Jumpin' Jack Flash

 Listen Now
RS Cover Reprints
Buy the Album at Rhino.com

Written by: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
Produced by: Jimmy Miller
Released: May '68 on London
Charts: 12 weeks
Top spot: No. 3

Richards was on a historic run in 1968, exploring the open-D blues-guitar tuning for the first time and coming up with some of his most dynamic riffs. He heard an organ lick that bassist Bill Wyman was fooling around with in a London studio and turned it into the unstoppable riff of "Jumpin' Jack Flash." The lyric was inspired by Richards' gardener, Jack Dyer, who slogged past as the guitarist and Jagger were finishing an all-night session. "Who's that?" Jagger asked. "Jumpin' Jack," Richards answered. The song evolved into supernatural Delta blues by way of Swinging London.

Appears on: Forty Licks (Virgin)

Next: Will You Love Me Tomorrow

Back to RS 500 Albums!
Back to RS 500 Songs!