In the 54th edition of Music Lifts (2023), weโre uplifted by Chumbawamba performing, โTubthumping.โ
โWeโll be singinโ / When weโre winninโ / Weโll be singinโ.โ Welcome to Music Lifts
, a column that seeks to highlight songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs that exude fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity. Featured songs arenโt genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better โ be LIFTED to new heights! So, for the 54th edition of Music Lifts
(2023), we highlight
โTubthumpingโ as performed by
Chumbawamba.
โI get knocked down, but I get up again / Youโre never gonna keep me down.โ WOO! Those lyrics, from the big, anthemic chorus of
โTubthumpingโ are both iconic and inspiring. What Iโm saying is, the musical lift
is legit
! The disbanded, UK anarchist punk band
Chumbawamba is renowned for the top-10 hit, which peaked a no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1998. โTubthumpingโ commences Chumbawambaโs 1997, multiplatinum album, fittingly titled,
Tubthumper. For some context, Bianca Gracie (udiscovermusic) writes that โthe title of the record derives from British slang for aggressive political protesting.โ Sort of explains that big, resilient, and totally unflappable and unstoppable chorus!
The chorus is the crowning achievement of โTubthumping.โ However, there are so many reasons why this gave the band its sole top-40 hit in the U.S. Still focusing on the lyrics, in the verses, the band is having a hell of a good time
. The drinks
are clearly flowing per
Dunstan Bruce (โHe drinks a whiskey drink he drinks a vodka drinkโ) and
Lou Watts, given that theyโre โPissinโ the night awayโ (drinking in British slang), and singing, โOh, Danny Boy, Danny Boy, Danny Boy
.โ Not only is the band having fun, so are the listeners โ how can you not with this song right here? The musical backdrop is epic with the groove, punk/alternative rock cues, and some unique samples: Dannyโs Speech from the 1996 movie,
Brassed Off (1996) and Prince of Denmarkโs March by English organist and composer,
Jeremiah Clarke (1699). The trumpet solo (
Jude Abbott) is incredibly sweet, as well as the harmonized riffs that follow! Maybe drunkenness doesnโt provide the traditional, musical lift, and faith doesnโt have a role in the least, but that chorus โ it pumps you TF up
!
Chumbawamba โข
Tubthumper โข
EMI Germany โข
1997
Chumbawamba, Tubthumping: Music Lifts
No. 54 (2023) [
: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; EMI Germany; Hamid Tajik, Qamar Rehman, vansh mehta, Viridiana Rivera via Pexels]