In 1975, after a failed stint at managing & relaunching the image of the notoriously hard living and chaotic band the New York Dolls, Malcolm nurtured the formation of one of the most infamous punk bands in history, The Sex Pistols. He became their manager, and controlled their contracts, as well as most importantly to him, their image in the media. The venture ended in a disastrous US tour, and a film called "The Great Rock And Roll Swindle" that featured McLaren, and glorified his untraditional Situationist PR approach and manipulative Svengali-esque role in the band's career.
In the '80s, after the Sex Pistols had long broken up, Malcolm became the manager of another band, Adam and the Ants which veered away from punk's coarse format via new romantic pirate garb and poly rhythmic African style drumming. When Adam Ant rebelled and left the band, Malcolm repackaged the musicians with a 14 year old Anglo/Burmese girl named Annabella Lwin to form the band Bow Wow Wow. He soon used his headline making skills to propel the band and their underage lead singer to the top of the charts with a nude album cover scandal.
In the early 1980's, Malcolm began producing his own records, beginning with the hits "Buffalo Gals" and "Double Dutch" from the groundbreaking 1983 album "Duck Walk" which used NYC hip hoppers and scratch DJ's The World Famous Supreme Team, as its foundation. Future members of Art of Noise performed on, produced, and/or jointly composed various tracks. He next turned to opera, masterminding a pop adaptation of "Madam Butterfly" on the album "Fans" using an assortment of female vocalists, and skilled musician Robby Kilgore on the tracks.
McLaren has released numerous other albums and tracks since, including contributions to the movie soundtracks of Carry On Columbus, and Kill Bill 2, but his musical career peaked with his 1980's works. McLaren's original "Double Dutch" era material has since been reappropriated and sampled by sucessful artists including Mariah Carey, Eminem, Amerie and De La Soul.
In his later years, McLaren occasionally contributed to newspapers and magazines, directed and produced films and appeared on British reality television programmes. He died on the morning of 8 April 2010, following a battle with cancer.
Something
Malcolm McLaren Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you really think so?
True perfection
But can I really do it?
Take it to the ball and on that runway
Walk the body
And remember, shoot that arrow!
No matter what I do, no matter what I say
I look into the mirror and my t-shirt's got a mark
I guess it's just because my life is falling apart
But I felt something hurting
And a boy said,
There's somethin jumpin!
Jumpin in my shirt
Something's jumpin, jumpin in your shirt
Something's jumpin, does it really hurt?
Something's jumpin, my hearts on red alert
Walk the body! Walk the body!
Lisa Lisa, Lisa Lisa
I know this feeling
Oh it's hurting, just because love is growing
Oh ah ah, please don't stop
It must be love
Something's jumpin, it must be love
Something's jumpin! Jumpin in your shirt
The pain it really hurts
Something's jumpin, it must be love
Something's jumpin! Jumpin in your shirt
The pain it really hurts
No matter what I do
No matter what I say
The boys see me in a whole new way
It's different now, they're all love bound
But I don't like love,
I kick it around, I kick it around
But I felt something hurting
And the boys said
There's something jumpin!
Jumpin in your shirt
Walk the body! Walk the body!
Lisa Lisa, Lisa Lisa
I know this feeling
Oh it's hurting, just because love is growing
Oh ah ah, please don't stop
It must be love
I've got courage and I feel brave
If those boys try to hurt me
I'll end their happy day
Jump!
It must be love
There's something jumpin! Jumpin in your shirt
Something's jumpin
It must be love
Jump!
It must be love
In the song "Something's Jumpin' In Your Shirt," Malcolm McLaren sings about Lisa-Marie, a "beautiful girl" who seems unsure of her own beauty and perfection. McLaren encourages her to "Take it to the ball and on that runway," reminding her to "Walk the body" and "shoot that arrow!" Despite Lisa-Marie's doubts, something is changing about her, as she sings "No matter what I do, no matter what I say / My t-shirt's changed since yesterday / I look into the mirror and my t-shirt's got a mark / I guess it's just because my life is falling apart." This change is more than just physical, though, as Lisa-Marie is experiencing the pain and passion of love, as evidenced in lines like "The pain it really hurts / Something's jumpin, it must be love."
Throughout the song, McLaren uses the metaphor of something "jumpin'" in Lisa-Marie's shirt to represent the intense emotions of love, desire, and passion. He encourages her to embrace these feelings, even as she expresses some ambivalence about love, singing "But I don't like love, I kick it around, I kick it around." Ultimately, though, Lisa-Marie seems to give in to the power of love as she sings "Oh ah ah, please don't stop / It must be love / I've got courage and I feel brave / If those boys try to hurt me / I'll end their happy day." Overall, "Something's Jumpin' In Your Shirt" is a playful yet passionate song about the overwhelming force of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Lisa-Marie you're a beautiful girl
Acknowledging the beauty of a girl named Lisa-Marie.
Do you really think so?
Asks Lisa-Marie if she truly believes in her own beauty.
True perfection
Highlighting Lisa-Marie's perfection.
But can I really do it?
Expressing doubt in whether or not the artist can measure up to Lisa-Marie's standard of perfection.
Take it to the ball and on that runway
Encouraging Lisa-Marie to showcase her beauty on the runway.
Walk the body
Encouraging Lisa-Marie to walk gracefully and confidently on the runway.
And remember, shoot that arrow!
Encouraging Lisa-Marie to aim for the heart of the audience and make a lasting impression on them.
No matter what I do, no matter what I say
Acknowledging the futility of the artist's actions and words in changing their T-shirt.
My T-shirt's changed since yesterday
Noticing a sudden change in the artist's T-shirt since the previous day.
I look into the mirror and my T-shirt's got a mark
Seeing a mark on the T-shirt when looking at oneself in the mirror.
I guess it's just because my life is falling apart
Speculating that the mark on the T-shirt is a result of the singer's life falling apart.
But I felt something hurting
Experiencing a painful feeling.
And a boy said, There's somethin jumpin!
A boy noticing that something is moving inside the singer's T-shirt.
Jumpin in my shirt
Describing the movement inside the singer's T-shirt.
Something's jumpin, jumpin in your shirt
Echoing the boy's words about something jumping in the singer's T-shirt.
Something's jumpin, does it really hurt?
Questioning if the jumping inside the T-shirt is causing pain or discomfort.
Something's jumpin, my heart's on red alert
Noticing that the artist's heart is racing and in a state of excitement or anxiety.
Walk the body! Walk the body!
Encouraging Lisa-Marie to continue walking confidently on the runway.
Lisa Lisa, Lisa Lisa
Addressing Lisa-Marie directly.
I know this feeling
Acknowledging the artist's familiarity with the feeling of something jumping inside a T-shirt.
Oh it's hurting, just because love is growing
Attributing the pain to the artist's love for someone or something that is growing inside them.
Oh ah ah, please don't stop
Expressing the desire for the love inside the artist to keep growing.
It must be love
Concluding that the jumping inside the T-shirt is a result of the singer's love.
The pain it really hurts
Reiterating the presence of pain in the experience of the jumping inside the T-shirt.
No matter what I do
Acknowledging that the singer's attempts to resist love are futile.
The boys see me in a whole new way
Noticing that the boys have started to see the singer differently, likely due to the newfound confidence gained from walking the body on the runway.
It's different now, they're all love bound
Observing that the boys are now in love with the singer.
But I don't like love, I kick it around, I kick it around
Admitting that the artist does not actually like love and instead tends to reject it.
I've got courage and I feel brave
Feeling courageous and brave in the face of the newfound attention from boys.
If those boys try to hurt me
Anticipating the possibility of getting hurt by the boys in some way.
I'll end their happy day
Warning that the singer will retaliate and end the boys' happy day if they try to hurt them.
It must be love
Reiterating that the jumping inside the T-shirt is a result of love.
Jump!
Exhorting someone to jump, possibly calling for attention or excitement.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MALCOLM ROBERT ANDREW MCLAREN, E KESSLER MARY, M KILGORE ROBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@CapriciousCapricrn
FOLKS, THIS IS THE ORIGINAL SONG BUT AIN'T THE ORIGINAL VIDEO - READ ON PLEASE:
McLauren was a genius. This piece of crap video is NOT the superb original 1989 video nor the incredibly McLaurenish eccentric "underwear" video. Nor is this the REAL Lisa Marie. Here they are:
Original: https://youtu.be/em5tC6WDpP8?si=2QSCpx_rIzS4TIQg
Underwear - which this video is based on: https://youtu.be/bhkYW3K_LqE?si=nAPhfNL4PIdTaSzB
And, of course: Strauss' Emperor Waltz https://youtu.be/o8oSgMpNn2o?si=sXaEzT0zqi3MRdwY Beginning and 5:16. But you knew that 🥰
Yes. I am obsessed with this song; it's a masterpiece and its REAL vids are artistic productions that deserve awareness of especially if this shabby "update" is what's you're familiar with. So sad how this very pretty "Lisa" is made to do ridiculous gymnastics as vid progresses. Good "Malcolm" though. 👎production IMHO though.
@CapriciousCapricrn
FOLKS, THIS IS THE ORIGINAL SONG BUT AIN'T THE ORIGINAL VIDEO - READ ON PLEASE:
McLauren was a genius. This piece of crap video is NOT the superb original 1989 video nor the incredibly McLaurenish eccentric "underwear" video. Nor is this the REAL Lisa Marie. Here they are:
Original: https://youtu.be/em5tC6WDpP8?si=2QSCpx_rIzS4TIQg
Underwear - which this video is based on: https://youtu.be/bhkYW3K_LqE?si=nAPhfNL4PIdTaSzB
And, of course: Strauss' Emperor Waltz https://youtu.be/o8oSgMpNn2o?si=sXaEzT0zqi3MRdwY Beginning and 5:16. But you knew that 🥰
Yes. I am obsessed with this song; it's a masterpiece and its REAL vids are artistic productions that deserve awareness of especially if this shabby "update" is what's you're familiar with. So sad how this very pretty "Lisa" is made to do ridiculous gymnastics as vid progresses. Good "Malcolm" though. 👎production IMHO though.
@CapriciousCapricrn
FOLKS, THIS IS THE ORIGINAL SONG BUT AIN'T THE ORIGINAL VIDEO - READ ON PLEASE:
McLauren was a genius. This piece of crap video is NOT the superb original 1989 video nor the incredibly McLaurenish eccentric "underwear" video. Nor is this the REAL Lisa Marie. Here they are:
Original: https://youtu.be/em5tC6WDpP8?si=2QSCpx_rIzS4TIQg
Underwear - which this video is based on: https://youtu.be/bhkYW3K_LqE?si=nAPhfNL4PIdTaSzB
And, of course: Strauss' Emperor Waltz https://youtu.be/o8oSgMpNn2o?si=sXaEzT0zqi3MRdwY Beginning and 5:16. But you knew that 🥰
Yes. I am obsessed with this song; it's a masterpiece and its REAL vids are artistic productions that deserve awareness of especially if this shabby "update" is what's you're familiar with. So sad how this very pretty "Lisa" is made to do ridiculous gymnastics as vid progresses. Good "Malcolm" though. 👎production IMHO though.
@CapriciousCapricrn
Haha! I hope you don't think the song is terrible. I love it. But this video is quite terrible I agree. Since it's in my clipboard, let me paste this, then I'm done here:
FOLKS, THIS IS THE ORIGINAL SONG BUT AIN'T THE ORIGINAL VIDEO - READ ON PLEASE:
McLauren was a genius. This piece of crap video is NOT the superb original 1989 video nor the incredibly McLaurenish eccentric "underwear" video. Nor is this the REAL Lisa Marie. Here they are:
Original: https://youtu.be/em5tC6WDpP8?si=2QSCpx_rIzS4TIQg
Underwear - which this video is based on: https://youtu.be/bhkYW3K_LqE?si=nAPhfNL4PIdTaSzB
And, of course: Strauss' Emperor Waltz https://youtu.be/o8oSgMpNn2o?si=sXaEzT0zqi3MRdwY Beginning and 5:16. But you knew that 🥰
Yes. I am obsessed with this song; it's a masterpiece and its REAL vids are artistic productions that deserve awareness of especially if this shabby "update" is what's you're familiar with. So sad how this very pretty "Lisa" is made to do ridiculous gymnastics as vid progresses. Good "Malcolm" though. 👎production IMHO though.
@rrrrickashayk9539
Gosh, i loved this album so very much back then. ❤
@Razer5542
One of those gems that isn't simply a song, it's a entire show/experience.
@thebeatlesandqueen8817
🎉
@soggydoggy671
OMG, forgotten how sublime this song is, and how beautiful Lisa Marie is too. Superlative...
@andrewjames2617
The whole album is a masterpiece! My friend and I lived in Denver in 1990 and we always used to listen to this before going out. Now I listen to it at the gym and dance to it in the mirror lol I know people probably think I’m crazy but idgaf I love this song!
@FreddieFreethinking
A Music Masterpiece In Every Single Way.
@GreatPolishWingedHussars
Thanks for this great reminder of the 80s!
@Richard-uq5dy
Omg Lisa Marie is so beautiful
@dessiemckenzie5857
This isn’t a song . It’s an eternal dream
@NYFMA
Lisa Marie Smith has such a great voice. Why didn't she record more music?