Jump Up! (Elton John album)

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. It was recorded and mixed digitally at AIR Studios in Montserrat, 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."

After the Jump Up! Tour ended, only "Empty Garden" and "Blue Eyes" have been performed live in concert.

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.

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