The Pointer Sisters: Jump (For My Love) Solid Gold Countdown '84 (My "Stereo Studio Sound" Re-Edit)

The Pointer Sisters: Jump (For My Love) On Solid Gold Countdown '84 (My "Stereo Studio Sound" Re-Edit)Show more

"Jump (For My Love)" is an electro-pop song by American vocal group the Pointer Sisters, released on April 11, 1984, as the third single from their tenth studio album Break Out (1983). The song hit the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100, R&B, and Dance charts, and it was the best-selling American dance single of 1984, sold as a trio of songs including "I Need You" and "Automatic". The song features June Pointer on lead vocals and scored global chart success.

"Jump (For My Love)" features June Pointer on lead vocals. It was co-written by regular collaborators Marti Sharron, Gary Skardina, and Stephen Mitchell. Skardina and Mitchell were responsible for the chord progressions, melody, and arrangement while Sharron's focus was on the lyrics and melody. According to Sharron the instrumental track for the demo of "Jump" was completed before the lyrics: on first hearing the playback of the instrumental track in the studio (Marti Sharron quote:) "My partners and I...were so happy with the results we jumped up and down" which led to the song being called "Jump". Eventually it was titled "Jump (For My Love)". Sharron recalls phoning Richard Perry, who was producing the Pointer Sisters' upcoming album, and telling him: "I have the album's big hit" and - although Perry considered giving the song to Julio Iglesias, Perry being a contributing producer to the singer's 1100 Bel Air Place album - "Jump" did become the final song slated for the Pointer Sister's 1983 album release Break Out.

Despite being one of the last songs recorded for the album, "Jump (For My Love)" would be the first song on the album's song listing. It would be released as the album's third single, with the ballad "I Need You" being the first single, which continued the Pointer Sisters' presence at R&B radio. Automatic" eventually became the album's second single as it had enjoyed dance club airplay as an album cut and the record company wanted to capitalize on that. "Automatic" returned the Pointer Sisters to top ten after a three-year absence. "Jump..." became the most successful US single off of Break Out upon its release as the album's third single in April 1984. "Jump" ascended to a peak of #3 on both the US Hot 100 and R&B chart in Billboard magazine that July, with the song also charting on Billboard's adult contemporary chart at #11.

"Jump (For My Love)" would give the Pointer Sisters an international hit, charting in Belgium (#3 on the Flemish chart), West Germany (#20), Ireland (#2), the Netherlands (#9), New Zealand (#3), Switzerland (#13), and the UK (#6). In Australia, "Jump..." was issued as the lead single off Break Out in December 1983 and peaked at #79: reissued after "Automatic," it would reach an Australian chart peak of #8 in September 1984. "Jump" featured June Pointer on lead vocals and the international release was somewhat unique. The Australian single release featured as the B-side the Break Out song "Operator" with Anita Pointer on lead. In other territories, the sing's B-side was "Heart Beat", a song with Ruth Pointer on lead, and that was initially on the Pointer Sisters' previous album So Excited!. Released prior to the 1984 Summer Olympics, "Jump (For My Love)" featured footage of athletes competing in track and field events, as well as NBA stars Julius Erving and Magic Johnson.

The Pointer Sisters won the 1985 Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Jump...", and co-writer Stephen (Steve) Mitchell received his nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1985 for his musical performance as the principal musician on the song's recording. Although the group scored several Top 20 hits on the Hot 100, "Jump (For My Love)" is viewed as the signature song for the group.

At the 1985 ASCAP Pop Awards, "Jump (For My Love)" received "Most Performed Song" honors for songs in the ASCAP repertory during the 1984 ASCAP Survey Year.