80s Music Video Sunday #37

Growing up in the 1980s, I'd never heard the term "hip hop", and "rap" was a fairly new phenomenon; at least it was for me. In my high school, we had students who did their best to emulate the "white-gloved one" by moonwalking, and we were all trying (and mostly failing, with few exceptions) to breakdance. Living in suburbia, our music of choice tended to be new wave, with some daring to go "punk". Looking back now at the artists and songs that were popular way back when, though perhaps distinct from other genres, they all more or less fit into the same mold, a mold that groups nearly all the songs of the day under the generic title of "80s" music.

That being said, there were also a number of songs that didn't fit the mold, songs that were so different as to be exciting, songs that took us by surprise and made us stop, think, and simply admire the originality. Today's choice is one such song, and not only does it fall into categories mentioned in this feature in earlier entries (songs with unintelligible lyrics performed by artists who meet the "one-hit wonder" definition), it's a song that was far ahead of its time in terms of its use of sound and technique.

When it was released in 1984, "Jam-On It" became an immediate hit. We all sang along, despite a complete inability to understand the lyrics (for a while, we were convinced that "jam-on it" actually rhymed with "Zamboni" which, as every hockey fan knows, is the machine used to resurface an ice rink). While the trailblazing artists behind this song, Newcleus, are still together, they have, as far as I know, never been able to match the success of "Jam-On It".



Jam-On It
Newcleus

Yeah
Jam on it
(Yeah, yeah, we know, we know)
Huh
(Yeah, Goggles, you gonna rock it, right)
(You gonna do it down, right)
Ha-ha-ha-ha, yeah
(Hey, Cozmo, what's the name of this again)
(I forgot)
Jam on it
(Oh)
(Oh, Chilly B, get down, ho)
(Oh, oh, here comes Cozmo)
(Ho)
(We get to say wikki-wikki-wikki again)

Wikki-wikki-wikki-wikki
(Shut up)
Wikki-wikki-wikki-wikki

Three words to the whack, step yourself back
Just gettin' down, and you then you're givin' no slack
Like a Burger King with a sack of Big Macs
We're throwin' down with the radical sacks
On time, in your mind you see
You gotta boogie to your best ability
You gotta funk it up until it knocks you down
And when you're funkin' up, be sure to pass it around
Come on, let's go to work
We got what'll make your body jerk
Make you throw your hands up in the air
Shake your booty and scream, "Oh, yeah"
'Cause we are the Jam On Crew
And jammin' on it is how we do the do
We'll funk you up until you boogie down
So come people check out the sound
Check out the sound, check out the sound, check out the sound, check out the sound
Check out the sound, check out the sound, check out the sound, check out the sound
Check out the sound

(Jam on it)

There's going to sound
They're going to get down

(Jam on it)

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Chilly B
And I'm a surefire, full blooded bonafide house rockin' Jam-On Production MC
If you want the best, put me to the test, and I'm sure you'll soon agree
That I got no force 'cause I'm down by law when it comes to rockin' viciously, you see
'Cause when I was a little baby boy my mama gave me a brand new toy
Two turn tables with a mic, and I learned to rock like Dolymite
Time went by, on this God creation, I knew someday I would rock the nation
So I made up my mind just what to do and I joined with the Jam On Production Crew
So go crazy, go crazy, don't let your body be lazy
I said don't stop the body rock till your eyesight starts to get hazy
Clean out your ears and you open your eye, if you wanna hear the music just come alive
If you don't know how get ready to learn
'Cause Cozmo's takin' his turn to burn

Take the "C" and "O" and the "Z"
Then they add "M-O" and the freaky "D"
Add a funky beat, and then what do you see
It's Cozmo D, yeah, baby, that's me
I've got the beat that's, oh, so sweet
Without me rockin' it's incomplete
So rock this, yo', rock that, yo'
Rock on and don't you dare stop
You rock this, rock that, and that's a fact
'Cause the Jam On Crew will rock your body right back
Rock a steam locomo ride off the track
And give the whole wide world a funk attack
A to the beat y'all, get down
Let me rock it to the rhythm of the funk sound
From hill to hill, from sea to sea
A when Jam On's rockin' everybody (Jam on it)
Jam on it
Jam on and on, on and on it
And if you're feelin' like you wanna dance all night
They go on ahead and flaunt it
'Cause jammin' on is what we do best
It's what separates us from the rest
And if you go deep, I'll cruise down for real
Let me tell what happened to the man of steel

(Said Superman had come to town to see who he could rock)
(He blew away every crew he faced until he reached the block)
(His speakers were three stories high with woofers made of steel)
(And when we boys sit outside, he said "I boom for real")
He said, "I'm faster than a speedin' bullet when I'm on the set
I don't need no fans to cool my a**, I just use my super breath
I could fly three times around the world without missin' a beat
I socialize with X-ray eyes, and ladies think it's sweet
(And then he turned his power on and the ground began to move)
(And all the buildings for miles around were swayin' to the groove)
(And just when he had fooled the crowd and swore he wouldn't fight)
We rocked this bet with a 12 inch cut called Disco Kryptonite
Well, Superman looked up at me, he said, "You rock so naturally"
I said now that you've learned to deal, let me tell you why I'm so for real
I'm Cozmo D from outer space, I came to rock the human race
I do it right 'cause I can't do it wrong
That's why the whole world is singin' this song

(Jam on it) Jam on it
I said jam-j-j-jam on it
As days turn to night and night turns to day
Whatever time it is i wanna hear you say
(Jam on it) Jam on it
I said jam on-on-on, jam on it
Jam all around and upside down
And keep jammin' to the Jam On Production sound

(Jam on it) Jam on it
I said jam-j-j-jam on it
I said Jam On is the funky beat that takes control
With a sure shot boogie that'll rock your soul
(Jam on it) Jam on it
I said jam-j-j-jam on it
Get outta your seat and jam to the beat
And don't you dare stop till early mornin'

Jam on it, jam on it, jam on it, jam on it, jam on it, jam on it, jam on it, jam on it

(Yeah, that's how you do it Cozmo)
(You were right, kid, that's the way you do it)
(Yeah, like did you see when he went in the corner)
(And he started doin' this)
(Wikki-wikki-wikki-wikki)
(Wikki-wikki-wikki-wikki)

(Ah, man, this is too funky for me)
(I'm goin' home)
(Hey, Mergatroid, let's go)
(Hey, you fellas seen my sister Mergatroid)
(She was standin' over here just a minute ago)
(Yeah, I think I saw her over there with Randy)
(He's rockin' the mic, you know)
(Diggy dang diggy dang da dang dang da diggy diggy diggy dang dang)
(Diggy dang diggy diggy)

(The beat is fresh y'all)
(Yeah, fresh)

Said don't you hear the sound
Jam On is gettin' down