We wrap up the week with the Mylo Remix of “Fuck Me Pumps”. The original version of “Fuck Me Pumps” is the fourth song from Amy’s 2003 debut album Frank and was released as the fourth and final single from the album in August of 2004 under the name “Pumps”. It peaked at #63 on the UK Singles Chart. It was produced by Salaam Remi, which should be a familiar name by now if you’ve been following along.
Before we get too deep into “Fuck Me Pumps”, a few words about remixes. I hate most remixes. In 2021 when the Amy Winehouse Remixes album was released on vinyl for Record Store Day I woke up embarrassingly early and drove to my favorite (now defunct) local record store to get myself a copy hoping that it would be something new instead of the bland club remixes of Amy’s songs that I’d heard for years online. It turned out to the be more of the same and I was beyond disappointed. The Remixes album didn’t survive my soul-crushing vinyl purge of 2023. In hindsight, I wish I had kept it because I’m a completionist and would like to own it again just to say I have it. Plus, the album cover is dope. I’d frame that thing and hang it on a wall because it looks awesome but I’d never listen to it.
I don’t particularly love “Fuck Me Pumps” either. I love the biting humor, but it’s not one of my Amy favorites. However, in a surprising twist, I dig this Mylo Remix. The original is light and breezy. However, “Fuck Me Pumps” belongs in the club. The beat and change in chord pattern makes this version feel more suitable for a dance floor even though the tempo remains the same. The drums and keys are just funkier, and that alone makes this is a remix I can actually get behind.
Analyzing the lyrics to “Fuck Me Pumps” is a pleasure because the song is a treasure trove of Amy Winehouse shit talking. The coldest line has to be, “Don’t be mad at me ’cause you’re pushing 30 and your old tricks no longer work.” Goddamn, Amy. I’m closer to 60 than I am to 30 at this point and I still don’t consider myself “old”. With one line she destroyed and dismissed everyone in the club over the age of 30 and reminded all of us that, while we might not feel old, we don’t belong in that scene anymore.
Another fun fact about the song for anyone currently clutching their pearls over the use of the word “fuck” in the song title: For what it’s worth, Amy only curses once in the entire song and it’s the final line. Even in the unedited version of the song she opens with, “When you walk in the bar and you’re dressed like a star rocking your F me pumps,” and she doesn’t actually say the word. She saves the actual F bomb for the final line of the song when she verbally annihilates her target with “You should’ve known from the jump that you’d always get dumped, so dust off your fuck me pumps.”
Amy wasn’t shy about using language that some might consider vulgar or inappropriate, but she did it in my favorite possible way. It wasn’t excessive, but she’d use it to prove a point if she deemed it necessary.
Here’s something to know about Frank-era Amy Winehouse live performances: If you’re looking for a great show from start to finish and don’t know which one to choose, my default is her set at the 2004 North Sea Jazz Festival. Her improvisation is next level throughout that entire set and her backing band is funky as hell even though they look like a bunch of stoned high school boys who won a Play at a Jazz Festival With Amy Winehouse Contest.
I’m pretty sure that’s everything I have to say about “Fuck Me Pumps”. It’s Friday and I’m calling it a week. I know I said it would be a new post every day, but what I should’ve said was every weekday. I take weekends off to catch up. I’ll be back next week to add five more songs to the mix. Enjoy your weekend.
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