Pump Up the Jam
Encyclopedia
"Pump Up the Jam" is the opening track on Technotronic
's album Pump Up the Jam: The Album
. The song was a worldwide hit, reaching number two in the United Kingdom
in 1989. The song was also a landmark release for the Belgian EBM
– and New Beat
– influenced house music
. It was able to tackle the tough American market and became the first house song to break into mainstream. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was later certified triple platinum. In 2005, it was remixed by internationally renowned DJ/producer D.O.N.S. who took it to number one on the British Dance Chart.
training. Kids Incorporated
sang this song on the show's 7th season. In 1992, "Weird Al" Yankovic
made a short polka
version for his medley "Polka Your Eyes Out". The vocal has been sampled in the hardcore
music Da pump by Da tekno warriors in 1998. It was remixed by Crazy Frog
on the 2005 album Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits
. Dutch Techno/Trance DJ Sander van Doorn
remixed this track in 2006. Quebec
acoustic cover band The Lost Fingers recorded a cover of the song for their 2008 album Lost In The 80s. Icelandic band FM Belfast
made a slow electronica
cover of "Pump up the Jam". In 2009 the song was interpolated by rapper Pitbull
in the song B-Day Suit. The Colombian group Bomba Estéreo
released a bilingual cover of the song in 2011, re-titled "Ponte Bomb."
skit featuring Nancy Kerrigan
figure skating
with Chris Farley
, and in a scene in the 1996 movie Space Jam
, where the Looney Tunes
and Michael Jordan
are getting ready to play basketball
. It featured in the karaoke video game Singstar
90s, in a scene in the 2008 film You Don't Mess with the Zohan
. The song was the basis for Soni De Nakhre, a Bollywood song featured in the movie Partner, which was itself loosely based on the movie Hitch. It was used in a 2008 cellphone commercial in Argentina, which explained "why translated songs aren't as good". The song was translated as "Infla la mermelada" (word by word, though not correctly, "Pump the jam").
The song is also featured in the Nintendo Wii game "Just Dance". It was also used during the sketches between Victoria Silvstedt
and Enrico Papi in the Italian TV show "La Ruota Della Fortuna".
s.
1 "Pump Up the Jam '96" by Technotronic
2 "Pump Up the Jam" by D.O.N.S. featuring Technotronic
3 "Pump Up the Jam 2005" by D.O.N.S. featuring Technotronic
Technotronic
Technotronic is a Belgian studio-based music project formed in 1988 by Jo Bogaert , who had already made his musical mark in the beginning of the 1980s as a part of a cover band and as a solo artist under various New Beat projects, including The Acts of Madmen and Nux Nemo...
's album Pump Up the Jam: The Album
Pump Up the Jam: The Album
Pump Up the Jam: The Album is Technotronic's first album on a major label. It was released on November 28, 1989. When it was discovered that model Felly lip-synched to vocals actually performed by Belgian hip-house emcee Ya Kid K, the artwork was changed....
. The song was a worldwide hit, reaching number two in the United Kingdom
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...
in 1989. The song was also a landmark release for the Belgian EBM
Electronic body music
Electronic body music or industrial dance is a music genre that combines elements of industrial music and electronic dance music...
– and New Beat
New Beat
New Beat is a term that was used in the 1980s to refer to two different genres of electronic dance music. It also refers to an underground 1980s Belgian music style.- Terminology :...
– influenced 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...
. It was able to tackle the tough American market and became the first house song to break into mainstream. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was later certified triple platinum. In 2005, it was remixed by internationally renowned DJ/producer D.O.N.S. who took it to number one on the British Dance Chart.
Cover versions
In 1990, it was parodied with virtually identical music as the German-language Pump ab das Bier ("Pump away the beer!", urging a fellow patron to drink up) by Werner Wichtig, stage name for Raimund Thielcke, who actually had brewerBrewer
Brewer may refer to:*Brewer, someone who makes beer by brewing*Brewer , a disambiguation page that lists people with the surname Brewer*Brewer, Maine, a city in southern Penobscot County, Maine, United States, near the city of Bangor...
training. Kids Incorporated
Kids Incorporated
Kids Incorporated, is an American children's television program that was produced from 1984 to 1993. It was largely a youth-oriented program with musical performances as an integral part of each and every storyline....
sang this song on the show's 7th season. In 1992, "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
made a short polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
version for his medley "Polka Your Eyes Out". The vocal has been sampled in the hardcore
Hardcore techno
Hardcore techno is a type of electronic music typified by the rhythmic use of distorted and atonal industrial-like beats and samples...
music Da pump by Da tekno warriors in 1998. It was remixed by Crazy Frog
Crazy Frog
Crazy Frog, originally known as Adam King, is a computer-animated character created in 2003 by Erik Wernquist. Marketed by the ringtone provider Jamba!, the animation was originally created to accompany a sound effect produced by Daniel Malmedahl in 1997 while attempting to imitate the sound of a...
on the 2005 album Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits
Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits
Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits is an album by the Crazy Frog, released on July 25, 2005. It is a collection of songs mixed with the Crazy Frog ringtone, including "Axel F" and "Popcorn"....
. Dutch Techno/Trance DJ Sander van Doorn
Sander van Doorn
Sander van Doorn Sander van Doorn Sander van Doorn (born Sander Ketelaars [] on February 28, 1979 in Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands is a Dutch tech trance DJ and producer...
remixed this track in 2006. Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
acoustic cover band The Lost Fingers recorded a cover of the song for their 2008 album Lost In The 80s. Icelandic band FM Belfast
FM Belfast
FM Belfast is an electro/electronica band from Reykjavík, Iceland.Its members include Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir, Árni Rúnar Hlöðversson, Árni Vilhjálmsson and Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason....
made a slow electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
cover of "Pump up the Jam". In 2009 the song was interpolated by rapper Pitbull
Pitbull (rapper)
Armando Christian Pérez , better known by his stage name Pitbull, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. His first recorded performance was from the Lil Jon album Kings of Crunk in 2002, after which he released his debut album in 2004 titled M.I.A.M.I. under TVT Records...
in the song B-Day Suit. The Colombian group Bomba Estéreo
Bomba Estéreo
Bomba Estéreo is a band founded 2001 in Bogotá, Colombia that describe their music as "Electro Vacilón" or "Electro tropical". The band began as a project of Simón Mejía's, releasing their first album as a solo project with contributions from various musicians...
released a bilingual cover of the song in 2011, re-titled "Ponte Bomb."
Cultural references
On an episode of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Will Smith sang the chorus out of tune and danced to a drum cover of the song as comedy. The song was the background music to a Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
skit featuring Nancy Kerrigan
Nancy Kerrigan
Nancy Ann Kerrigan is a two-time American Olympic figure skating medalist and 1993 U.S. champion.-Early life and skating career:...
figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
with Chris Farley
Chris Farley
Christopher Crosby "Chris" Farley was an American comedian and actor. Farley was a member of Chicago's Second City Theatre and cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1995....
, and in a scene in the 1996 movie Space Jam
Space Jam
Aside from Jordan, a number of NBA players and coaches appeared in the film. Larry Bird portrays a friend of Jordan who joins him for a game of golf. When the Monstars steal the NBA players' talent, they invade a game between the Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks, causing the Knicks' Patrick...
, where the Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
and Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
are getting ready to play basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. It featured in the karaoke video game Singstar
SingStar
SingStar is a competitive music video game series for PlayStation consoles, developed by London Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. 23 English-language instalments of the series have been released for the PlayStation 2, and six versions for the PlayStation 3 have been released...
90s, in a scene in the 2008 film You Don't Mess with the Zohan
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
You Don't Mess with the Zohan is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Carlito Cabardo, and produced by and starring Adam Sandler. This is the fourth film which has starred Sandler and has been directed by Dugan...
. The song was the basis for Soni De Nakhre, a Bollywood song featured in the movie Partner, which was itself loosely based on the movie Hitch. It was used in a 2008 cellphone commercial in Argentina, which explained "why translated songs aren't as good". The song was translated as "Infla la mermelada" (word by word, though not correctly, "Pump the jam").
The song is also featured in the Nintendo Wii game "Just Dance". It was also used during the sketches between Victoria Silvstedt
Victoria Silvstedt
Karen Victoria Silvstedt is a Swedish celebrity model, actress, singer, and television personality.-Background:Born in Skelleftehamn, Silvstedt was raised in a family of five in Bollnäs, having one older sister and one younger brother...
and Enrico Papi in the Italian TV show "La Ruota Della Fortuna".
Track listings
Multiple versions and re-releases were produced for the "Pump Up the Jam" singleSingle (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...
s.
- 4-track
- 7" Version - 3:38
- Vocal Attack - 5:26
- Jam Edit Mix - 4:58
- Original Mix - 5:03
- 5-track
- Tin Tin Out Of the Radio Mix - 3:52
- Dancing Divaz Radio Mix - 3:51
- London Jam - 4:58
- Tin Tin Out Of the Club Mix - 7:16
- Dancing Divaz Master Mix - 5:33
- 8-track
- Dancing Divas Radio Mix - 3:52
- Dancing Divas Master Mix - 5:35
- Sequential One Club Mix - 5:16
- Tin Tin Out Club Mix - 7:17
- Sequential One Radio Mix - 3:36
- Tin Tin Out Radio Mix - 3:52
- SOL Brothers Pumpin Mix - 8:19
- Pulsar Village Mix - 5:52
- Remixes
- U.S. Mix - 6:53
- Sunshine Mix - 4:39
- Hithouse Mix - 7:52
- The Punami Mix - 6:18
- Todd Terry Dome Mix - 5:24
- Top FM Mix - 4:41
- Vocal Attack Mix - 5:22
- B-Room Mix - 4:52
- The Remixes
- U.S. Mix by David MoralesDavid MoralesDavid Morales is an internationally acclaimed Grammy-winning house music DJ and producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is one of the most prolific remixers of all time, transforming many pop music songs into club-friendly dance tracks...
- 6:56 - Sunshine Mix by David Morales - 4:41
- Hithouse Mix by Peter "Hithouse" Slaghuis - 7:56
- Top FM Mix by Kevin J. & R. Cue - 4:44
- The Punami Mix by The Wing Command - 6:20
- B-Room Mix by David Morales - 4:53
- Manouche Jazz Remix by The Lost Fingers - 3:49
- '96
- Tin Tin Out Radio Mix - 3:51
- Sol Brothers Pumpin' Mix - 8:18
- Dancing Divas Mix - 8:12
- Seventies Jam Part 2 - 5:28
- Sol Brothers Deep Vocal Mix - 7:58
- Pulsar Village Mix - 5:50
- The Sequel
- Tin Tin Out Radio Mix - 3:51
- Sequential One Radio Mix - 3:34
- Pulsar Radio Mix - 3:15
- Village Mix - 5:51
- Dancing Divaz Master Mix - 5:34
- Sequential One Club Mix - 5:15
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | Gold | 1990 | 40,000 |
| UK | Gold | January 1, 1990 | 400,000 |
| U.S. | Platinum | December 13, 1989 | 1,000,000 |
Charts
| Chart (1989-1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 4 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
4 |
| Dutch Mega Top 100 | 2 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 7 |
| German Singles Chart | 2 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 5 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 4 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 2 |
| UK Singles Chart | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
| Chart (1996) 1 | Peak position |
| UK Singles Chart | 36 |
| Chart (1998) 2 | Peak position |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 34 |
| German Singles Chart | 25 |
| Chart (2005) 3 | Peak position |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 46 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 11 |
| German Singles Chart | 72 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 25 |
| UK Singles Chart | 22 |
1 "Pump Up the Jam '96" by Technotronic
2 "Pump Up the Jam" by D.O.N.S. featuring Technotronic
3 "Pump Up the Jam 2005" by D.O.N.S. featuring Technotronic
| End of year chart (1990) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 27 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 17 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 13 |