Aztec Camera - Jump (Loaded Version) [Van Halen cover]

[ghrdng]

This is the greatest American Pop song ever written. Lyrically it's brilliant. 

[jazzmaverick61]

I saw him do this live in the eighties and he mentioned it was no joke he just loved the song.Also went into The Red Flag at end of guitar solo.Amazing

[tallulahwear]

only soft hearts appreciate this one.....

[hilfri1]

LOVE this band's version of this song. Thanks YouTubers for turning me on to it, best,

[dapwhu66]

I have this in my loft. Might be worth a few bob? Notice the cover is not his song?

[leftofcentre59]

If you can't find room in your heart for this then you might as well jump !

[bope85]

How Van Halen's Charlie, leads to the highest building in town?

[Joejoesan]

Great version! I've always loved it. I remember it was the B-side of All I need is everything. I watched Aztec Camera perform it in Paradiso in Amsterdam back in the eighties. Roddy Frame played it as an encore and really went for it, almost tripping over a wire. Most of Aztec Camera's songs are pretty light and uplifting. Therefor I see this version as a joke and a great nod to people like Lou Reed and Iggy Pop.

[msephton]

@Joejoesan exactly! well said

[morethanever100]

I actually loved Aztec Camera's rendition.

[bben95]

whats this boring crap. these idiots ruined the song

[phillintheuk1]

I like Aztec Camera but this is not good, what were they thinkin, went from positive to negative, the original makes you wanna dance this makes you wanna .........jump off a bridge. LOL

[gazz12345a]

They made an uplifting song fucking depressing.

[SWOTBWOT]

I like both this and original, because they each have their strengths. However I also like VH's screwed-up live version of Jump recorded at Greensboro, so my opinion may be considered dubious.

[vibratingstring]

What creates that infernal noise at the end--for the whole last minute? Sounds like fingers on a blackboard?!

[prilofx]

Silly. Eddie Van Halen, himself, once said that the best songs sound great on acoustic, too. Plus, if it was so horrible, VH would never have given permission for Roddy and Aztec Camera to record their version.

[VFetzero]

All you hipsters need to take off your Béret. This song doesn't have the same energy without the sweet sound of the analog synth. Unplugging doesn't always make a song more intelligent and it doesn't make you more creative or insightful than people who prefer butt rock. Go back to sipping lattes in NYC Jazz clubs and leave us the fuck alone.

[vibratingstring]

@VFetzero

I roll my eyes at the lot of you, beret or not...

[ClaresStuff]

I remember seeing a clip of him doing this live and it was definitely intended as a tongue in cheek cover... Mr Frame can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned and for those of you who are not fully acquainted with his music I suggest taking a look at his lyrics rather than deciding it's not your genre purely from the sound... the man's a poet of the highest order... thanks for posting this :)

[wladdaimpala88]

Better than the original. Anyone who denies this is a buttmad dadrocker. Not that Van Halen sucks outright, but they're what you listen to in 7th grade before you are mature enough for good music.

[razorslice17]

Or maybe it's just what you listen to when you want to listen to something fun. (:

[ClaresStuff]

@razorslice17 ...precisely :))

[SpiritKnob]

@wladdaimpala88 Have you heard their first six albums? They are one of the most important bands in rock. I'm not sure what buttmad means, because I don't speak trendy-bollocks wanker.

[Eggdude16]

u just pussified a perfectly good rock song. nice job asshole

[thesevisions]

@Eggdude16 To be fair, this wasn't "just done", it's been out for a while. And if you think slowing down a rock song "pussifies" a song, go listen to slipknot or metallica. Also, any "rock" song that so overtly uses the synthesizer (VH's Jump) should be redone. is this better than the original? probably not, but it is in absolutely no way a "pussy" song. Expand your horizons. Listen to better music. You choosing to listen to this song is a start, even if all you did was mindlessly slam it.

[Eggdude16]

@thesevisions i do listen to metallica

[radioelargentino]

Estimated friend, if you want to listen again this song and an endless number of successes of the love I suggest you to visit Radio MUSICA PARA MIMOS - looks for his direction URL in Google ( search Musica para Mimos in Google)-. best romantic music of all the times in Internet, is great, is very good ...!!!

[sonofsilence]

He was ahead of his time. People didn't start doing radical covers like this of 80's songs until about the 00's.

[Pollosaurio3000]

basura comparada con la de van halen, esta porqueria me duerme!

[richievegas01]

Load of smug shit. Sort of backfired as a conceptual joke too cos Van Halen would obviously have recieved royalties for this. Like anyone gives a toss about Aztec Camera anymore. They're not exactly up there with The Cure and New Order are they?

[heatherfaced]

@richievegas01 steady on big man! i used to jump off benches to the original version at youth club discos! this is another persons take on an otherwise shite soft metal piece of pish! get over yer sel ya fudd! x

[wilsondawg]

the day this song was recorded was the day rock n roll officially died. this is just gawd awful. fans of this were probably the same idiots who voted kurt cobain in as one of the Rolling Stone magazine's greatest 50 guitarists of all time.....idiots everywhere out there I tell my kids.

[marcoftheshaw]

Bless him.roddy thinks hes neil diamond

[davidjstreader]

This is a perfect example of how to do a cover - strip the original down to the bones and rebuild it from scratch in a completely different style - love the wig-out guitar at the end!

[johndeauna]

This version is better than the original. More soul!

[ninelivecat]

@johndeauna Its not better or worse its just different

[johndeauna]

This version is better than the original. More soul!

[johndeauna]

This version is better than the original. More soul!

[JulioCarlos69]

excelente version de Van Valen covereado por este gran musico Roddy Frame

[Needinaname]

Been looking at comments here for months and i just dont understand the negativity. Aside from being a fantastic version played beautifully but a song everyone wishes to play live themselves at least once before they die.

Peace.

[dommywaddle]

@Needinaname

Beautifully put.

[LORDGODSIRALEXFERGIE]

Apathetic shit - FUCK OFF!!

[kaivader]

Been awhile sense I have heard this song. Love it still...

[99sco]

omg wtf did they do to this song it's horabale.

[MansourtheAmazing]

interesting version...

 the song should sound a little happier though, imo :P

[MemskiBobSki]

OMG - I have the 7" single version and never knew there was a string shredding coda on the 12" version. Thanks for sharing this.

Roddy is one of the most complete songwriters, lyrically inspired, melodically off beat and even a half-decent writer for piano. To top it all a great voice and witty too, having seen the guy on his tour for Surf.

[astridshootingstar]

Thank you so much for posting this!! I first heard it in college in the 80's in Austin and had a recording on a mixtape :) which is no longer around. My boyfriend had not heard it until today. Great version!

[grouchoverscore]

easy listening type of music like this one makes me feel ok all day.

[sweetttina666]

wtf?....BWAHAHAHAHAHAH...!!

[danouttatown]

all the really annoying parts of the original are omitted to create a nice soothing song. thanks! great cover.

[dmrichkt]

Really sharp.....except for the blandness of Mr frame. Deacon Blue, Prefab Sprout, Aztec camera...Blands not bands,. be a great track with an inspired singer.

[rockinghell91]

what an awful singer. it's like lou reed. i could listen to the music and the production all day it's brilliant. but this lazy, mundane and sloppy style of vocals does nothing for me. i'm shuddering when i think of people calling it talent. urgh leaves me right cold does that.

[orgonetrail]

@rockinghell91

oh dear, that's the point! "Loaded" like the Velvet Underground album, you know? The original is a fun party song and is one is all, 'oh hell, just jump and get it over with already' -- also fun, but more tongue-in-cheek.

[northernole]

to all you morons. this is jut brilliant. and I am blessed to own this weird japanese 45 featuring it. I am a happy man.

[5150VanAlien]

This is why Eddie got cancer, went to rehab and David left the band...Has anyone got Garry Cherone's number?

[ladivalu]

Love Van halen, but I really like this version...........

[4rainbowed]

This song especially has a Rolling Stones feel to it. Reminds me of the music to "Waiting on a Friend"!! I could very easily hear them perform this (a bit differently) !!

[ohvnaq]

oh boy that's a horrible solo at the end

[CollectorOfMusic]

ive always loved this version, however it makes me want to find the nearest bridge

[gordonw01]

Love Roddy but nah disnae work does it ? It's meant to be a up -tempo,happy sing-a-long song....

[DoogeMeister]

@gordonw01 It's not a happy song at all. Listen to the lyric. But it's a good song and I love the way Roddy and the band do it!

[VanHalenfreak9]

great version but the vocals are a little... uh...

[TheSanityInspector]

Guys, guys...one guitarist doesn't have to suck, in order for another one to be great. There's enough greatness to go around.

[montemike]

great version!

[ar4216]

Listen up. If this song ain't your cup of tea just wait till 3:28 into it and it will rock your socks off- GUARANTEED!

[spiderkiss]

This is not a parody, Roddy likes Van Halen's version. VH has about 10 good songs. Someone calls VH's "Jump" lifeless?? So is "Ain't Talkin' "bout love'??

I'm also tired of people hearing Velvet influences. They are overrated, brought up way too much

[airbagabe]

@spiderkiss Every VH song is good, you fucking idiot.

[AtShalom41]

Does anybody else hear or get reminded of Rolling Stones/ Mick Jagger doing "Waiting on a Friend"???

[Caboose071097]

Yeah

[TheSanityInspector]

@AtShalom41

Now that you mention it...yes!

[70sLOVE70s]

interesting to say the least.... not a great fan of the original song per say but for the smile factor, yet have always liked Aztec Camera and stumbled upon this.takes some imagination to cover 'jump' in this way.

[wladdaimpala88]

Better than the original.

[beano1eye]

hardly

[BobTheRecordGuy]

I always thought this was an obvious attempt to play 'Jump' as if done by the Velvet Underground (hence, the 'Loaded' tag). Especially in the guitar feedback solo. But even the acoustic ballad part.

The Van Halen original was clownish. I guess it was supposed to be. Love it or hate it. I mostly hated it but, yeah, sometimes I makes me smile.

This version is parody? tribute? just a different twist? Seen as a whole different song, it's great.

Who care, I loved it then and still do.

[WeMustBeStopped]

I thougth Roddy made it sound more dire, like a suicidal shrug, than a party song.

[orgonetrail]

@WeMustBeStopped

That's why it's so fantastic! I love it. VH as interpreted by VU. Too funny. The original is great fun but this one is cheeky. Reminds me of the way Cristina interpreted Peggy Lee's "Is that all there is?".

[u2b4dumeze]

How ironic that you should write such a post as this. My thoughts were the exact opposite - that Roddy took an otherwise very tedious Van Halen song, which, let's face it, aren't so much songs as they are vehicles for EVH to showcase his endlessly annoying noodling, and turned it into music. A real guitar player like Santana can take one note and hold for 16 bars, and make it mean something musical, whereas EVH can play a million notes that mean absolutely nothing.

[randy0987]

Santana, while a talented guitarist, cant hold a candle to EVH. EVH could play fast but with great expressiveness and feeling, his solos are composed so tastefully.

[u2b4dumeze]

Yeah, well, there's no accounting for taste, I suppose.

[musefannj]

this version is beautiful. i love roddy frame.

[souleater0815]

The guitar solo is deliciously bad and an obvious jab at the original terrible solo.

[souleater0815]

lol. Van Halen has the WORST lyrics!

[EJG5150]

Dude Fuck You they heve great lyrics and they were mostly writing for the music not just the lyrics... ASS HOLE

[lifeisabit]

I put this loaded version in the same category as Layla by (go on, guess!)and My Sharona by the knack, there is some thing at the end that you dont always hear and you don't expect and it kicks ass

[PowerThirteen]

lifeisabit - are you talking about the piano/slide guitar "slow" part at the end of Layla? It annoys me how radio stations cut that off, it's not complete without it!

[lifeisabit]

Yep, there are bits to songs that are greater than the "popular" parts of songs that are usually aired. Sad to hear that Doug Fieger (my sharona) has passed away. Another great song comprising 2 equally great parts

[coyotelovely]

ロディ・フレイムの失敗作。これで誤解された。スコットランド民­謡をロケンロールに演奏するのがアズテック・カメラ。これじゃそ­こいらのアメリカのインディー・バンド。大学生が喜ぶ程度が彼の­限界だった。

[ponfarr69]

It took you guys this long to figure that out!? Well You might as well jump!

[SirJekyllAppliance]

I still have my beloved 12"

[kimosabe908]

10数年振りに聞いた。なんかしみじみした。泣けた。よい。

[BruisedArcade09]

amazing i love this version

[bsbeals]

Awful. Just awful. Stoned James Taylor plays his Casio keyboard.

[Adnoydal]

Played "unplugged" by VH personally would sound much worse.

See DLRs bluegrass verison of it.

[diplomaniac]

3. If you listen to the original version there is a whole musical element going on with the percussion (especially during the solo) that is completely ignored here. I'm not saying that the drummer should have copied Alex Van Halen, because this pared down style does not desire the complexity of the drum solo of Jump, nor is this drummer capable of that level of playing, but an attempt at a translation would have been nice.

[Adnoydal]

Sorry, but Alex's huge kit usually sounds like drum pads to me

[diplomaniac]

2. the monotone delivery, while done on purpose, doesn't fit the lyrics. David Lee Roth's Van Halen lyrics may not be a tour-de-force of intellect (not that they were meant to be), but they had a cartoonish-yet-natural venacular in which accents and annunciation were not only important, but really the whole point of the lyric - and that part of the interpretation is missing.

[bleuroo]

diplomaniac, you make some valid points, but I think you're missing one of the key things about this version -- Roddy has said in interviews the thing he found most interesting about this song was that if you played it slow on an acoustic, the lyrics took on a completely different, darker meaning. That it's no longer about a party boy trying to seduce a chick -- that it's suddenly transformed into a song about musical desperation.

(contd)

[bleuroo]

"Record machine" = recording industry (not jukebox)

"might as well jump" = may as well give up / die (not might as well take a chance)

Listen to it again without thinking of Van Halen's original version -- listen to it as if for the first time and as if the lyrics were actually about a guy who has been screwed over by the recording industry and who is contemplating giving up...

In that context, Roddy's mellow, slightly-sad and slightly off-key singing fits perfectly.

[diplomaniac]

Long time VH fan and not too into deconstructionist music like this, so I'll try to judge this remake on its own merits:

1. the key is all wrong for the singer's voice - too low for the chorus and pre-chorus to be sung with any sustain, which to me is key (no pun intended) to the emotion of the lyrics/song. ("can't you see what I meeee-eeeeean???").

[superduperbird]

wow! Roddy Frame.... what a man! what a voice! Thanks for posting. I just love this version. (never liked Van Halen though....)

[ponfarr69]

All kinds of YaY! I prefer it to the Van Halen version

[karoritangi]

Great Cover, Fantastic guitar solo, has a kinda 'velvet underground' influence [for me anyway]..

I think covering a song in this way is a sign of respect to the original/genre, rather than a metal parody as suggested earlier.

[MKDONKEYTOWN]

this is a great cover. made my day. this song is deeper than it first appears . . .

[yoursaxman]

haven't heard this in like 25 years! always thought that this was how VH had originally written it before some idiot producer said: "That's NEVER gonna sell- play it like THIS-" and ruined it forever.

Beautiful song. Glad AC deconstructed it and found the gem within!

[HIROTATUYU]

なつかしいです。

[0MarciaAlexandria0]

nice version

[OBMCFC]

Saw AC in Belfast around this time they played this and it blew me away

[deanbros2000]

It's so cool to have found this again after 20 plus years. I bought the cassette just for this song... now lost of course.

[oisinparis]

Yeah, my tape copy is somewhere back in my folks house, great version, brings me back so many years.....

[Comedian80]

I hate the pomposity of those who jusdge metal as absurd. How more absurd is it than the greasy spoons of indie or the self-parody that is much of modern hip-hop.

[calahan66]

Lou Reed meinte mal.

Eins der besten Coverstücke die er je gehört hat.

[guyinsf]

They really did not hold back in mocking the absurdity of the typical macho guitar jam of heavy metal music starting from 3:30 to the end of the song.

[Comedian80]

People say that, but then wy is it so absurd to play loud, aggressive music if that is how someone feels? Surely that is the whole point of musical expression? There are many amzing metal solos, although of course some sink into self-parody. No more than other, more accepted genres of music.

[Yakovlievich]

This is such a huge improvement over the original. These guys took the Midas Touch to a really crummy song.

[Comedian80]

I would argue that Jump is a good song, not a crummy one. You might not like the way the original was recorded or performed, but the riff is all Eddie Van Halen's, and the melody is all Diamons Dave's.

[Yakovlievich]

You have a point. But I still by far prefer the Aztec Camera version.

However, I do know that Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth approve of this version. Also, Diamond Dave re-did a lot of his songs as country versions. Complicated music is good for jazz, but rock is best done when pared down.

[Comedian80]

I'm not even sure that one could call VH's version a rock song. It's kind of a crossover, really. There's a little rock in there, but it's more pop I'd say. Eddie VH is known for doing some odd stuff with synths, and this is kind of where he started to branch out significantly. It all culminated with Van Halen 3, which wasn't so great. Rock can be complicated and good, but there is a cut-off point, I guess.

[matacoz]

Well Ima jump!... off a building...  :(

[alibi33]

Pure!

I remember painting the strange lady with the guitar from this cover onto my wall.

Rock City Nottingham 84ish, great nite great gig

[johndennerrocks]

Strange version..

[spanishbomb808]

My my, what a fantastic solo.

[Erklemirkin]

Fantastic - thanx for sharing - this is the version of "Jump" to write home about! Like christopherjd, I've been looking out for this version for eons... yay!

[utahc11]

I've been looking for this track for a long time - big thanks from me!

[WeMustBeStopped]

I think it's interesting that this was recorded only six months after the original was released. I believe Tori Amos also recorded her completely-reinventing-the-ori­ginal cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" just months after it was released, I heard that on my favorite college radio station and thought, wow, did Nirvana cover THIS? I bet I would have thought the same thing in 1984 had I heard Aztec's in close proximity to VH...thanks for the info, msephton.

[christopherjd]

i have been looking (or listening out) for this for about 20 years... fantastic....

like the others I thank you.... nice one!

[msephton]

You're both very welcome. Enjoy.

[WeMustBeStopped]

I cannot thank you enough. My daughter and I rocked out to the end for the last half hour. Cheers!

[msephton]

No worries, glad you like it! Spread the love.

[CoinQ]

Thanks, it is ultimate synergy that you've posted this today, I was looking for the full,most complete version of this one. I wasd in summer heat, and the Utah natural wonders crushing down on that tiny toyota that opened up the endless love between me and the Mrs. back in that summer long ago. Awesome solo, worth the whole of it, all of it needs the solo, and the solo would be nothing without the distant slowness of the beginninng. Thank You for sharing this, Peace The Coin