Jump Up! (1982) was
Elton John's first full LP to have been recorded in the 1980s, and is best remembered for including "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny),"
John and lyricist
Bernie Taupin's tribute to the their slain friend
John Lennon. While the pair had been writing together again, albeit infrequently, since the late '70s,
John continued to include material written with his primary non-
Taupin collaborator,
Gary Osborne. The latter team had previously scored big with "Little Jeannie" on
John's
21 at 33 (1980), and to a lesser degree with the noir ballad "Chloe" from
The Fox (1981). However, on
Jump Up!, the quality of material ranges from the absurd and inane "I Am Your Robot" and the insipid breakup opener "Dear John" to the sublime beauty of "Blue Eyes" and the cathartic value of the aforementioned "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)." The dramatic "Legal Boys" is an understated masterpiece, marking the first public effort between
John and
Sir Tim Rice. The pair would garner Tony and Grammy awards 12 years later for their work on the original motion picture soundtrack to the animated feature film The Lion King (1994).
John's backing band includes many of the same musicians who contributed to his most recent recordings. Representing the "classic" personnel are
Dee Murray (bass) and post-
Captain Fantastic (1975) recruit
James Newton-Howard (keyboards). Fleshing out the core combo are studio guitarist extraordinaire
Richie Zito and
Toto drummer (and another highly regarded session heavy)
Jeff Porcaro.
Steve Holly, who worked with
Wings as well as
John circa
A Single Man (1978), guests on the tracks "I Am Your Robot" and "Ball & Chain," the latter also featuring guest guitarist
Pete Townshend. While far from a total washout,
Jump Up! would remain tethered in the wake of the follow-up,
Too Low for Zero (1983), marking a reunion between
John and both his "classic" 1970s combo and
Taupin. ~ Lindsay Planer