‘Jump’ is a song by American rock band Van Halen. It was released in December 1983 as the lead single of their sixth studio album, 1984. It is Van Halen's most successful single, reaching number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song differs from earlier Van Halen songs in that it is driven by a keyboard riff, although the song does contain a guitar solo. David Lee Roth dedicated the song to martial artist Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, of whom he was a student. In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked ‘Jump’ at number 177 on its updated list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
The synth line was written circa 1981 by Eddie Van Halen, but it was rejected by the other members of the band. In 1983, producer Ted Templeman asked David Lee Roth to listen to the unused song idea. Riding around in the back of his 1951 Mercury, with band roadie Larry Hostler driving, Roth listened repeatedly to the tune. To come up with a lyric for it, he remembered seeing a TV news report the night before about a suicidal jumper. Roth thought that one of the onlookers at such an event would inevitably yell "go ahead and jump". Roth bounced this suggestion off Hostler who agreed it was good; however, instead of describing a potential suicide, the lyrics were written as a positive invitation to action, life and love. Roth later told Musician magazine that Hostler was "probably the most responsible for how it came out."
Ted Templeman recalls that ‘Jump’ was recorded at Eddie Van Halen's newly constructed home studio. "Engineer Donn Landee and Ed put the track down alone in the middle of the night. We recut it once in one take for sonic reasons. Dave wrote the lyrics that afternoon in the backseat of his Mercury convertible. We finished all vocals that afternoon and mixed it that evening."
The music video for ‘Jump’ was directed by Pete Angelus and David Lee Roth. It is a straightforward performance clip. It was nominated for three MTV Video Music Awards, and won "Best Stage Performance" for the video. The audio mix of the song in video version has an extra "Ah oh oh!" yell from Roth before the last chorus. ‘Jump’ was one of the few Van Halen songs originally recorded by Roth that Sammy Hagar would perform live during his tenures with the band.
‘Jump’ was ranked number 15 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 1980s. The song was listed by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum as one of the "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll." Chuck Klosterman of Vulture.com ranked it the 16th-best Van Halen song, calling it "an articulation of unadulterated joy and the unprecedented power of six rudimentary keyboard chords arranged in the best possible sequence." Ahead of the 2012 Summer Olympics, the song was voted as the favorite sporting anthem, in a poll of members of PRS for Music.
Label – Warner Bros.
Songwriters – Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony
Producer – Ted Templeman
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Ow!
[Verse 1]
I get up, and nothing gets me down
You got it tough, I've seen the toughest around
And I know, baby, just how you feel
You got to roll with the punches to get to what's real
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, can't you see me standing here?
I got my back against the record machine
I ain't the worst that you've seen
Oh, can't you see what I mean?
[Chorus]
Ah, might as well jump (Jump!)
Might as well jump
Go ahead and jump (Jump!)
Go ahead and jump
[Verse 2]
Hello! Hey, you! Who said that?
Baby, how you been?
You say you don't know
You won't know until you begin
[Pre-Chorus]
So can't you see me standing here?
I've got my back against the record machine
I ain't the worst that you've seen
Oh, can't you see what I mean?
[Chorus]
Ah, might as well jump (Jump!)
Go ahead and jump
Might as well jump (Jump!)
Go ahead and jump
[Post-Chorus]
Jump!
[Guitar Solo]
[Keyboard Solo]
[Chorus]
Might as well jump (Jump!)
Go ahead and jump
Get it and jump (Jump!)
Go ahead and jump
[Outro]
Jump
Jump
Jump
Jump