This paper considers the problem of swinging up the Furuta pendulum and proposes a new smooth nonlinear swing up controller based on the concept of energy. This new controller results from the Total Energy Control System (TECS) approach in conjunction with a linearizing feedback controller. The new controller commands to the desired reference the total energy rate of the Furuta pendulum; thus, the Furuta pendulum oscillates and reaches a neighborhood of its unstable configuration while the rotation of its base remains bounded. Once the Furuta pendulum configuration is in the neighborhood of its unstable equilibrium point, a linear controller stabilizes the unstable configuration of the Furuta pendulum. Real-time experiments are included to support the theoretical developments.