Tubthumping

[tuhb-thuhmp]

"Tubthumping" is a song by the English band Chumbawamba. The single release went to UK #2 and US #6 in the single charts in 1997, as well as topping the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. The cover art for the single is based on the logo for the manufacturing company of Arm & Hammer. The song is often misnamed as "I Get Knocked Down".

The liner notes on the album Tubthumper, from which "Tubthumping" was the first single, puts the song in a radical context, quoting a UK anti-road protester, Paris 1968 graffiti, details about the famous McLibel case and the short story "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner". The album version of the song opens with a sample of a monologue performed by Pete Postlethwaite in the movie Brassed Off:

Truth is, I thought it mattered. I thought that music mattered. But does it bollocks! Not compared to how people matter.

Near the end of the song, the melody of the Prince of Denmark's March is played on a trumpet.

"Tubthumping" was number 12 on Rolling Stone's list of the 20 Most Annoying Songs.

In the UK, a tubthumper is a politician. The U.S. equivalent of tubthumping is "going on the stump" (campaigning).

The band did a few versions in other languages, for example in French which played in Quebec.

A reference to "pissing the night away" is British slang for wasting time while intoxicated with alcohol. A 'radio-friendly' UK version was also recorded using 'kissing the night away' instead of 'pissing'.

In late 90s, the band received an offer of $1.5 million dollars from Nike to use the song in a World Cup advertisement. According to the band it took about "thirty seconds to say no."

References in popular culture

It was the theme tune to the video game World Cup '98 by EA Sports, and was also featured in Dance Dance Revolution 2ndMIX by Konami as well as Samba De Amigo by SEGA. It was also played in a HaloUT Promo, a modification of Unreal Tournament 2004 and the European version of Donkey Konga.
Was used in many commercials at the time, including TV spots for Home Alone 3.
It was the official song for Australia's National Rugby League in 1998.
The song is parodied in an episode of The Simpsons, "Little Girl in the Big Ten". Homer Simpson sings "I take a whiskey drink, I take a chocolate drink, and when I have to pee, I use the kitchen sink! I sing the song that reminds me I'm a urinating guy."
"Tubthumping" was spoofed as "Saddam Hussein Thumping", by Adam Henderson (not — as often mis-attributed — "Weird Al" Yankovic).
In an issue of The Batman Chronicles, during the No Man's Land story arc, the character Jenkin Yates sang a version of the song about Gotham City.
Leeds United used to run out to this song during the 2000/2001 season. In addition to this, part of the song is used to celebrate converted tries by Leeds Rhinos in the Super League.
In the video game Alvin & The Chipmunks, the song is used and briefly edited: "Dancing the night away" and "He takes a cherry drink, he takes a mango drink, he takes a soda drink, he takes a cider drink."
In episode 15 of Scrubs, "My Bed Banter & Beyond", John "J.D." Dorian's narratory inner monologue forces himself to complete an undesirable task by threatening to mentally repeat, "I get knocked down, but I get up again; you're never gonna keep me down!" over and over again for the rest of the day.
In an episode of "Bones" titled "The Wannabe in the Weeds" a reference was made to this song by Dr. Sweets while trying to give an explanation of a one hit wonder to Dr. Brennan.
It is played on the YouTube video The Evolution of Dance.
In episode 8 of How I Met Your Mother, titled "The Duel", this song is part of the mix tape that Marshall made to Lily when they were in Sophomore year. The song is reference again, obliquely, in Series 3, episode 4, "Little Boys", when Ted tells Barney "You were stuck in my head like a Chumbawamba song," and Marshall asks, "Which Chumbawamba song?"