The relentlessly upbeat tone perfectly encapsulates the theme of “Pumpin Blood.” The band might call itself NONONO, but the one-word summary of this song is a resounding “YES.” Upon reflection, a barbaric “yawp” would also cover it. In the chorus, the title shows up to remind you that your heart is “alive” and “pumping blood” – and if you’re alive, you’ve got a life to live. Paired with the other line “the whole wide world is whistling,” the chorus is an invitation to get out into the world.
When you think for six seconds about how much there is to see and do, how many people there are to meet and what a privilege it is to be able to go do all these things, it’s hard not to want to go and explore the whole world. Around here, we’re lucky enough to be able to explore New York City, and that’s just the beginning. We are, after all, told to “go forth and set the world on fire.” There are a million and one places to which we can take our passion, talents and enthusiasm, and now is as good a time as any.
Another key idea that “Pumpin Blood” focuses on is everyone’s own agency and ability to make what they want out of their lives. Perhaps the best example of this is the line “you’re a catalyst to your own happiness, you know.” It’s up to you to take what you’ve got and what you’ve been given and make something great out of it. That’s going to mean something different to every person, but that’s really the cool thing about people. We’re all trying to make the best use of what particular abilities we have and seeing where that takes us.
The emphatic attitude of “Pumpin Blood” is always a good thing, but it’s particularly helpful during the drag of a month that is February. February has a tendency to just feel weird, and not just because it’s short. The promise of pre-Christmas winter is gone, the weather has been cold and lame for a bit too long and – try as you might to convince yourself – spring is not really around the corner. Lethargy is overwhelming. It can be difficult to want to do much of anything, let alone something as dramatic and grandiose as “make your life everything you’ve ever wanted it to be,” but you can start. Adventure is out there, and it’s just about always the right time to go find it.
