10 Famous Songs About Real People (That Nobody Can Identify)
5. Jump - Van Halen
Many Van Halen fans blame "Jump" as the song where the band became too polished for their own good. With a poppy melody being hammered out over an 80's synth, the song has conquered the haters and has become an absolute staple of the band's live set for years.
That being said, the song's origins have an even darker connotation. When being pressed to find lyrics, David Lee Roth flipped on the television and saw a news story of a man about to jump off the roof of a building and kill himself. Given the dire situation the man had detailed, Roth's reply of "might as well jump" put a morbid twist on Van Halen's jangly melody.
What makes the tune even more intriguing is the fact that the actual suicidal man in question has never been identified since the 80's. With neither Roth nor the band coming up with a name, we'll probably never be certain of who the man is, or whether he actually did indeed jump off that building. So next time you crank up this classic from the 80's on your playlist, just remember that you're hearing the conundrum of a man's suicidal thoughts being brought to life in song.