Jump They Say

"Jump They Say”
Single by David Bowie
From the album Black Tie White Noise
B-side	”Pallas Athenas (Don’t Stop Praying Mix)”
Released	March 1993
Format	7”/12”/CD single
Recorded	Mountain Studios, Montreux; Hit Factory, New York, June/July 1992
Genre	Rock
Length	3:53
Label	Arista 74321 139424
Producer	Nile Rodgers
Chart positions	#9 (UK)
David Bowie singles chronology
"Real Cool World" 1992	"Jump They Say” 1993	"Black Tie White Noise" 1993

"Jump They Say" is a song by David Bowie from his album Black Tie White Noise. It was released as a first single from the album in March 1993.

The song dealt with Bowie’s feelings for his schizophrenic half-brother Terry, who had committed suicide on 16 January 1985. The lyrics tell of a man pushed to utter desperation by the pressure put on him. Bowie has also cited his own feelings about jumping into the unknown metaphysically. Musically, the influence of Nile Rodgers saw a more funk-based sound, though the track was also influenced by contemporary jazz.

As the lead-off single, “Jump They Say” received a considerable promotional push from Bowie’s new label, Savage Records (though Arista distributed the package in Europe). A striking video was shot by Mark Romanek, depicting Bowie as a businessman paranoid of his colleagues, who seemingly conduct experiments on him and find him a disturbing influence, forcing him to jump from the roof of the corporate building to his death. The song, while not Bowie’s first release since Tin Machine, was pushed as a comeback single, and reached #9 in the UK charts – Bowie’s first top 10 single since “Absolute Beginners” in 1986, and his last to date.

While Bowie opted not to tour for the Black Tie White Noise album, the song would feature on his 1995 Outside Tour.

Track listing

7” version: -

1. "Jump They Say (7” version)" (Bowie) – 3:53
2. "Pallas Athenas (Don’t Stop Praying Mix)" (Bowie) – 5:36

12” version: -

1. "Jump They Say (Hardhands Mix)" (Bowie) – 5:40
2. "Jump They Say (Full album version)" (Bowie) – 4:22
3. "Jump They Say (Leftfield 12” vocal)" (Bowie) – 7:42
4. "Jump They Say (Dub Oddity Mix)" (Bowie) – 4:44

CD version 1: -

1. "Jump They Say (7” version)" (Bowie) – 3:53
2. "Jump They Say (Hard Hands Mix)" (Bowie) – 5:40
3. "Jump They Say (JAE-E Mix)" (Bowie) – 5:32
4. "Pallas Athenas (Don’t Stop Praying Mix)" (Bowie) – 5:36

CD version 2: -

1. "Jump They Say (Brothers in Rhythm Mix)" (Bowie) – 8:28
2. "Jump They Say (Brothers in Rhythm Instrumental)" (Bowie) – 6@25
3. "Jump They Say (Leftfield 12” vocal)" (Bowie) – 7:42
4. "Jump They Say (Full album version)" (Bowie) – 4:22

Production credits

• Producers:
  • Nile Rodgers

• Musicians:
  • David Bowie: Vocals, Saxophone
  • Nile Rodgers: Guitar
  • Barry Campbell: Bass
  • Sterling Campbell: Drums
  • Richard Hilton: Keyboards
  • Lester Bowie: Trumpet

References

Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-15