Throughout Arnold Schwarzenegger’s long, eventful career he’s worn many different hats: professional bodybuilder, actor, politician, even a pony wrangler. Thankfully, as of today, we can say, too, that Schwarzenegger has been a rapper.
“Pump It Up – The Motivation Song” is a new track and music video from Austrian singer Andreas Gabalier. Its purpose, as you might assume from the title, is to motivate people to do whatever they set their mind to by pumping them right the fuck up. Gabalier accomplishes this goal in the best way possible, looking to the life story, can-do spirit, and world-famous flow of his countrymen Arnold Schwarzenegger for the song.
Everything about this choice is perfect. The video sees Schwarzenegger riding bicycles and lifting weights in Venice Beach as Gabalier rasps a gorgeous summary of the man-myth’s career over the most incongruously saccharine instrumental since Insane Clown Posse reminded the world that “there’s enough miracles here to blow your brains.”
“He was born in Austria, he had a dream to become a star,” Gabalier starts. “A poor young guy, but never shy, said ‘Here I am, hold on.’” As an acoustic guitar cheerily strums along, highlighted here and there by twinkles of piano and swelling strings, Gabalier growls a sort of coffee-jittered, Teutonic-accented, spoken word Wikipedia rework that describes Schwarzenegger as a “hard-working man [who] was only 19 when he became a steel machine” and ” a “living legend, evergreen.” His various titles—“Terminator, super star… Governator! Mister Universe, Olympian!”—are recited for the soaring chorus and the video shows its two impressively muscled stars palling around, spotting each other in Gold’s Gym.
The most important part, of course, is Arnold’s repeated verse. The video shows the actor in the sound booth, a steely-gazed fixed on the viewer as he spits a verse that starts with “Hey, I’m Arnold Schwarzenegger and listen carefully” and somehow only improves from there.
“Dig deep down and ask yourself, who do you wanna be?
Not what, but who, if you believe success will come to you,
Work like hell, trust yourself, and all your dreams come true.
Break some rules, knock the wall, don’t be afraid to fail.
You have to think outside the box, I say no pain no gain.
I don’t wanna hear it can’t be done, give always something back,
My name is Arnold Schwarzenegger,
I’ll be back.”
The video ends with Schwarzenegger idly grunting the first words of his verse while working out, turning to Gabalier so both men can laugh in acknowledgement of their immense contribution to music. They know what they’ve accomplished and, biceps twitching as they put down their microphones, are allowed a moment to bask in the glory.
Watch for yourself and just try not to get inspired as hell.
[via People]
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