Pull Up to the Bumper
"Pull Up to the Bumper" is a 1981 single by Jamaican singer Grace Jones, released as the third single from her fifth album, Nightclubbing. Sonically, it is an uptempo electro-disco, post-punk, dance-pop and reggae-disco song with dub production, "pulsing drums and chic new-wave licks", as well as elements of funk and R&B music. Its lyrics were written by Jones alone, while she, along with Kookoo Baya and Dana Manno, are credited as its composers. The song's instrumental part was originally recorded in 1980 during the Warm Leatherette sessions; however, it did not make the album as Chris Blackwell found its sound not fitting in the rest of the material. It was completed for the 1981 critically acclaimed album Nightclubbing and became its third single in June 1981. The song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs in the US and number 53 in the UK. When re-released in 1986, it peaked at number 12 in the UK. The track has come to be one of Jones' signature tunes and her first transatlantic hit.

The song sparked controversy for its sexually suggestive lyrics, prompting some radio stations to refuse to broadcast it. Among the lines are "Pull up to my bumper baby / In your long black limousine / Pull up to my bumper baby / Drive it in between", "Grease it / Spray it / Let me lubricate it" and "I've got to blow your horn." However, in a 2008 interview with Q magazine, Jones suggested that the lyrics were not necessarily meant to be interpreted as a metaphor for anal sex.

Release
Over the years, "Pull Up to the Bumper" has been remixed several times. The original 12-inch single featured the unedited album master recording as an extended mix of 6m45s. There also appears to be an untitled long album version lasting 5m48s which can be found on the US Rebound Records/Polygram Records World of Dance: The 80's compilation CD. An extended dub version lasting 7m17s also known as "Remixed Version" was included as the B-side on the 12-inch release of Jones' "Walking in the Rain"; this version can be found on the Universal Music compilation CD 12"/80s. The "Walking in the Rain" 7" single also had an alternate dub mix as the B-side, called "Peanut Butter" and credited to the Compass Point All Stars. The full mix of "Peanut Butter" lasting 7m02s as well as "Pull Up to the Bumper"'s "Party Version" lasting 5m01s can be found on the US Hip-O Records/Universal Music In Good Company CD by Sly & Robbie.

In 1985, the track was remixed and re-released to promote the Island Life compilation, and was released in two different 12-inch single mixes, one an extended mix with additional keyboard overdubs and remix by Paul "Groucho" Smykle, which can be found on both the Rodeo Media 2011 Dance Classics - Pop Edition Vol. 4 2CD Compilation and the very rare EVA Records 1986 Now Dance compilation CD. The other, an eight-minute megamix entitled "Musclemix", which included excerpts from tracks like "Warm Leatherette", "Walking in the Rain", "Use Me", "Love Is the Drug" and "Slave to the Rhythm", remains unreleased on CD.

Critical reception
Terry Nelson from Albumism commented in his review of Nightclubbing, "Many critics loved the playful double entendre, but if you were listening carefully, you could tell that it was a pretty blunt statement. She was not pulling any punches. It was a song that could've been ripped out of the pages of the Penthouse forum set to an infectious, funky beat: "Pull up to my bumper baby / In your long black limousine / Pull up to my bumper baby / And drive it in between"." The Daily Vault's Mark Millan called it an "instant Jones classic", and noted that the singer "peppered the lyric with a swell of sexual innuendos". Music critic and writer Glenn O'Brien called "Pull Up to the Bumper" "Grace's first car radio hit".

Chart performance
Upon its release, the song spent seven weeks at number 2 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, as well as becoming a Top 5 single on the US R&B chart. The original 1981 release peaked at number 53 on the UK Singles Chart. When it was re-released in 1985, then with the 1977 recording of "La Vie en rose" as the B-side, it reached number 12 on the UK singles chart in early 1986. The song then finally charted in Ireland and Germany, and became the singer's best-seller.

Impact and legacy
The song was ranked at number 8 among the top 10 "Tracks of the Year" for 1981 by NME.

Blender put the song at number 88 in their list of "Greatest Songs Since You Were Born" in 2005.

In 2011, The Guardians Richard Vine ranked the release of "Pull Up to the Bumper" as one of 50 key events in the history of dance music, proclaiming it "one of those rare records that manages to replicate the sensation of actually being in a club."

Pitchfork Media featured it in their list of 50 Songs That Define the Last 50 Years of LGBTQ+ Pride in 2018. Same year, Time Out listed the song at number 41 in their The 50 best '80s songs list.

Spin ranked the song as one of The 30 Best Disco Songs That Every Millennial Should Know in 2019.

Slant Magazine placed "Pull Up to the Bumper" at number 64 in their list of The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time in 2020.

Music video
The music video for "Pull Up to the Bumper" is a combination of live footage of Jones performing the song on her A One Man Show merged and edited alongside excerpts from Godfrey Reggio's 1982 experimental documentary film Koyaanisqatsi. The video uses the edited studio version of the song and its opening section includes excerpts from the song "Nightclubbing".

Another music video for the song was produced, also using the same live footage, cut and re-edited, but this time retaining the original concert soundtrack. The video ends with Jones jumping from the stage into the audience.

Track listing7-inch single (1981)A. "Pull Up to the Bumper" – 3:40
B. "Feel Up" – 4:027-inch single (US, 1981)A. "Pull Up to the Bumper" – 3:40
B. "Breakdown" – 3:0012-inch single (1981)A. "Pull Up to the Bumper" (long version) – 5:45
B. "Feel Up" (Long Version) – 6:1412-inch promotional single (US, 1981)A. "Pull Up to the Bumper" (album version) – 4:30
B. "Pull Up to the Bumper" (party version) – 5:457-inch single (1985)A. "Pull Up to the Bumper" – 3:40
B. "La Vie en rose" – 3:3512-inch single (1985)A. "Pull Up to the Bumper" (Remix) – 6:24
B1. "La Vie en rose" – 7:24
B2. "Nipple to the Bottle" – 5:5512-inch single (UK, 1985)A. "Pull Up to the Bumper" – 4:40
B. "Nipple to the Bottle" – 6:5712-inch single (UK, 1986)A. "Grace Jones Musclemix" – 9:12
B1. "La Vie en rose" – 7:24
B2. "Pull Up to the Bumper" (Remix) – 6:2412-inch single (Canada, 1986)A. "Grace Jones Musclemix" – 9:12
B1. "Pull Up to the Bumper" (Remix) – 6:29
B2. "Nipple to the Bottle" – 5:55Cassette single (1986)'''
 "Pull Up to the Bumper" (Remix) – 6:29
 "Nipple to the Bottle" – 5:55
 "La Vie en rose" – 7:24
 "Peanut Butter" – 5:10

 Personnel 

 Grace Jones – vocals, backing vocals
 Sly Dunbar – drums, syndrums
 Robbie Shakespeare – bass guitar
 Barry Reynolds – guitar
 Mikey Chung – guitar
 Wally Badarou – keyboards
 Uziah Thompson – percussion

Charts

Later versions
"Pull Up to the Bumper" was recorded by Jamaican reggae singer Patra in 1995 from her second album Scent of Attraction. It reached number 60 on the US Hot 100, number 21 on the R&B chart, and #15 on the dance chart. It also reached number 78 in Australia, number 12 in New Zealand, and number 50 in the UK.
Coolio sampled the song on his 1997 single "Ooh La La", from the album My Soul.
Another version was released by an Australian R&B singer Deni Hines, which featured in 2000 film The Wog Boy. It reached number 36 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart in February 2000.
Also in 2000, short lived British band Made in London recorded "Pull Up to the Bumper" as a B-side for their only charting single "Dirty Water".
Danish artist Funkstar De Luxe remixed the song with Jones' original vocals, and released it as a single in late 2000, with an accompanying music video. The song reached number four on the US Billboard'' dance chart and number 60 on the UK singles chart.
Bands Gossip and LCD Soundsystem performed the song together at the Coachella festival in 2010.

References

1981 singles
Grace Jones songs
Songs written by Grace Jones
Island Records singles
1981 songs
Songs about sexuality
Songs about breasts
Songs with double entendres