Jump Review at Allmusic.com

[Mean_Street]

Pretty good read..

Jump
by Michael Anthony/David Lee Roth/Alex Van Halen/Eddie Van Halen
performed on 1984



Van Halen’s most successful and best-known hit single of the David Lee Roth-era was undoubtedly “Jump,” off their classic ‘1984’ album. Although the single was a #1 smash (staying at the top of the charts for 5 weeks), the song had been kicking around for several years unused – it’s rumored to have been written around the time of 1980’s ‘Women and Children First.’ Although it wasn’t Van Halen’s very first song to incorporate synthesizers/keyboards into their heavy rock sound (such tracks as “And the Cradle Will Rock,” “One Foot Out the Door,” and “Dancing in the Streets” already had), singer David Lee Roth felt that Eddie Van Halen should concentrate more on the guitar rather than keys. But Eddie was upset with the direction of their previous album, ‘Diver Down’ (which was heavy on cover songs) and made it a point to put his foot down on ‘1984.’ It definitely helped that he had built his own recording studio, 5150, and when the others asked what he had up his sleeve for the new album, he said that the ‘keyboard thing was all he had left.’ The rest of the band obliged. It ’s rumored that David Lee Roth came up with the title after seeing TV news footage of a man attempting to commit suicide by leaping off a building, as bystanders were goading him to ‘jump.’ Both “Jump” and ‘1984’ are rightfully considered by many to be among the 80’s top rock accomplishments. — Greg Prato

[billy007]

Anybody know when/where they started playing "Jump"? I knew about this song way before (well, maybe not "way", but definitely before) I ever heard it - seems I recall they were actually playing it at shows or a show (did they play a college football bowl game or something?) and was waiting to hear it when it came out. Just couldn't imagine Van Halen with keyboards.

[Cabo Kid]

I remember the first time I heard it.

I was living in the 'burbs of Chicago and the station that USED to be around, WMET, was doing a lot to feature the song! The first time I heard it, I had a cheap 3rd rate blank tape in my Soundesign tape deck and caught the majority of it.

I played that tape into the ground until I could go get '1984' itself.

That's my personal history of the song. I don't know too much about when it first debuted and all though, Billy.

[billy007]

Originally posted by Cabo Kid:
Soundesign

[Cabo Kid]

Glad you got that one, billy! [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

I wondered if anyone else had one of those stellar sound units! LOL