Jump Up! (Elton John album)

1982 studio album by Elton John

Jump Up! is the sixteenth studio album by English musician Elton John. It was released in 1982 by The Rocket Record Company except in the US and Canada, where it was released by Geffen Records. In the United States, the album was certified gold by the RIAA in November 1982.

Background

The album includes "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)", a tribute to John Lennon (who had also signed to Geffen for the release of Double Fantasy, which is now owned by EMI). This is one of the first few LPs that showcases John singing in a deeper voice, as can be heard in songs such as "Blue Eyes", "Princess", "Ball and Chain" and "Spiteful Child". "Legal Boys" was written by John and Tim Rice, who later wrote lyrics for The Lion King and The Road to El Dorado. This is the last studio album in which James Newton Howard played keyboards (although he would play keyboards with John again on the soundtrack of Gnomeo & Juliet almost 30 years later).

The album's inner sleeve artwork shows John's lifelong friend Vance Buck and Gary Osborne's then 5-year-old son Luke.^[5] It was recorded and mixed digitally at AIR Studios in Montserrat,^[6] and Pathe Marconi Studios in France.

In a 2010 Sirius radio special, John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin, talking about Jump Up!, said it was "one of our worst albums". He added, "It's a terrible, awful, disposable album, but it had 'Empty Garden' on it, so it's worth it for that one song."^[7]

After the Jump Up! Tour ended, only "Empty Garden" and "Blue Eyes" have been performed live in concert.^{[citation needed]}

Track listing

Outtakes

Outtakes from Jump Up! include "At This Time in My Life", "Desperation Train", "I'm Not Very Well", "Jerry's Law", "Moral Majority", "Waking Up in Europe" and "The Ace of Hearts and the Jack of Spades". They all have yet to see circulation, either on bootlegs or officially.^[8]

However, "Desperation Train" was later recorded and released by John's lyricist Bernie Taupin on his 1987 album, Tribe, with a new melody written by Martin Page.

Personnel

• Elton John – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic piano, electric grand piano, harpsichord on "Empty Garden"
• James Newton Howard – Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, brass and string arrangements, conductor
• Richie Zito – guitars
• Pete Townshend – acoustic guitar on "Ball and Chain"
• Dee Murray – bass, backing vocals
• Jeff Porcaro – drums, percussion
• Steve Holley – tambourine on "Ball and Chain", synth drum on "I Am Your Robot"
• Martyn Ford (billed in the credits as "Mountain Fjord") – brass and orchestra
• Gavyn Wright – concertmaster
• Gary Osborne – backing vocals

Production

• Produced by Chris Thomas
• Recorded by Bill Price
• Assistant Engineers – Nigel Barker and Mike Stavrou
• Mastered by Greg Fulginiti at Artisan Sound Recorders (Hollywood, CA).
• A&R – John Kalodner
• Design – David Costa
• Photography – David Nutter

Charts

Certifications

References

1. Jump Up! at AllMusic
2. "CG: elton john". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
3. "Rolling Stone review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 4 November 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2006.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
4. Dellar, Fred (29 April – 12 May 1982). "Elton John: Jump Up!" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 4, no. 9. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 21. ISSN 0260-3004. Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022 – via World Radio History.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
5. "From Little Jeannie to Little Monsters: Gary Osborne's Rich and Enduring Career".
6. "AIR MONTSERRAT". Retrieved 16 August 2012.
7. "How Elton John Got Back on Track with 'Jump Up!'". Retrieved 3 January 2024.
8. Rocket Man: Elton John From A-Z (ISBN 0275956989)
9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
10. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6482". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – Jump Up!" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – Jump Up!" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
13. "Charts.nz – Elton John – Jump Up!". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
14. "Norwegiancharts.com – Elton John – Jump Up!". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
15. "Swedishcharts.com – Elton John – Jump Up!". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
16. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
17. "Elton John Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
18. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
19. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6170". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
20. "Top Selling Albums of 1982 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
21. "Kent Music Report No 453 – 28 February 1983 > Platinum Albums 1982 (Continued)". Retrieved 13 November 2021 – via Imgur.com.
22. "New Zealand album certifications – Elton John – Jump Up!". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
23. "British album certifications – Elton John – Jump Up". British Phonographic Industry.
24. "American album certifications – Elton John – Jump Up". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

• Jump Up! at Discogs (list of releases)