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Rolling Stones songs: Jumpin’ Jack Flash
I was drowned, I was washed up and left for dead/ I fell down to my feet and I saw they bled…
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: RG Jones Studio, Morden, Surrey, England, March 1-14 1968 and Olympic Sound Studios, London, England, March 23-29 1968 *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
More about Jumpin’ Jack Flash by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
Jumpin’ Jack Flash: A Scorched Exit from the Psychedelic Maze
When Jumpin’ Jack Flash exploded onto the scene in 1968, it felt less like a song and more like a fiery exorcism. Mick Jagger later revealed in a 1995 interview that the track was “about having a hard time and getting out,” a gritty metaphor for shedding the psychedelic haze that had engulfed the band during the flower power years. It wasn’t peace and love anymore—it was survival, swagger, and scars.
Gone were the cosmic curiosities of Their Satanic Majesties Request; in their place stood Jumpin’ Jack Flash, a battered character who emerged not from a commune but from the gutter. His energy was raw, almost masochistic—a symbol of frenzied, self-possessed freedom. This shift didn’t just hint at the end of an era—it declared it with distorted riffs and primal rhythm. With this song, the Stones weren’t just moving on—they were slamming the door shut.
Flash of Defiance: The Chaotic Journey of Jumpin’ Jack Flash
In an electrifying burst of raw storytelling, the narrator of this iconic track emerges as a tormented yet defiant figure. Opening with the legendary line, “I was born in a crossfire hurricane,” he evokes visions of bombed-out cities, hinting at historical echoes like the WWII bombing of London. This vivid imagery sets the stage for a life marred by trauma—being “raised by a toothless, bearded hag,” schooled with a strap slamming across his back, and enduring ordeals so intense that he was “drowned, washed up, and left for dead” before even being “crowned with a spike right through his head.” Each vivid account paints a portrait of a soul scarred yet unbroken, battling conflicting emotions with a mix of bitterness and bizarre resilience.
Adding yet another layer to this surreal narrative, some say the wild character might have been inspired by Keith Richards’ gardener. Whether these tales stem from lived memories or fevered imaginations passed down through time, they fuel a frenetic optimism. In a defiant, almost Christlike refrain, he roars, “But it’s all right, I’m Jumpin’ Jack Flash, it’s a gas, gas, gas,” redefining pain as a spark of audacious vitality.
As told by Keith Richards in his book Life: “The lyrics came from a gray dawn at Redlands. Mick and I had been up all night, it was raining outside and there was the sound of these heavy stomping rubber boots near the window, belonging to my gardener, Jack Dyer.… It woke Mick up. He said, ‘What’s that?’ I said, ‘Oh, that’s Jack. That’s jumping Jack.’… Mick said, ‘Flash,’ and suddenly we had this phrase with a great rhythm and ring to it. So we got to work on it and wrote it.”
The Uncredited Spark Behind Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Before Jumpin’ Jack Flash became one of the Rolling Stones’ most iconic singles, it began not with Jagger or Richards—but with a groove quietly born out of boredom. Bill Wyman, along with Brian Jones and Charlie Watts, had arrived early at a rehearsal studio—unsurprising for a band famously unsynchronized in punctuality. With time to kill, Wyman casually plunked out a riff on the piano: da-daw, da-da-daw, da-da-daw. Jones chimed in on guitar, Watts laid down a beat, and together they created a rhythmic skeleton purely by chance.
When Mick and Keith eventually walked in, they were instantly captivated. “Hey, that sounded really good—carry on,” they urged. By the next day, Jagger had crafted the now-legendary lyrics and the song was recorded. But despite originating that crucial riff, Wyman received no writing credit—a decision that irked him for years. Still, his fingerprints are forever etched into the soul of the song.
Jumpin’ Jack Flash: The Rolling Stones’ Bold New Era of Rock and Theatrics
Jumpin’ Jack Flash marked a powerful turning point for The Rolling Stones, signaling a shift from their early blues roots and psychedelic experiments toward a raw, guitar-driven rock sound. Influenced heavily by Brian Jones in their formative years, the band moved away from his style by 1968 as his role diminished. This change foreshadowed Jones’ tragic dismissal and untimely death in 1969. With Mick Jagger and Keith Richards taking full creative control, the Stones soon unleashed stadium anthems like Brown Sugar and It’s Only Rock ‘N Roll, solidifying their legacy as rock legends.
Alongside this sonic evolution, the Stones pushed visual boundaries. Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, a promotional film for Jumpin’ Jack Flash featured the band painted in vibrant body art and clad in outrageous costumes—a daring precursor to the music video era. This flamboyant style would inspire future acts like Kiss, who embraced theatricality as a core part of their identity. The film didn’t just promote a single; it helped define the larger-than-life rock imagery that dominated the 1970s, blending music and spectacle in unforgettable fashion.
Keith Richards on the Unique Guitar Sound of Jumpin’ Jack Flash
“I used a Gibson Hummingbird acoustic tuned to open D, six string. Open D or open E, which is the same thing – same intervals – but it would be slackened down some for D. Then there was a capo on it, to get that really tight sound. And there was another guitar over the top of that, but tuned to Nashville tuning. I learned that from somebody in George Jones’ band in San Antonio in 1964. The high-strung guitar was an acoustic, too. Both acoustics were put through a Phillips cassette recorder. Just jam the mic right in the guitar and play it back through an extension speaker.”
More from Keith’s book Life (2010): “I love Satisfaction dearly and everything, but those chords are pretty much a de rigueur course as far as songwriting goes. But ‘Flash’ is particularly interesting. It’s allllll right now. It’s almost Arabic or very old, archaic, classical, the chord setups you could only hear in Gregorian chants or something like that. And it’s that weird mixture of your actual rock and roll and at the same time this weird echo of very, very ancient music that you don’t even know. It’s much older than I am, and that’s unbelievable! It’s like a recall of something, and I don’t know where it came from.”
The Rolling Stones’ Timeless Live Anthem
Since its explosive debut in 1968 Jumpin’ Jack Flash has earned the reputation as the Rolling Stones’ most performed song, a constant presence in every tour setlist. Its relentless energy and raw power capture the very essence of the Stones’ live persona, turning the track into an electrifying fan favorite. The song’s infectious spirit fuels the band’s concerts, creating an unforgettable experience that resonates with audiences across generations. More than just a hit, Jumpin’ Jack Flash embodies the heart of rock ’n’ roll itself—a timeless anthem that continues to define the Rolling Stones’ dynamic stage presence and enduring legacy in music history. And yes, it’s a gas!
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