Jump (Van Halen song)
"Jump" is a song by American hard rock band Van Halen. It was released in December 1983 as the lead single from their album 1984. It is Van Halen's most successful single, reaching number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[4] The song differs from earlier Van Halen songs in that it is driven by a keyboard line (played on an Oberheim OB-Xa), although the song does contain a guitar solo, which was spliced together from multiple takes. David Lee Roth dedicated the song to martial artist Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, of whom he was a student.[5]
"Jump" | ||||
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Single by Van Halen | ||||
from the album 1984 | ||||
B-side | "House of Pain" | |||
Released | December 21, 1983 | |||
Recorded | 1983 | |||
Studio | 5150 Studios (Studio City, California) | |||
Genre |
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Length | 4:02 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Ted Templeman | |||
Van Halen singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
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Writing and composition
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 Roth to take a 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 of 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 an ontological invitation to action, life and love. Roth later told Musician magazine that Hostler was "probably the most responsible for how it came out."[6] The song is set in the key of C major, with the guitar solo in the key of B♭ minor. "Jump" has a moderate common time tempo of 129 beats per minute.[7]
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."[8]
The keyboard part was performed on an Oberheim OB-Xa.[9][10] Live performances began with Eddie's synthesizer solo "1984". During the reunion tour with Roth, the two songs were used for the band's encore.
According to Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates, "[Eddie] Van Halen told me that he copied the synth part from 'Kiss on My List' and used it in 'Jump.' I don't have a problem with that at all."[11]
Musically, the song was a departure from the band's hard rock style,[12] embracing more of a popular and radio-friendly sound. "Jump" has been described as a "synth rocker",[1] as a combination of hard rock and pop,[13] as exemplifying pop rock of the 1980s, built on a classic rock foundation of repeated bass notes and having standard rock instrumentation,[14] and as "a true rock masterpiece."[2]
Music video
The music video for "Jump" was directed by Pete Angelus and David Lee Roth. It is a straightforward performance clip, much like many of the hard rock videos of the time.[15] 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.
Sporting anthem
It is played before the start of each home game of Olympique de Marseille and Brøndby IF. As part of the goal celebrations it is also played every time A.C. Milan scores a goal at their home ground, San Siro.[16]
The song is a staple at Detroit Pistons NBA games whenever a jump ball is called.
The original Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League played "Jump" on the arena PA system as the team came onto the ice. They used the song until the team's departure for Phoenix after the 1995–96 season. On the team's return in 2011, public outcry for use of the song initially was ignored, as the team's management company True North Sports and Entertainment wished to create a break with the past, considering the previous Jets a different organization from the new Jets (the former Atlanta Thrashers). However, in 2016 True North resumed the use of "Jump", this time as the team's goal song whenever the Jets score a goal at Bell MTS Place.[17]
"Jump" was the theme song for the introduction of Chicago Cubs broadcasts on WGN-TV in 1984 and 1985.[18][19]
Reception
"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."[20] 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."[21] Ahead of the 2012 Summer Olympics, the song was voted as the favourite sporting anthem, in a poll of members of PRS for Music.[22]
Appearances in film and television
The song was used in soundtrack of the 2015 biopic film Eddie the Eagle, being described by Blake Goble of Consequence of Sound as "the most on-the-nose use of Van Halen's "Jump" ever committed to celluloid".[23] "Jump" appears in the 2018 science fiction film Ready Player One. The song was used in the opening credits of the film and in the trailer for the film,[24][25] and considered an "inspired choice" by Joe Reid of Decider.com.[26]
In 2009, The song was covered on the musical television show Glee's first season episode "Mattress" sung by the Glee Cast.
Awards and nominations
"Jump" was nominated at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards (1984) in the "Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal" category, losing to "Purple Rain" by Prince & The Revolution.[27]
Armin van Buuren remix
Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren debuted his own private remix of "Jump" at the 2019 Miami Ultra Music Festival with David Lee Roth on stage.[28] This remix was finally released through Big Beat Records on May 17, 2019.[29]
Personnel
- David Lee Roth – lead vocals
- Eddie Van Halen – guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals
- Alex Van Halen – drums
- Michael Anthony – bass, backing vocals
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
All-time charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Italy (FIMI)[50] | Platinum | 50,000 |
United Kingdom (BPI)[51] | Platinum | 600,000 |
United States (RIAA)[52] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Live version
"Jump (Live)" | |
---|---|
Single by Van Halen | |
from the album Live: Right Here, Right Now | |
B-side | "Love Walks In (Live)" |
Released | 1993 |
Genre | Hard rock |
Length | 4:27 |
Label | Warner Bros. |
Songwriter(s) | |
Producer(s) | Van Halen, Andy Johns, Donn Landee |
"Jump (Live)" was released as a single in 1993. The performance was recorded at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California in May 1992, during the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Tour. "Jump" and the B-side, "Love Walks In", are the same versions that appear on the album Live: Right Here, Right Now. On the compact disc release of the single, "Mine All Mine" and "Eagles Fly" are previously unreleased live versions. All songs were produced by Van Halen and Andy Johns, except "Mine All Mine", which was produced by Van Halen and Donn Landee.[53]
Weekly chart performance
Chart (1993) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[54] | 93 |
Ireland (IRMA)[55] | 13 |
Netherlands[56] | 17 |
UK Singles[57] | 26 |
Personnel (1993)
- Sammy Hagar – lead vocals
- Eddie Van Halen – guitar, backing vocals
- Alex Van Halen – drums
- Michael Anthony – bass, backing vocals
- Alan Fitzgerald – keyboards (offstage)[58]
7" single
- Jump (Live) – 4:27
- Love Walks In (Live) – 5:14
CD single
- Jump (Live) – 4:27
- Love Walks In (Live) – 5:14
- Mine All Mine (Live) – 5:24
- Eagles Fly (Live) – 6:01
See also
- List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1984
References
- Jackson, Josh (February 1, 2012). "The 80 Best Albums of the 1980s". Paste. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- Sumrall, Harry (1994). Pioneers of Rock and Roll: 100 artists who changed the face of rock. Billboard Books. p. 274. ISBN 9780823076284.
- Popoff, Martin (2014). The Big Book of Hair Metal. Voyageur Press. p. 58. ISBN 9781627883757.
- Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th ed, Billboard Publications, Inc. 1996. ISBN 0-8230-7632-6
- Christe, Ian (2009). Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga. John Wiley & Sons. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-470-53618-6.
- Crouse, Richard (2012). Who Wrote The Book Of Love?. Doubleday Canada. p. 144. ISBN 9780385674423.
- Van Halen Guitar Anthology. Van Nuys, California: Alfred. 2006. pp. 148–53. ISBN 9780897246729. OCLC 605214049.
- Van Halen: A visual history: 1978-1984, Neil Zlozower, 2008
- Beato, Rick (2019-04-28), What Makes This Song Great? Ep.61 VAN HALEN (#2), retrieved 2019-06-24
- News, Guitar World Staff 2019-04-01T14:44:58Z. "Hear David Lee Roth and Dutch DJ Armin Van Buuren's EDM Version of Van Halen's "Jump"". guitarworld. Retrieved 2019-06-24.
- "Classic Tracks: Hall & Oates "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" Archived 2006-08-30 at the Wayback Machine". mixonline.com, 2006.
- Prown, Pete; Newquist, Harvey P. (1997). Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists. Hal Leonard. p. 165. ISBN 9780793540426.
- Cramer, Alfred William (2009). Musicians and Composers of the 20th Century. Salem Press. p. 1540. ISBN 9781587655173.
In 1984 the song 'Jump' reached number one on the Billboard charts. The radio-friendly song combined hard rock with synthesizer-driven pop music.
- Campbell, Michael (2008). Popular Music in America: And The Beat Goes On (3 ed.). Cengage Learning. p. 305. ISBN 9780495505303.
- "mvdbase.com - Van Halen - "Jump [version 1: concept]"". mvdbase.com. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- "The songs of soccer, from stadium anthems to Ronaldo's solo". DW.com. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- Minuk, David. "Winnipeg Jets pick Jump by Van Halen as new goal song". Illegal Curve. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
- Hawley, Larry (October 7, 2020). "Van Halen's 'Jump' has a special meaning for the Cubs and their WGN-TV broadcasts". WGNTV.com. Nexstar Inc. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- NBC Sports Bay Area Staff (October 6, 2020). "Nine best Van Halen sports anthems ranked, in Eddie's memory". NBCSports.com. Comcast SportsNet California, LLC. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll Archived 2007-05-02 at the Wayback Machine." The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, 2007.
- Klosterman, Chuck (October 6, 2020). "All 131 Van Halen Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best A look back at the band's formidable legacy". Vulture.com. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
- Cooper, Leonie (26 July 2012). "Van Halen's 'Jump' voted most popular sporting song". NME. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- Goble, Blake (25 February 2016). "Film Review: Eddie the Eagle". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- Hudak, Dan (30 March 2018). "Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One Delivers Plenty of Action, Pop Culture References". San Antonio Current. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- Munro, Scott (12 December 2017). "Van Halen's Jump used in spectacular Ready Player One trailer". Louder Sound. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- "'Ready Player One' Is a Blockbuster That's Perfectly Sized for Home Viewing". Decider. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- "GRAMMY Awards - Van Halen". Grammy.com. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- "David Lee Roth Joins Armin van Buuren for 'Jump' at 2019 Ultra Music Festival". loudwire.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- Jump (Armin van Buuren Extended Mix) by Van Halen at Beatport
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "Austriancharts.at – Van Halen – Jump" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- "Ultratop.be – Van Halen – Jump" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- Lesueur, InfoDisc, Daniel Lesueur, Dominic Durand. "InfoDisc: Bilan des Ventes par Artiste". infodisc.fr. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Archived from the original on 2013-10-18. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- "Hit Parade Italia - Top Settimanali Single". hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – Van Halen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- "Charts.nz – Van Halen – Jump". Top 40 Singles.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Van Halen – Jump". Singles Top 100.
- "Swisscharts.com – Van Halen – Jump". Swiss Singles Chart.
- "UK Top 40 Chart Archive, British Singles & Album Charts". everyHit.com. 2000-03-16. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- "Van Halen Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". musicvf.com. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Van Halen – Jump". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- "Van Halen Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- "Hit Parade Italia - Top Annuali Single: 1984". hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- Currin, Brian. "South African Rock Lists Website - Hits 1984". rock.co.za. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96 no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19.
- "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1984". cashboxcountdowns. December 29, 1984. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012.
- "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- "Italian single certifications – Van Halen – Jump" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved November 15, 2020. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Jump" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli online" under "Sezione".
- "British single certifications – Van Halen – Jump". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- "American single certifications – Van Halen – Jump". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 13, 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.
- Jump (Live) (Media notes). Van Halen. Germany: Warner Bros. Records Inc. 1993. W0155CD.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Kent, David (2006). Australian Chart Book 1993–2005. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-45889-2.
- "Irish Singles Chart – Search for song". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- "Van Halen: Top 40-hits". top40.nl. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- Renoff, Greg (26 January 2015). "The History of Eddie Van Halen and Keyboards". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
Further reading
- Templeman, Ted; Renoff, Greg (2020). Ted Templeman: A Platinum Producer's Life In Music. Toronto: ECW Press. pp. 335–41. ISBN 9781770414839. OCLC 1121143123.
- Unterberger, Andrew (7 October 2020). "Forever No. 1: Van Halen's 'Jump'". Billboard.