Up the Volume (Instrumental)" - 5:07
- "Pump Up the Volume (Radio edit)" - 4:10
- "Anitina" - 4:22
Bright Lights, Big City Soundtrack
- "Pump Up the Volume (U.S. Radio Edit)" - 4:08*
- This version of the song was a one-time edit for the movie Bright Lights, Big CityBright Lights, Big City (film)Bright Lights, Big City is a 1988 drama film starring Michael J. Fox, Kiefer Sutherland and Phoebe Cates, based on the novel of the same name by Jay McInerney. It was the last film directed by James Bridges before his death in 1993.-Plot:...
. It features vocals on the intro by a female emcee saying "Yo all you homeboys out in Bronx, this one's for you" - This song used in Quantum of Solace
Peak positions
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... Singles Chart |
1 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 9 |
| German Singles Chart | 2 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 5 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 14 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 3 |
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 13 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 8 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1987) | Position |
|---|---|
| Dutch Top 40 | 10 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Platinum | March 18, 1988 | 100,000 |
| UK | Silver | October 1, 1987 | 250,000 |
| U.S. | Gold | April 8, 1988 | 500,000 |
Chart successions
Notations
- Gibson, Robin (September 19, 1987). "Ain't Nothing But a Hip-House Party". Sounds, p. 20-1.