The Rolling Stones: All Number 1 Songs Ranked Worst To Best
3. Jumpin' Jack Flash
UK #1, US #3, 1968
Inspiration can - and often does - come from the most random of situations. Whilst staying at Keith Richards' country house, he and Jagger woke up one morning to the sound of the clumping footsteps of gardener Jack Dyer walking past the window. Jagger asked what it was, to which Richards responded, "Oh, that's Jack - that's jumpin' Jack." That trivial moment originated one of the most celebrated songs in rock history, as well as the Stones' own most performed hit.
The lyrics draw from Keith's personal life; the very opener, 'I was born in a cross-fire hurricane,' refers to his being birthed during the WWII bombings of Dartford. At surface level, the song invites everyone who listens to always look on the bright side, no matter how grim the circumstances are. After all, no one's had it rougher than our dear Jumpin' Jack Flash, but if his life can still be a gas, so can ours.
Fun Fact: Jumpin' Jack Flash has a distinctive main guitar sound that came from Bill Wyman but was credited to the Jaggers-Richards partnership. Much like with the Beatles and the McCartney-Lennon situation, the Stones had much in-group tension derived from their songwriting credits, though they handled it better.