Uma Thurman (song)

"Uma Thurman" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy, released digitally on January 12, 2015. The song prominently features sampled theme music from the television series The Munsters (1964–66) and lyrics celebrating the actress Uma Thurman, famous for films such as Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill.

"Uma Thurman"
Single by Fall Out Boy
from the album American Beauty/American Psycho
Released	January 12, 2015
Recorded	2014
Genre	Pop rock[1][2] surf rock[3]
Length	3:31
Label	Island DCD2
Songwriter(s)	Patrick Stump Pete Wentz Joe Trohman Andy Hurley Liam O'Donnell Jarrel Young Waqaas Hashmi
Producer(s)	Jake Sinclair Young Wolf Hatchlings
Fall Out Boy singles chronology
"American Beauty/American Psycho" (2014) "Uma Thurman" (2015) "Irresistible" (2015)
Music video
"Uma Thurman" on YouTube

The song was the fifth[4] digital track released in build up to the band's 2015 album, American Beauty/American Psycho. The song was released to modern rock radio as the album's third single (second in the U.S.) in early February.[5] On March 31, 2015, "Uma Thurman" was released as the album's second U.S. Top 40 single.[6] The remix entitled "The Boys of Zummer Remix" was released in promotion of the Boys of Zummer tour featuring American rapper and tourmate Wiz Khalifa.

The song debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes chart on its digital release,[7] reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA in December 2015. The music video won the 2015 MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video. Fall Out Boy performed "Uma Thurman" in a television ad for Pepsi — which premiered during the 57th Grammy Awards. Fall Out Boy has also performed the song on TV shows including Late Night with Seth Meyers[8] and at the 2015 Much Music Video Awards.[9]

On October 26, 2015, Thurman discussed the song on the Today Show and said the band asked her for permission to use her name in the song: "I said sure! It's very, like unbelievably polite and gracious of them. So sweet. I'm so happy for their big success."[10]

Composition

Uma Thurman, the inspiration for the song

The song prominently samples the theme music from The Munsters, taking an electric guitar riff and baritone sax line.[11] Its title is a reference to American actress Uma Thurman dancing with John Travolta in an iconic scene of the film Pulp Fiction.[11][12] She gave permission for Fall Out Boy to use her name.[13][14] The track incorporates "jittery piano chords"[12] and "clapping drums", along with bursts of verbiage like "I can move mountains, I can work a miracle".[15] Bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz has stated:

This was a fun song to write. originally, when we came up with the idea, and there was this sample in it, which is a sample from The Munsters TV show, people kept saying "oh cool, like Quentin Tarantino, cool" when we played it. We decided why don't we kind of create this world around that? To me, Uma Thurman and Winona Ryder, they were these women in pop culture who were quirky, but that made me only crush on them harder. And rather than going with the traditional Uma Thurman role, we thought a lot about Kill Bill and who her character was in that, and this kind of resilience and this violence, but there's something that's authentic about it (like a woman taking revenge or being empowered). So that's what the chorus of the song's about, and the verses are what you would do to try and capture this woman's affection.[16]

The song is in E minor, at a fast tempo of 144–152 beats per minute.[17]

Critical reception

The song has received critical acclaim, with praise for the sample of the theme music from The Munsters and Patrick Stump's vocal performance. Billboard called it the "best yet" from the new album.[11] Music Times wrote positively about the song, stating that the rhythm and bassline are "what really shine" and that the "steady and funky bassline carries the melody seamlessly through the track."[18] It also felt that vocalist Stump's vocal melody played off the music well.[18] Idolator wrote that The Munsters sample added a 1960s surf-rock vibe to the "impossibly catchy" song.[3]

Commercial performance

As a promotional digital release, "Uma Thurman" debuted at No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the Rock Songs chart on the strength of 46,000 first week downloads as reported by Billboard.[19] It became the band's ninth top 15 Hot Rock Songs charting in the US since the chart began in 2009.[20] It peaked at No. 22 as an official single (and ninth top 30 single), with a top 10 Pop Songs and top 30 Alternative Songs position. "Uma Thurman" charted in the UK reaching No. 71 and in Canada, reaching No. 67.[21] On August 10, 2015, "Uma Thurman" was certified Platinum by the RIAA. As of September 2015, the song has sold 1,040,000 downloads in the United States.[22] It also became Fall Out Boy's first top 10 Radio Songs hit. As of December 2015, the song has been certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA.

Music video

The video premiered on VEVO on April 17, 2015. Its premise is contest winner "Sarah" (played by Sarah Murphree[23]) spending the day doing chores for the separate band members as well as pranking them by joyriding and speeding in Trohman's McLaren given the keys by Wentz. Sarah mostly spends the day with Wentz doing some shopping, wearing bandanas in a gang-esque stickup, riding a dune buggy, playing paintball, flying in a windtunnel and crushing a pickup truck with a M1 Abrams tank with "UMA" painted twice. The truck has printed on the door "Article 1 Section 36.03". This likely refers to Alabama's Supreme Court blocking same-sex marriage.[24] Sarah also does karaoke with Stump and does a workout with Hurley. The video, like "Irresistible", references Stump's hands being chopped off once again. The video includes cameos by Big Sean, Action Bronson, Brendon Urie, Big Data and MAX.[25]

Track listing

• Digital download (Deluxe single)[26]

1. "Uma Thurman" – 3:31
2. "Uma Thurman (music video)" – 4:08

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2015) Peak position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[27] 67 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[28] 34 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[29] 23 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[21] 71 UK Rock and Metal (OCC)[30] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[31] 22 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[32] 2 US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[33] 30 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[34] 21 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[35] 3 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[36] 7

Year-end charts Chart (2015) Position US Billboard Hot 100[37] 60 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[38] 17 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[39] 37 US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[40] 4 Chart (2016) Position US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[41] 34 Decade-end charts Chart (2010–2019) Position US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[42] 44

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[43]	2× Platinum	2,000,000
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
Worldwide	January 12, 2015	Digital download	Island DCD2
United States	February 10, 2015	Alternative radio	Island
	April 14, 2015	Mainstream radio	Island Republic

References

1. Fall Out Boy Featuring Wiz Khalifa "Uma Thurman (Remix)". XXL. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
2. Listen to Fall Out Boy's "Uma Thurman (Remix)" f/ Wiz Khalifa Complex. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
3. Fall Out Boy’s New Song “Uma Thurman” Blends Handclaps, The ‘Munsters’ Theme & An Undeniable Chorus: Listen Idolator. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
4. Fall Out Boy Mixes Uma Thurman & The Munsters On New Release newsforshoppers.com. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
5. "Alternative > Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on January 26, 2015. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
6. "UMA THURMAN" SET AS FALL OUT BOY'S NEW POP SINGLE; IMPACTS ON 3/31. headlineplanet.com. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
7. #1 song #8 song #4 album Archived January 13, 2015, at the Wayback Machine falloutboy.com. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
8. VIDEO: Fall Out Boy Performs 'Uma Thurman' on LATE NIGHT. broadwayworld.com. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
9. Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd win big at Much Music Video Awards. Business Standard. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
10. "NBC Today show interview of Uma Thurman". October 26, 2015.
11. New Fall Out Boy Song 'Uma Thurman' Is Best Yet From New Album Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
12. "Fall Out Boy's 'Uma Thurman' Samples 'The Munsters' Theme Song, And It's Rad" MTV. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
13. 14 Things We Learned on the Road With Fall Out Boy Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 15, 2015
14. Pete Wentz tweet on Uma Thurman https://twitter.com/petewentz. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
15. Fall Out Boy Share ‘Pulp Fiction’-Nodding ‘Uma Thurman': Listen KROQ. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
16. Fall Out Boy Uma Thruman post Archived September 26, 2016, at the Wayback Machine falloutboy.com. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
17. Fall Out Boy "Uma Thurman" Sheet Music musicnotes.com
18. Fall Out Boy "Uma Thurman" Review: New Song from 'American Beauty/American Psycho' Gets Funky with Help from 'The Munsters' Music Times. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
19. Fall Out Boy's 'Uma Thurman' Dances Onto Hot Rock Songs Chart Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
20. Fall Out Boy Chart History - Rock Songs Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
21. Official Charts Company - FALL OUT BOY Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
22. Caulfield, Keith (September 16, 2015). "Fall Out Boy Notches First Radio Songs Top 10 With 'Uma Thurman'". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
23. "Women in Film Spotlight: Sarah Murphree". Or Die Trying. June 20, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
24. Tardio, Andres. "Fall Out Boy Uses A Tank To Fight For Same-Sex Marriage In Their New Video". MTV. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
25. "Fall Out Boy - Uma Thurman". April 17, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via YouTube.
26. "Uma Thurman – Deluxe Single by Fall Out Boy". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved November 2, 2015.
27. "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
28. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201549 into search.
29. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201543 into search. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
30. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 19, 2015..
31. "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
32. "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
33. "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
34. "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
35. "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
36. "Fall Out Boy Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
37. "Hot 100: Year End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
38. "Adult Pop Songs : Dec 31, 2015 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
39. "Pop Songs : Dec 31, 2015 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
40. "Hot Rock Songs : Dec 31, 2015 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
41. "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
42. "Decade-End Charts: Hot Rock Songs". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
43. "American single certifications – Fall Out Boy – Uma Thurman". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.