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 number one on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1995. Composer Chris Ballew said that the lyrics combined his own history of having a benign tumor in the head with a vision he had of a woman in a swamp, while employing the word "lump" because Ballew was fond of it.[1] The musical part was described by Ballew as him "trying to write a Buzzcocks song". Ballew considers it his favorite composition.[2]

"Lump"
Single by The Presidents of the United States of America
from the album The Presidents of the United States of America
ReleasedAugust 8, 1995 (airplay)
GenreAlternative rock, grunge, pop punk
Length2:14
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Chris Ballew
Producer(s)Presidents of the United States of America, Conrad Uno
The Presidents of the United States of America singles chronology
"Kitty"
(1995)		 "Lump"
(1995)		 "Peaches"
(1996)

Later in the same year, it debuted on the Album Rock Tracks chart, and went on to hit number seven. The song is featured in the video games Rock Band 2, the Nintendo DS version of Band Hero, Just Dance and Saints Row IV. It has additionally been covered or remade by several artists such as The Johnstones and "Weird Al" Yankovic.

Description

The song gives the term "lump" to a woman that the singer imagines. In some bizarre imagery, the song describes a muddy, piranha-filled swamp and waiting in line for rotten brains. It briefly describes the woman's (romantic) life in her twenties and repeats the refrain that the woman is "in my head".

Track listings

CD single

  1. "Lump" – 2:13
  2. "Carilyn's Bootie" – 2:17
  3. "Candy Cigarette" – 2:02
  4. "Twig in the Wind" – 2:54

7" single – UK

  1. "Lump" – 2:12
  2. "Wake Up" – 2:37

Music videos

The music video for "Lump", directed by Roman Coppola, takes place in a "boggy marsh" (as the lyrics state). The video shows the band singing in a swamp as well as on the stern of a large barge in Elliott Bay interspersed with a silhouette scene of the band performing.

Another video was also made for the song. This version, commonly referred to as "Lump 2", was considered too disturbing and dark to be aired on MTV (reflecting the band's grunge and post-grunge origins). It features the band performing on a dark stage while various people lip sync the lines "She's lump!" during the chorus. This version can be found on "Ten Year Super Bonus Special Anniversary Edition" of The Presidents of the United States of America's debut album.

Charts and certifications

Parodies and covers
  • "Weird Al" Yankovic released a parody version of the song known as "Gump", a joking tribute to Forrest Gump. Notably, the last line of this parody, "and that's all I have to say about that" would later be used by The Presidents of the United States of America in their subsequent live performances of the song.
    • Comedian Brian Posehn recorded a skit for his 2020 comedy metal album Grandpa Metal called "My Phone Call with Weird Al", featuring Yankovic, which references both "Lump" and "Gump", in which Posehn is trying to get Yankovic's permission to record a parody called "Trump" about president of the United States of America Donald Trump, and Yankovic unsuccessfully tries to inform Posehn that "Gump" is a parody of the Presidents of the United States of America song "Lump".
  • ApologetiX also recorded a parody entitled "Plump".
  • Canadian ska punk band The Johnstones covered "Lump" on their 2008 EP SEX.
  • The Blackout also covered "Lump" and it features on the end of the group's album, Hope, released in 2011.
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See also
  • Number one modern rock hits of 1995
  • List of RPM Rock/Alternative number-one singles (Canada)

References
  1. BROOKS WHITNEY (May 10, 1996). "Weird Lyrics Come Naturally To The Presidents". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2014-08-11.
  2. "Interview with Chris Ballew of The Presidents of the United States of America". Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2014-08-06.
  3. "Australian-charts.com – The Presidents of the United States of America – Lump". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  4. "Ultratop.be – The Presidents of the United States of America – Lump" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  5. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2851." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  6. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 2766." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  7. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13 no. 3. January 20, 1996. p. 13. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  8. "Lescharts.com – The Presidents of the United States of America – Lump" (in French). Les classement single.
  9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Lump". Irish Singles Chart.
  10. "Charts.nz – The Presidents of the United States of America – Lump". Top 40 Singles.
  11. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  13. "The Presidents of the United States of America Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard.
  14. "The Presidents of the United States of America Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  15. "The Presidents of the United States of America Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  16. "The Presidents of the United States of America Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  17. "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1995" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  18. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1996". ARIA. Archived from the original on November 2, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2019 – via Imgur.
  19. "End of Year Charts 1996". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
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