Cups

Album: Pitch Perfect Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2012)
Charted: 71 6
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This track from the Pitch Perfect soundtrack features the voice of Anna Kendrick accompanied only by a plastic cup, which she uses as improvised percussion. The song serves as her character Beca's brief audition for the Barden Bellas, an all-female a cappella group from Barden University.
  • The song is just one minute seventeen seconds long, but isn't the shortest ever to grace the Hot 100. The Womenfolk's version of "Little Boxes," which peaked at #83 in 1964, lasts a mere one minute and two seconds.
  • The song debuted on the Hot 100 on the chart dated January 12, 2013. The same week the Barden Bellas' (including Kendrick) film-closing medley "Bellas Finals: Price Tag/Don't You (Forget About Me)/Give Me Everything/Just The Way You Are/Party in the U.S.A./Turn The Beat Around" also arrived on the tally at #96.
  • The origins of this song lie in the 1937 Appalachian folk recording "Miss Me When I'm Gone" by J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers. The tune was reworked by English act Lulu and the Lampshades as "Cups (You're Gonna Miss Me)" and this version was covered by Anna Burden, whose adaptation made it to the front page of the entertainment website, Reddit. Kendrick decided to learn the song after watching Burden's cover. "'Cause I'm a huge loser, I thought the best way to spend an entire afternoon would be watching (Burden's) video 50 times and teaching myself how to do it," Kendrick told David Letterman in October 2012.
  • A longer version (a whole 2:09 minutes!) featuring instrumentation was released to radio in March 2013.
  • This song's success meant that Kendrick became only the second artist to have earned both a top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and nominations in the two leading acting award ceremonies. The singer-actress was nominated for a 1998 Tony Award for featured actress in a musical (High Society) and the 2009 Academy Award for actress in a supporting role (Up in the Air). The only other performer to achieve the same feat is Barbra Streisand.
  • The band played this song when Kendrick came on stage at the Oscars in 2014 to present the award for Best Editing.

Comments: 1

  • George Pope from Vancouver BcI herd the song once, on the radio, looked it up on YouTube, found out it was from the movie, then watched the movie, just to hear her sing it again. . . The cups' sound is hypnotic, & her voice is beautiful, too.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"They're Playing My Song

With the band in danger of being dropped from their label, Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith co-wrote the song that started their trek from horror show curiosity to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Zac Hanson

Zac HansonSongwriter Interviews

Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.