View source for Start!

{{Short description|1980 single by the Jam}}
{{use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Start!
| cover      = Start! (album by Sound Affects).jpg
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[The Jam]]
| album      = [[Sound Affects]]
| B-side     = Liza Radley
| released   = 11 August 1980<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thejam.org.uk/home/in-the-studio/the-singles/the-jam-single-start|title=The Jam - Single - Start! &#124; The Jam Information Pages by Kevin Lock|website=Thejam.org.uk|access-date=12 October 2022}}</ref>
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = [[Rock music|Rock]]<ref name="Segretto 2022">{{cite book|title=33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999|first=Mike|last=Segretto|date=2022|chapter= 1980|pages= 379-380|publisher=Backbeat|isbn=9781493064601|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jtNtEAAAQBAJ}}</ref>
| length     = 2:16
| label      = [[Polydor]] (UK)
| writer     = [[Paul Weller (singer)|Paul Weller]]
| producer   = [[Vic Coppersmith-Heaven]] and The Jam
| prev_title = [[Going Underground]]” / "Dreams of Children
| prev_year  = 1980
| next_title = [[That's Entertainment (The Jam song)|That's Entertainment]]
| next_year  = 1981
| misc       = {{Extra album cover
 | header  =
 | type    = single
 | cover   = Start!Back.jpg
 | border  =
 | alt     =
 | caption = ''Start!'', back of single cover
}}
}}

"'''Start!'''" is the eleventh UK single release by [[the Jam]] and their second number-one, following "[[Going Underground]]"/"[[Dreams of Children]]".<ref>Martin Roach (ed) (2008) ''The Virgin Book of British Hit Singles'', Virgin Books, London</ref> Upon its release on 15 August 1980, it debuted at number three, and two weeks later reached number one for one week.<ref name=occ>{{cite web|title=Jam - Full Official Chart History|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/14105/jam/|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=21 January 2016}}</ref> Written by [[Paul Weller (singer)|Paul Weller]] and produced by [[Vic Coppersmith-Heaven]] and the Jam, "Start!" was the lead single from the band's fifth album ''[[Sound Affects]]''. The single's [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] is "Liza Radley".

"Start!" is based on both the main guitar [[riff]] and bass riff of [[the Beatles]]' 1966 song "[[Taxman]]" from the album ''[[Revolver (Beatles album)|Revolver]]'', written by [[George Harrison]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/pmw6/ |title=Music – Review of The Jam – Sound Affects |publisher=BBC |date=1 January 1970 |access-date=29 March 2014}}</ref> "To be Someone" and "Liza Radley" also utilise the "Taxman" bassline, as does "Dreams of Children", B-side to "[[Going Underground]]", played then as a lead guitar riff.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-jam/start|title=Start by The Jam |website=Songfacts.com|access-date=12 October 2022}}</ref><ref>''Feeling Like a Number One'' {{ISBN|978-1-326-52514-9}} p. 138</ref> Bassist Bruce Foxton commented on the similarity:

{{quote|We were listening a lot to [[the Beatles]]' ''[[Revolver (Beatles album)|Revolver]]'' album. It wasn't intentional, but 'Taxman' subconsciously went in and when we came up with the idea for 'Start!' that's what went in. It isn’t exactly the same thankfully, otherwise I'm sure [[Paul McCartney]] would have thought about suing us!<ref name="Mr">{{Cite web |last=Chamberlain |first=Rich |title=Bruce Foxton of The Jam's 11 career-defining songs: "Start isn’t exactly the same as Taxman... otherwise I’m sure Paul McCartney would have thought about suing us!" |url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/bruce-foxton-of-the-jams-11-career-defining-songs-start-isnt-exactly-the-same-as-taxman-otherwise-im-sure-paul-mccartney-would-have-thought-about-suing-us |website=MusicRadar}}</ref>}}

The album version of the song runs at 2:30 and features trumpets in the final section.

==Release==
"Start!" became a major chart hit for the Jam, reaching number one in the UK. Foxton noted that the commercial success of the single added pressure for the band, explaining, "That was the Number One that knocked [[David Bowie]] off the top of the charts. Then I thought, ‘Wow, we really have arrived!’ Once you get a Number One it’s a bit like [[This Is Spinal Tap|Spinal Tap]] with their amps going up to 11. Once you get to Number One, where do you go? That created a lot more pressure."

==Other versions and sampling==
[[Beastie Boys]] covered the song on their 1999 single, "[[Alive (Beastie Boys song)|Alive]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whosampled.com/cover/244/Beastie-Boys-Miho-Hatori-Start!-The-Jam-Start!/|title=Beastie Boys feat. Miho Hatori's 'Start!' - Discover the Original Song|website=Whosampled.com|access-date=12 October 2022}}</ref>

[[808 State]] sampled the song on their 1993 single, "10 X 10".

[[Manfred Mann's Earth Band]] covered the song on their 1987 album "[[Masque (Manfred Mann's Earth Band album)|Masque]]" under the title "What You Give Is What You Get (Start)".

==Bibliography==
*Martin Roach (ed) (2008) ''The Virgin Book of British Hit Singles'', Virgin Books, London.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/pmw6/ Album review] at ''[[BBC Online]]''

{{The Jam}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1980 songs]]
[[Category:1980 singles]]
[[Category:The Jam songs]]
[[Category:UK singles chart number-one singles]]
[[Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles]]
[[Category:Songs written by Paul Weller]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Vic Coppersmith-Heaven]]
[[Category:Polydor Records singles]]


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