Joe Jackson

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Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Joe Jackson (born August 11, 1954 in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, as David Ian Jackson) is a British musician. Jackson is probably best-known for the hit singles

Is She Really Going Out With Him? (1979) and

Steppin’ Out (1982). Although born in Staffordshire, Jackson grew up in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.

He started off learning to play the violin but soon switched to piano. From the age of 16 he played in bars, and won a scholarship to study musical composition at London’s Royal Academy of Music. Jackson did not like the prospect of being a serious composer, and moved towards pop and rock.

His first band was Arms and Legs which collapsed after two unsuccessful singles. He then spent some time in the cabaret circuit to make money to record his own demos.

In 1978 a producer heard his tape, and got him signed to A&M Records. The album Look Sharp! was recorded straight away, and was released in 1979, quickly followed by I’m the Man and Beat Crazy in 1980. He also collaborated with Lincoln Thompson in reggae crossover.

The Joe Jackson Band was very successful and toured extensively. After the breakup of the band, Joe took a break and recorded an album of old-style swing and blues tunes, Jumpin’ Jive, featuring songs of Cab Calloway, Lester Young, Glenn Miller, and most prominently, Louis Jordan. He went on to record Night and Day, an album that paid tribute to the wit and style of Cole Porter (and less directly, to New York City) and was his last album to hit the Top 10, peaking at #4.

He recorded another record that was heavily influenced by jazz, pop and jazz standards, and salsa, Body and Soul, which hit #20, containing the hit You Can’t Get What You Want (‘til You Know What You Want).

Tagged as:

new wave, singer-songwriter, pop, 80s, rock
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Is She Really Going Out With Him / (Do The)…
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Night and Day
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Look Sharp!
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Top Tracks

1	Steppin' Out full track	1,218
2	Is She Really Going Out With Him? full track	633
3	It's Different For Girls full track	437
4	Breaking Us In Two full track	347
5	Sunday Papers full track	260
6	I'm The Man full track	255
7	Fools In Love full track	237
8	One More Time full track	228
9	Be My Number Two full track	213
10	Look Sharp! full track	173
10	Real Men full track	173
12	Is She Really Going Out With Him	167
13	Got The Time full track	136
14	Baby Stick Around full track	125
15	Throw it Away full track	111

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SirSomerville wrote:
Friday morning

"Be My Number Two" is my favourite. awesome ending.

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sparrow1970 wrote:
25 days ago

He's the man ;-) If someone is looking to get into Joe Jackson, by far, you have to have I'm The Man. Get it now.

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krustywazoo wrote:
last month

I'd start with his first, "Look Sharp!". One of the best albums, ever, by anyone. Bar none! :D

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pollepet wrote:
last month

first time I saw Joe live with his first band was about 1978 (or 79?) in a small club called LOGO in Hamburg, he played harmonica, a small keyboard-like instrument to be played like a flute, since then I've seen him live in different periods with different musicians

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cborden1989 wrote:
last month

@letsgoawayfor: "Beat Crazy" is what you want.

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samriv wrote:
last month

I use to listen Joe till i was 6, and finally this summer i saw him playing live in Como, was great, one of the best concerts i ever went!!! thanks Joe, i'll never forget it!!!!!!

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Menelaus1003 wrote:
September 2009

I learned about Joe Jackson from, of all people, Sean Cullen. Now I'm in love.

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letsgoawayfor wrote:
August 2009

OI WHAT'S THE BEST ALBUM BY HIM

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madprof2007 wrote:
August 2009

Happy birthday Joe!

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sublimewreckage wrote:
August 2009

steppin out haha... listen to that at least once every 6 months. its hard to imagine people not moving their butts to it.

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vodenapushka wrote:
August 2009

"Chinatown" it sounds like Mike Patton is on vocal :)

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zoraxx wrote:
July 2009

Joe Jackson,Live At The BBC. This is a really good live collection of his work.this fine 2 cd set capturing shows in 4 different BBC broadcasts.http://www.last.fm/music/Joe+Jackson/Live+At+The+BBC

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rokujuunichi wrote:
July 2009

i really like steppin out. i listen to it all the time in the car. its great for driving

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chantalbernard wrote:
July 2009

I love Joe Jackson. Still. I love the CD Night and Day II. Some really wonderful stuff on this.

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pollepet wrote:
June 2009

Yeah, Graham Maby is great

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ochoymedia wrote:
June 2009

love JJ and he has the best bass player ever !!

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patgoud wrote:
May 2009

lange nicht mehr gehört, fast vergessen

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Crustclock wrote:
May 2009

"steppin' out" is pretty 80's, but Is She Really Going Out With Him could have been released today.

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rights_reserved wrote:
May 2009

This dude has a timeless quality about him..

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velvetsuicide wrote:
May 2009

the "80s" tag really upsets me.

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