Gump (song)
Encyclopedia
"Gump" is a song by American
music
al parodist
"Weird Al" Yankovic
. It is a parody of "Lump
" by The Presidents of the United States of America
and also parodies the 1994 movie Forrest Gump
. It is one of several Yankovic songs describing the events of a movie.
The cover for the single is itself a parody of the Presidents of the United States of America's logo. This is one of Yankovic's shortest album parodies, second only to his remade version of "My Bologna
". In the video for this song, Yankovic dons a bald cap
.
The promo single only contains "Gump". The cassette single only contains "Gump" and "Spy Hard".
for "Gump" is a double parody of both the movie Forrest Gump and the Presidents of the United States of America's music video for "Lump". The single's cover art is directly taken from the video shoot.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
al parodist
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...
"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...
. It is a parody of "Lump
Lump (song)
"Lump" is a song by alternative rock band The Presidents of the United States of America. It was released in 1995 and featured on their self-titled debut album. The song reached #1 on Billboards Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1995. Later in the same year, it debuted on the Album Rock Tracks chart, and...
" by The Presidents of the United States of America
The Presidents of the United States of America (band)
The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as Pot USA or "PUSA" or The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece group currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew,...
and also parodies the 1994 movie Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic comedy-drama romance film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise...
. It is one of several Yankovic songs describing the events of a movie.
The cover for the single is itself a parody of the Presidents of the United States of America's logo. This is one of Yankovic's shortest album parodies, second only to his remade version of "My Bologna
My Bologna
"My Bologna" is "Weird Al" Yankovic's parody of "My Sharona" by The Knack. Yankovic wrote the song while he attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. The song, in its original crude form, was recorded in the tiled men's bathroom across from the college radio...
". In the video for this song, Yankovic dons a bald cap
Bald cap
A bald cap is a wig-like cap simulating the appearance of a bald or partially bald head. As part of an actor's make-up, it is often used to make a person appear older....
.
Track listing
The following tracks are on the single:- "Gump" - 2:10
- "Spy Hard" - 2:49
- "Since You've Been Gone" - 1:22
- "Since You've Been Gone (Karaoke Version)" - 1:22
- "Callin' in Sick (Instrumental)" - 3:40
- "Spy Hard (Instrumental)" - 2:49
- "Spy Hard (Orchestral Mix)" - 2:49
The promo single only contains "Gump". The cassette single only contains "Gump" and "Spy Hard".
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Gump" is a double parody of both the movie Forrest Gump and the Presidents of the United States of America's music video for "Lump". The single's cover art is directly taken from the video shoot.
- The video begins with a feather blowing through the air, much like the beginning of the original movie.
- Andy ComeauAndy ComeauAndy Comeau is an American actor. He is best known for playing Theodore "Teddy" Huffstodt, the mentally unbalanced brother of lead character Dr. Craig Huffstodt on the Showtime series Huff...
appears as the titular character, Forrest Gump. - Yankovic appears as Chris BallewChris BallewChristopher "Chris" Ballew is a member of the alternative rock group The Presidents of the United States of America and performs as a children's artist under the pseudonym Caspar Babypants....
, complete with bald head. - John "Bermuda" SchwartzJon Schwartz (drummer)Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz is a drummer best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic. The two met while recording "Another One Rides the Bus" at the Dr. Demento show on September 14, 1980...
appears as Jason FinnJason Finn (musician)Jason Finn is a drummer and singer for The Presidents of the United States of America. He was previously the drummer of Love Battery until 1995 , when he joined Chris Ballew and Dave Dederer to form The Presidents of the United States of America...
, and Steve JaySteve JayEugene Stephen "Steve" Jay is a bass guitarist best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic.Jay was born in Florida. He auditioned for Yankovic after answering an ad in the newspaper, and the two have worked together ever since...
appears as Dave DedererDave DedererDave Dederer, best known as guitarist and singer for The Presidents of the United States of America, was born on October 5, 1964. An alumnus of Seattle, Washington's The Bush School and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, he founded The Presidents with fellow Bush School alumnus...
. Yankovic has stated that originally his guitarist, Jim WestJim West (guitarist)James "Jim" "Kimo" West is a guitarist best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic. West auditioned for Yankovic, after being introduced by Steve Jay, and the two have worked together ever since...
, was supposed to play the part of Dederer, but his hair was too long. Jay later filled in. - Throughout the video Forrest offers different people chocolates. He first offers Gladys Ormphby (Ruth BuzziRuth BuzziRuth Ann Buzzi is an American comedienne and actress of theatre, film, and television. She is especially known for her performances on the comedy-variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In from 1968 to 1973.-Early life:...
's Laugh-In character) some chocolates and she hits him with her purse. The second offer is to large, strong man Henry Reichenbach which results in Gump being spun around by his head. He then offers Pat BoonePat BooneCharles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts...
some chocolates. Boone greedily devours most of the box. - The instruments used in the song are over-simplified as a parody of the Presidents of the United States of AmericaThe Presidents of the United States of America (band)The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as Pot USA or "PUSA" or The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece group currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew,...
's actual instruments (a basitar, or 2 stringed guitar for bass, and a guitbass, which is a 3 stringed guitar). Al uses a one stringed bass in the video, while the guitarist uses a two stringed "guitar". - In the instrumential break of the song, it shows Forest running (A parody of the scene where Forest runs all around the country) across the street, in a horse race, and outer space. As he runs in the street again, he suddenly bumps into a pole and falls down to the ground, as the song says, "Run...stop!"
- As mentioned before, half of the music video is also a parody of the "Lump" music video: Instead of singing in a bogBogA bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
/marsh, Al and his band are dancing in the water fountain in the middle of the park. The silhouette scene in the Lump music video is also parodied, with Al and his band making hand shadows against the background. - At 1:04, during the silhouette scenes, Yankovic can be seen bending his guitar. This is similar to the videos for "Smells Like NirvanaSmells Like Nirvana"Smells Like Nirvana" is a parody of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" written and performed by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It helped to reenergize Yankovic's career, and Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain considered the parody a sign that they had "made it" as a band...
" and "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*." - Gump is digitally edited into existing footage tapping John F. KennedyJohn F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
on the shoulder, standing behind Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
and waving to the camera, and roasting hot dogs at an atomic bomb drop, just like the movie which edited Gump into several newsreels so he appeared to be interacting with historical figures. - The song ends with, "And that's all I have to say about that", which is the way Forrest Gump often ends his stories. Afterwards The Presidents Of the United States of America followed Weird Al's example and ended performances of "Lump" with that quote and they still continue to do so.
Chart positions
| Chart (1996) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100... |
2 |