Jump
In a vain attempt to avoid being serious, all too serious, I offer this respite. Van Halen’s 1983 hit Jump will get your blood pumping, period. When and if I am in a coma, I hope that someone remembers to play this song.
Curious about the origin and meaning of the song I consulted Wikipedia of course.
To come up with a lyric for it, he remembered seeing a television news report the night before about a man who was threatening to commit suicide by jumping off a high building. Roth thought that one of the onlookers of such a scene would probably shout “go ahead and jump”. Roth bounced this suggestion off Hostler who agreed it was good. Instead of being about a threatened suicide, the words were written as an invitation to love.
I like the subsequent meaning appended to the lyric, of an invitation to love. A great deal of life comes down to a “leap of faith,” a just-do-it moment. One does or doesn’t; the success or failure is born out in the commitment. One jumps…and a possible world becomes actual. Of course reason plays a big part. A sound assessment of the odds helps. The same result is going to happen every time that someone jumps off the edge of the grand canyon.
Let’s listen. Don’t you love that Oberheim OB-Xa synthesizer line?
I’ve included some of the comments that are appended to the youtube video. The names of the guilty are omitted as I cannot ask for attribution.
Enjoy. Even laugh out loud……………..
This song saved my life when I crossed the border a few years ago.
Play this song when on hold on a suicide help line
Imagine if someone listens this while they are about to jump off the bridge!
“cant you see me standing here i got my back against the Clinton machine…I aint the worst that you’ve SEEN! Cant you see what I mean?” Might as well Trump! Trump!
I love this song it is so bad ass
And they say white men can’t jump…
I was at a Trampoline Park when I heard this song. Ironic isn’t it?
My parents don’t like this song since they went to college in the 80’s and heard it too many times from people blasting it in the dorms.
Great synth driven song, but Eddie’s guitar solo is awesome.
Jump
I get up
And nothing gets me down
You got it tough
I’ve seen the toughest all aroundAnd I know
Baby, just how you feel
You’ve got to roll
With the punches to get to what’s realOh 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?Might as well jump. Jump!
Might as well jump
Go ahead, jump. Jump!
Go ahead and jumpAh-oh, hey you! Who said that?
Baby, how you been?
You say you don’t know
You won’t know until you beginSo 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?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 jumpJump! Jump! Jump! Jump!
Is not “love,” falling-in-love and death by suicide related, both a kind of falling? Sorry, about the outbreak of seriousness…………