Pass it Along

Album: WYSIWYG (2000)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song was released at a time when many people were getting on the internet and using email for the first time. This was before spam filters, so there were lots of chain emails floating around, asking you to send the message to a bunch of other people. These new digital chain letters replaced the old-fashioned kind where you had to write letters and mail them.

    In this song, Chumbawamba asks us to "pass it along by word of mouse," meaning on our computers. But why stop there? We can do everything virtually and never leave the house - saves a lot of trouble.
  • Originally recorded by Chumbawamba for their 20000 album, WYSIWYG, the band was paid $100,000 by General Motors for a rock remix to be used in a Pontiac commercial circa 2002. However, the anarcho-punk outfit then donated 100% of the proceeds to activist groups for the purpose of beginning information and environmental campaigns against General Motors.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."