No list of eighties arena rock anthems would be complete without Van Halen’s “Jump.”
Released in late 1983 as the first single off of their upcoming 1984 album, the synth-heavy “Jump” rocketed to #1 and finished in the #6 spot for the entire year of 1984. The song remains Van Halen’s greatest hit, and it’s enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
Still, Bruce never showed any interest in covering it until he played a special free concert at the NCAA’s March Madness Music Festival. Never one to resist a theme-appropriate opener, Bruce and Nils faced off at center court (c’mon, Bruce, was that really a fair match-up? You had to pick the shortest member of the band?) in a moment that was only a little bit awkward.
When the signature keyboards kicked in, it only took a moment for the crowd to recognize the song, and by the time Max’s drums kicked in, you can feel the crowd realizing, “this is for real!”
The E Street Band proved remarkably well-suited for the song, particularly with guest-member Tom Morello handling the guitar solo. Watch the beautifully-filmed if somewhat ragged performance here:
That show was essentially the rehearsal for the U.S. leg of the High Hopes Tour. Bruce and the band gave “Jump” one more shot, at the very last show of the very short tour, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, on May 18th–and this time, they were a whole lot tighter.
Jump
First performed: April 6, 2014 (Dallas, TX)
Last performed: May 19, 2014 (Uncasville, CT)
