Nanaimo, BC-based country rock musician Joel Lee found himself tiring of the standard topics of country songs. Whether it was the breakups, cheating, or the ballads of beer-soaked regret Lee was seeking something new, fun, and exciting. It sounds like his latest single “Jump Jump” more than satisfied that need for exhilaration.
Lee says the inspiration came from a quiet Saturday evening, one where he wasn’t “pouring myself out like the cheap beer being consumed on the dance floor in front of me.” The musician aspired to capture that feeling, being “right there at that moment” in a near-capacity watering hole with shouts for “Free Bird” audible from the back.
“Jump Jump” has all the makings of a hit single with its punchy verses and even punchier chorus. From the steady drumming courtesy of Lee’s son Brayden Wiggers to the mandolin work that recalls the iconic riff in Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way,” the single is an attention-grabber from the outset. The hook and melody instantly become ear worms as Lee sings of seizing the day and making every moment count regardless of any hurdles or inner hesitations.
My Mama said, don’t be a’scared of nothin
Take the world on a one-way ride
Try something new that you ain’t never done
Baby raise that bar tonight
Lee penned and produced “Jump Jump” quickly, so rapidly that the rough demo was done 90 minutes after the initial inkling for the song. The singer describes the single as an “uptempo disco-country banger” while melding it “to a groove that even Kool & the Gang would savor.” As if that wasn’t enough, another kernel of inspiration was derived from an unlikely source: the title character of the 1994 Academy Award winner for Best Picture Forrest Gump. Even Tom Hanks’ voice as the character can be heard on the outro of “Jump Jump.”
“Truth be told, I absolutely loved the movie, and Tom Hanks is one of my favorite actors,” Lee says. “I interpreted the character of Forrest Gump as fearless, willing to ‘jump’ at any opportunity that presented itself, and in doing so, he touched so many lives.” Mirroring Gump’s adventurous streak, Lee ended up doing a freestyle rap near the song’s homestretch in one take.
“As it turns out, I have never ‘rapped’ before in my life and was actually going to lean on some of my friends who are fantastic rap artists,” Lee says. “But as the lyrics go, ‘Jump jump, Forrest Gump,’ I figured, ‘What the heck?’ To my delight, the redneck rap actually came to me quite naturally and so quickly. Mind blown.”
Inspired by a myriad of quality performers ranging from Eric Church and Keith Urban to consistently engaging bands like Kings of Leon and Coldplay, Joel Lee made headway in Canadian country music circles. First, 2020’s “Adrenaline” garnered praise and attention while 2021’s “The Party Ain’t Over” hit top spot on the Canada Country Countdown. Now look for Joel Lee’s “Jump Jump” to be the equivalent of Forrest Gump’s running shoes: taking him anywhere!