Video: Fitz & the Tantrums, ‘123456’

Kevin Bronson on March 20th, 2019

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Since their beginnings as a charismatic outfit doing retro soul-pop, Fitz & the Tantrums have become a charismatic pop behemoth, with songwriter Michael Fitzpatrick proving adept at turning the most prosaic of concepts into hits. (The ubiquitous “HandClap” springs to mind.) If the new single “123456” were done with any degree of irony, it might be a fun romp. As it is, though, it’s camp for Saturday morning cartoons.

The song, the first from a new album planned for release later this year, comes just a few months short of the 10th anniversary of Fitz & the Tantrum’s debut EP. Remember “Pickin’ Up the Pieces?”

Fitzpatrick says of the new song: “‘123456’ has a fun and carefree vibe, but it’s actually quite an emotional song personally. Before writing the song, I was questioning my talent, fighting off insecurities, and trying to find a way to keep going. The music to ‘123456’ literally pulled me out of a funk and hyped me up. And so the lyric goes: ‘Hyped up ready to go, I got my eyes on the prize, I’m sick of feeling the lows I wanna roll with the highs.’ It was the turning point of the record for me, capturing the moment when optimism, hope and confidence were found after a dark period as an artist trying to write for this album.”

Here’s hoping it helps Fitzpatrick’s young sons learn their numbers.

||| Watch: The video for “123456”