Up Up and Up

Song Meaning

Robert Pollard's "Up Up and Up" is a characteristically cryptic burst of energy, a tightly wound spring of lyrical fragments that suggests more than it states outright. The song orbits themes of sexual power dynamics and the allure of upward mobility, all filtered through Pollard's signature surrealist lens. The opening lines, with their imagery of intimate acts and "pinkest lip," establish a landscape of desire, quickly juxtaposed with the assertion that "It's absolutely legal." This sets up a tension between raw physicality and a calculated, almost transactional approach to relationships, hinting at a world where even intimacy is subject to rules and regulations. The "sucking functions / Of your many tiny developers" is a particularly evocative phrase. It conjures images of both physical intimacy and a parasitic relationship, perhaps alluding to the way individuals can be drained or exploited in the pursuit of success. The mention of "male chill achievers / Believers in that money make the man" further underscores this theme, suggesting a world driven by ambition and material gain. The refrain, "Going up and up and up," acts as both a literal ascent and a metaphorical climb up the social ladder. Ultimately, "Up Up and Up" is a fragmented portrait of a society obsessed with advancement, where even the most intimate aspects of life are tinged with calculation and the pursuit of status. The repetition of "Up and up and up" becomes almost hypnotic, a mantra reflecting the relentless drive that consumes the characters within Pollard's strange and compelling vision. The fading repetition at the end of the song leaves the listener contemplating whether the climb is worth the cost.