Jump

Album: 1984 (1984)
Charted: 7 1
Play Video
  • I get up and nothin' 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

    Ah, can't you see me standin' here?
    I've got my back against the record machine
    I ain't the worst that you've seen
    Ah, can't you see what I mean?

    Ah, might as well jump (jump)
    Might as well jump
    Go ahead and jump (jump)
    Go ahead and jump

    Hello, hey you
    Who said that?
    Baby, how you been?
    You say you don't know
    You won't know until you begin

    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
    Ah, can't you see what I mean?

    Ah, might as well jump (jump)
    Go ahead and jump
    Might as well jump (jump)
    Go ahead and jump
    Jump

    Might as well jump (jump)
    Go ahead and jump
    Get it and jump (jump)
    Go ahead and jump

    Jump
    Jump
    Jump
    Jump Writer/s: Alex Van Halen, David Roth, Edward Van Halen
    Publisher: Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 62

  • Josh from Champaign, IlFeró Nagy released a cover of Jump in 1985 that sounds very, very close to the original from Van Halen. If you want to claim they covered someone else, you need to give us more evidence then "I heard it on the radio". You don't even know when it was released. The song is credited to the members of Van Halen, if they didn't credit another songwriter who actually wrote it, they would have been the target for one hell of a lawsuit. There are lots of covers of Jump, released after December 1983.
  • Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcI remember when I first heard this song was back when I was 9 years old and I was in the 3rd grade and I instantly loved that song. A true and 100% pure hard rock classic.
  • Drew from Virginia BeachHenry "the Bull' Del Toro and Jimmy Dunn from WNOR FM98.7 in Norfolk, VA and their band More Glade did a cover of this tune called "Chump." It was somewhat biographical of Henry's on air persona, The Bull.

    I hang up
    if people put me down
    Get off your duff
    I'm busy waking up you clowns
    Can't you see in the back
    beatin up on a soda machine
    People say I'm obscene
    and I'm really mean

    They call me a Chump
    They think I'm a Chump
  • Austin from TijuanaGuys, take it easy. I love both Van Halen and Van Hagar. They just changed their style, what's with the hate? They matured with their original audience. The audience they originally had was growing up, and they did too. Instead of beaches and girls and strippers, Its about real life and real problems, and they do it very well. They didn't sell out, If anything they bought in.
  • Terry from Salt Lake City rest in peace Eddie no one could play guitar like you did you were one of a kind and you will be missed
  • Susan from Cleveland OhioRip Eddie
  • Joel T. Flores from Cnmi, UsaFoo Fighters perform these lyrics live over the instrumentation of John Lennon's Imagine.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 8th 1984, "Jump" by Van Halen entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #47; and six weeks later on February 19th, 1984 it peaked at #1 for five weeks...
    And on January 15th, 1984 it also reached #1 {for 8 weeks} on Billboard's Mainstream Rock* chart...
    In Canada on March 11th, 1984 it once again peaked at #1 {for 2 weeks} on the RPM Magazine Singles chart...
    Was track two of side on the quartet's sixth studio album, "1984", and the album reached #2 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart and #1 on the Canadian RPM Albums chart...
    Three other tracks from the album made the Top 100 chart; "I'll Wait" and 'Panama" both peaked at #13 while "Hot for Teacher" reached #56...
    * Van Halen holds the record for the most #1s on the Mainstream Rock chart, thirteen times they made it to the top spot.
  • Gino from HoustonI wrote the song Jump. I was the original Desmond Child and the Mutt in the Lange. Max Martin is the other that uses my material from my songs. I wrote Money For Nothing for Dire Straits and Jump for Van Halen. They were both from Warner Bros., and neither of them gave me credit nor a pseudonym. David Lee Roth said it was about a stripper because I pretended that the lady from Polygram was a stripper/hooker. I wrote the song way before either the lady or David Lee Roth visited the Sears package pickup/catalog/lounge area. I almost always come up with a hook before I write lyrics. It was kinda about a cool guy who made people/girls jump to his commands and because of his stature. I threw a little bit of lyrics about Fonzie in Happy Days into the song.
  • Jorge from Bronx, NyUntil this day,Jump was never a song i like from Van Halen,and DLR departed,never again listened to VH,I liked Sammy Haggar as a solo artist and with Montrose,but not with VH.
  • Bob from Schenectady, NyCareful observers will note that neither of the guitars are plugged in throughout the entire video.
  • Phiilp from Beer Town, Withe beginning of this tune is special when u r baked. i lived in a dorm at UW-W when this album came out. down the hall were these guys that lived with a kid named todd who was handicapped and got around in one of those motorized karts. 1 day they scored some great weed. i stopped by to try it out. i'll never forget hearing the synth on this tune while watching todd take his first hit off a bong!! he was drooling and his eyes were nearly shut he was so fried! todd where r u now?
  • Slik from Land Of Awesomeness, AustraliaDo your research mate, it was a cover. Eddie Van Halen composed the song himself..Jump is by Van Halen..
  • Charlie from Las Vegas, Nvummm okay hate to burst the bubbles of all the legions of die-hard Van Halen fans who are gonna read this at some point or another in their lives, but this isn't even an original Van Halen song. i was in my grandpa's truck listening to this classical music station one time and a song came on. it had the exact same words as this song, not to mention the same overall melody too.
    i didnt catch the name of the artist, but i recognized the lyrics and everything else.
  • Gary from Kailua, HiThe solo for this song is awesome!!! 5 stars for this song.
  • Slik from Land Of Awesomeness, AustraliaEddie mate, you're a freak on the guitar I tell ya, an old school FREAK OF NATURE!
  • Chris from Cleveland, Tni am so going to sky dive with this playing
  • Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumThis song is played in the "Stade Vélodrome" of the French footballteam "Olympique de Marseille"
  • Austin from Bristow, VaGreat song. One of my top favorite Van Halen tunes. Ediie and Dave, you guys are rule.
  • Montse from Verdú, SpainListened to this great song the day before giving birth to our second child...22nd January 2003.
  • Mark from Madison, WiTrivia: in the video, DLR screams about half way through the song that is not on the album!
  • Eugene from Minneapolis, MnThis song was electro-fied that it even made a dent on the Billboard R&B charts. It peaked at #88 during the 3 short weeks that it charted. I personally never really cared for the song.
  • Alexandre from Santos, BrazilBy far, this is one of the best "rock arena" songs ever! It works really great!!! The video is simple but efficient. One of my favorite songs ever! Alexandre Albertoni, Santos, Brazil.
  • Gary from South Bend, InRegarding the dusty Oberheim synth, I can't say for sure but it may have been talcum powder or something similar. When I've played keyboards, I've found that if you are really working hard at it and sweating, your fingers can drag and slow you down from the moisture. I've occasionally used talcum powder when I'm playing a very rapid piece of music under these conditions. I've always tried to keep the talcum on my hands and not the keyboard, though. Maybe Eddie does the same thing but is just a little sloppier. This song is one of my all-time favorites. I was able to create the sounds for both the 1984 intro and Jump on a dual-oscillator Korg Trident Mark II (my first synth--pre MIDI).
  • Susan from Toronto, CanadaA friend thought Roth sang "Maxwell Jump!"
  • Bertrand from Paris, FranceSome '70s and '80s hard rock bands turned to pop out of desperation or just pure greed as the hair metal phenomenon kicked off. In the case of Van Halen, the stylistic turn seemed as organic as the splendid synthesizer riff that fuels this tune, or David Lee Roth's exuberant leap, or Eddie Van Halen's infectious grin. On this one occasion, the band wrote a nearly perfect pop song, and unfortunately they spent the remainder of their careers rolling downhill from this moment.
  • Scott from Boston, MaEVH says this song's guitar solo is his favorite and probably the best he ever wrote.
  • Bob from Oakland, CaI'm puzzled that no one ever talks about the very unusual rhythm on the drums and bass during the mid-song guitar solo. How did they come up with that?
  • Annabelle from Eugene, OrSomeone on songfacts, I'm not quite sure who it was, said that Van Halen's song, "Jump" was partially inspired by the Hall & Oates song, "Kiss On My List". Is this true? Or is it just another rumor?
  • Pat from Reading, Mai just got tickets for van halen. DLR EVH AVH and wolfgang van halen
  • Alan from Chesterfield, MiWould have been a better video if they had worn their clothes backwards like Kriss Kross.
  • Michael from San Diego, CaWith all due respect to Loverboy, The Pointer Sisters & Kris Kross, this is undoubtedly the best "Jump" song there is, even though the Pointer Sisters had a good video with all kinds of sports clips included. The video for this song was great as well, and you just can't hear this tune without getting a little hyped up!
  • Eric from Grosse Pointe Woods, Mihey wasnt this song on the show "alan and the chipmunks" or something like that?
  • Mark from Worcester, MiEverybody had to try the synth back then. I don't hold it against any of them, but I wish it never happened. This is one of the better efforts IMO.
  • Cody from Hagerstown, MdDavid lee Roth was the best sammy hagar sucks
  • Sean from Kalamazoo, Midoes anyone know what model of "keytar" (a strap-on synth/keyboard in the shape of a guitar) eddie van halen helped popularize? this isnt trivia either i just really want to know.
  • Tim from Groningen, NetherlandsPaul Anka has recorded a bigband-version of "Jump" on his last album. It is worth listening to.
  • Lutan from Macedon Ranges, AustraliaThis song was also covered by Frankenbok. Very different to listen to!!!
  • Fred from New York, NyFalse, Chet. Eddie played the synth stab by hand during concerts. And, I believe it's an Oppenheimer synth, Duffy.
  • Cole from Winona, Mnin my opinion chet is the worst van halen fan ever to live. Flat on the vocals? wow...who cares if they want to use different instuments? it shows that they have plenty of talent! --- LOVE VAN HALEN!!!
  • Duffy from Yakima, AlAnybody like the synth solo in jump? I always thought it was neat.And that huge tone! Is that a casio keyboard?
  • Kyle from Anna, OhAlthough this is Van Halen's biggest hit, no human being could ever say that this is Eddie's best work. Just because every pop fan in the world loves a song, doesn't mean that it's necessarily the best song by the band. Reserve those spots for Runnin', Ain't Talkin', Cradle, and Unchained. Even Hot for Teacher shows Eddie's virtuosity in a better light. But Jump still rocks.
  • William from Toronto, CanadaWhile this is a great song it shows clearly that VH was being swept into that synth influenced style of the time period
  • Greg from Wyandotte, MiIn the video Roth's jump is done in reverse play.
  • Jade from London, EnglandAt 14 i only got into Van Halen when my Dad played me some of their song's oneday, i've loved them from then on, "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love & Runnin with the Devil" are awesome song's aswell as Jump! The guitar riff at the start of "Ain't talkin' Bout Love" is probably one of the best start's to a song ever! AMAZING, TRULY MAGNIFICENT!
  • Ricky from Cincinnati, OhI happen to be a huge Roth-era VH fan. I love the song "Jump" but am very embarassed to say it though. Corny as it may be, I have to admit it is one of the catchiest songs ever made even if it doesn't fit the profile of your typical VH song.
  • R from San Diego, CaAztec Camera did a cool acoustic cover version of Jump. Just acoustic guitar, bass, drums and vocal. Neat contrast to the over the top keyboard and attitude of the VH original. I still prefer the Van Halen's version, of course.
  • Big Mike from Merrillville, InIsn't it strange that the song "Jump" is presumably about an impending suicide, and that Roth is now studying to be a paramedic?! Was, still is, and always will be a great song. Thank you Van Halen. Now, Roth and the boys need to grow up, snap out of it, shake hands & make up- and start making the best music around...AGAIN!!
  • Ben from Aguadilla, United Statesjust a funny thought...in spanish the letter "J" makes an "H" sound making the word "hump" listen to the lyrics and watch the video thinking "hump" in place of the word "jump" watch the movements david lee roth makes when he sais it... just a thought i had...
  • Big Mike from Merrillville, InDid you ever notice how dusty Eddie Van Halen's keyboards are in the video for "Jump"? And try and count the costume changes for the video!! "Jump" has got to be the best music video of all time. Simple, fun, and not pretentious.
  • Big Mike from Merrillville, InIf David Lee Roth's enormous ego didn't clash with the other bandmember's equally-large egos, they just might have been playing at the Super Bowl's halftime show instead of Aerosmith!! You have to admit: almost all of the songs sound the same during the post-Roth era. What a huge waste of talent- maybe God is blind when He hands out blessings?! I shudder to think what could have been if they just got along... "Jump" would have been just one of a myriad of monster smash hits!!!
  • Nick from Port Jefferson Station, Nywell, first off I really don't know how or why you chould say that their first #1 hit was "The worst VH song ever recorded" chet. however what dan republic said is also true...What is the meaning behind the song??? but anyway i do think it is one of the best 80's rock songs ever recorded. I mean as hans and and tom trowbridge said it is a clasic. last off brian, yeah it is odd that he puts down the guitar and hits #1 anyway.dispite everything else Jump is one of the greatest songs recorded.
  • Danton from Saskatoon, CanadaBy far the most complicated part of the song is the part that Eddie DOES play on guitar. If you listen closely to the song, there is an epic guitar solo. Eddie Van Halen is one of the top five greatest guitar players of all time.
  • Shell from Riverdale, GaCouple of tales I've heard about this song and video. First, that the largest expenditure while making the video was for beer (not surprising, is it?). Second, that this song and the contention surrounding it's release were a large part of the myriad of reasons that Roth left the band. As the tale goes, the band agreed to make all decisions as a group and thus each member had veto power. Dave hated the song, as cited above, and vetoed it for several years. When he finally gave in, voila!, they had their first #1 hit. Didn't help Dave's standing with the band, given that he'd already (always?) been evincing signs of (as Eddie says) LSD - Lead Singer's Disease - meaning Dave thought that the band couldn't survive without him. I must say that I didn't and don't care much for their output since Dave left. Musically they're as good as ever but I can't abide Sammy nor that geek from Extreme. That said, I must admit that the band, whatever my personal views, have done well by any measure.
  • Tom from Trowbridge, EnglandWell, Eddie does play guitar as well in this song but it does seem odd that his biggest hit is keyboard-based! And I totally agree with you Hans, how is this the worst VH song ever? It's an absolute gem, a song which I find impossible not to like; you just get sucked in as soon as that keyboard riff starts. Easily one of the best songs of the 80s.
  • Randell from Mounds, OkEddie was very angry with some of the negative feedback. Eddie Van Halen said "If I wanna play keyboards or if I wanna play tuba, I'll play it."
  • Jason from Dover, PaDavid Lee Roth is the best
  • Brian from Grand Forks, NdDoes anyone else find it odd... That Eddie Van Halen one of the Greatest Guitar Players ever scores his biggest hit by basically putting the guitar down and playing a rather simplistic elementary keyboard riff...
  • Kristine from Loveland, Oha 5150 is not the code for an escaped mental patient, it is a california police code for the 24 hours police can hold a person (generally in a mental health care facility) for being a danger to self and/or others...
  • Dan from Republic, WaYeah, but what's the meaning behind this song?
  • Hans from Oakdale, CaOh Come on! Jump is a Van Halen classic and one of the best classic rock songs. David Lee Roth did some great work that never was really appreciated
  • Chet from Saratoga Springs, NyIn my opinion this is the worst Van Halen song ever recorded. David Lee Roth's voice is so flat during the whole song and Eddie Van Halens Keyboard playing is reminescent of the days when MIDI was around....one key and it plays it all.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Leslie West of Mountain

Leslie West of MountainSongwriter Interviews

From the cowbell on "Mississippi Queen" to recording with The Who when they got the wrong Felix, stories from one of rock's master craftsmen.

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"They're Playing My Song

"How much does it cost? I'll buy it?" Another songwriter told Jonathan to change these lyrics. Good thing he ignored this advice.

Tom Waits Lyrics Quiz

Tom Waits Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

Pool balls, magpies and thorns without roses - how well do you know your Tom Waits lyrics?

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.