"Jump (For My Love)" by The Pointer Sisters

Top 10 Alert! 

Grammy Alert!
Rated 10 Alert!

Song#:  1884
Date:  04/28/1984
Debut:  62
Peak:  3
Weeks:  24
Genre:  R&B, Dance-Pop, Synthpop



Pop Bits:  This opening track from the Sisters' album Break Out was supposed to be the lead single, but producer Richard Perry wanted to go with the more R&B-leaning "I Need You" (#13 R&B, #48 Pop). Then, it was going to be the second single until DJ's started spinning "Automatic" (#5 Pop, #2 R&B, #2 Dance) and that song got issued. Finally, on the third attempt this song made it out of the gate. It had to wait a while, but it ended up being worth it. The song was a major hit at Pop spending two weeks at #3 while also getting to #3 R&B and #2 Dance. It would be the most successful single from the album. It would also net the Sisters a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. An instrumental mix of the song would also win a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

ReduxReview:  If you don't like this song, then I don't want to know you as you obviously have no idea how to have fun. This is just pure, perfect pop coated in delicious 80s production. How can you not be happy hearing this? Whenever I hear it, I really want to jump whenever they say it. There is so much good going on in four minutes that it makes other songs seem lazy and jealous. That sleek bridge that builds to another "Jump!" chorus is so brilliant and then it goes crazy with a big key change! The Sisters had a lot of hits, but this one is easily at the top of the pile. An 80s classic that never gets old.

ReduxRating:  10/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Original pressings of the Break Out album had this song simply titled "Jump." However, in the time since the album was released, Van Halen hit #1 with their song that was also titled "Jump." To avoid any confusion that may have resulted due to the songs having the same title, the Sisters' song got re-titled as "Jump (For My Love)."  2) The British all-female vocal group Girls Aloud covered this song in 2003. It was issued as a single and reached #2 on the UK chart. Between 2002 and 2009, the girl group would score twenty consecutive Top 10 hits in the UK with four of them hitting #1. Unfortunately, for whatever reason the group never released any singles or albums in the US, so they never were able to get on the US charts. Although many folks in the US are not familiar with Girls Aloud, some may know one of its members. Cheryl Cole, who had also established a hit solo career in the UK, served as a judge on the competition show there called The X-Factor. When producer Simon Cowell brought the show to the States, he brought Cole with him as one of the judges. However, after three weeks of the show, she left. It was a bit of a brouhaha that led to her being shunned from rejoining the British version. A lawsuit ensued and settlements followed. She ended up returning to the UK's X-Factor in 2014 and has remained a judge on the show since. Following her departure from the US show, another successful girl group singer, The Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger, took over as a judge.

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