THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

424-Technotronic-Pump Up the Jam.

1989-Number 2 single.

Best Bit-At 2.04. It’s a good job that the lyrics are not too taxing, as Congolese model Felly Kilingi who is lip-syncing couldn’t speak a word of English.

At that time it was considered normal to get someone attractive to appear on the CD sleeve, or front the video, pretending to be the actual vocalist on the track. Other well known examples include Milli Vanilli, C&C Music Factory, and Black Box (see also best songs 501.)

‘Technotronic’ was the brainchild of Jo Bogaert who was born in Aalst, Belgium, in 1956, using the stage name Thomas de Quincey he co-wrote, and produced for Technotronic, from it’s inception in 1987, through until the project was retired in 2002. Bogart is a songwriter, and producer of ‘Electronic Dance Music,’ and is a leading exponent in ‘New Beat,’ which is a Belgian ‘Electronic Dance Music’ genre that fuses elements of New Wave, Hi-NRG, EBM and Hip-Hop. Away from Technotronic, Jo Bogaert has been behind a number of other ‘New Beat’ bands, including ‘Nux Nemo,’ and ‘Acts of Madmen,’ he has also released three solo Albums between 1984-1993.

The discography of Technotronic includes three studio Albums released between 1989-1995, and 24 singles released between 1989-2022, there are also six official compilation Albums, and remix Albums available. In Belgium on ‘Ultratop,’ which publishes the official record charts in that country, Technotronic have had 12 top 40 hits, with both ‘Pump Up the Jam,’ featuring Ya Kid K, (1989) and ‘Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over’) featuring Ya Kid K, (1990) both reaching the Number 1 position. In the UK, Technotronic have had nine top 40 hits, with ‘Pump Up the Jam,’ featuring Ya Kid K, (1989) and ‘Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over’) featuring Ya Kid K, (1990) both peaking the highest at Number 2, while in America on the Billboard Hot 100, Technotronic have had three top 40 hits, with ‘Pump Up the Jam,’ featuring Ya Kid K, peaking the highest at Number 2.

‘Pump Up the Jam’ was the first of six singles released from Technotronic’s debut studio Album of the same name from November 1989. The song was co-written by Jo Bogaert, (music) who also produced the track, and Manuela Kamosi (lyrics) using her stage name ‘Ya Kid K,’ she also provides the vocals on the track. Ya Kid K was born Manuela Barbara Kamosi Moaso Djogi, on January 26th, 1972, in Kinshasa, Zaire, she moved to Belgium at the age of 11. As well as providing input, and the vocals to other Technotronic Albums, she has also released two solo studio Albums in 1992, and 2014. She has a child with fellow Technotronic performer ‘MC Eric,’ who provided the vocals on ‘This Beat Is Technotronic,’ the bands third single release from 1990. Also in 1990 both Bogaert and Ya Kid K, using the stage name ‘Hi Tek 3,’ wrote, produced, and performed ‘Spin That Wheel,’ which appeared on the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ soundtrack Album, and was released as a single, reaching Number 15 in the UK. Technotronic have had 13 different official members, with several of their songs having the lead vocals provided by differing artists, including ‘This Beat Is Technotronic,’ which featured MC Eric, in 1990, ‘Turn It Up,’ which featured Melissa and Einstein, also in 1990, ‘Move That Body,’ which featured Reggie, in 1991, and ‘Like This,’ which featured Monday Midnite, in 1999.

‘Pump Up the Jam’ is a ground breaking song, and is an early example of ‘Rap’ and ‘House Music’ joining forces, in what was to become known as ‘Hip-House.’ ‘Pump Up the Jam’ is credited with being the very first ‘House Music’ track to break in to the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 in America, when reaching Number 2 in 1989. Jo Bogaert’s has spoken about his surprise of the success of ‘Pump Up the Jam. ‘I knew, yeah, this was a good track, but my farthest expectation was that it would be a club hit. The hairs on my arms stood up and I knew that it was history.’

On a personal note, when I first heard the track back in 1989, my first thoughts were, is this a novelty song? Maybe that was because it sounded so different to anything I had ever heard before. The song has stood the test of time a lot better than most, and still sounds fresh and new to this day.

‘Pump up the jam, pump it up, while your feet are stompin’ and the jam is pumpin.’ Look at here the crowd is jumpin.’ pump it up a little more, get the party going on the dance floor.’