Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, recording on 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' began during the 'Beggars Banquet' sessions of 1968 [although it was not released on that album].
Richards has stated that he and Jagger wrote the lyrics while staying at Richards' country house, where they were awoken one morning by the sound of gardener Jack Dyer walking past the window. When Jagger asked what the noise was, Richards responded: "Oh, that's Jack – that's jumpin' Jack." The rest of the lyrics evolved from there.

Jagger said in a 1995 interview with Rolling Stone that the song arose "...out of all the acid of 'Satanic Majesties...' It's about having a hard time and getting out. Just a metaphor for getting out of all the acid things." In his autobiography, 'Stone Alone', Bill Wyman has claimed that he came up with the song's distinctive main guitar riff on an organ without being credited for it.
Regarding the song's distinctive sound, guitarist Richards has said: "I used a Gibson Hummingbird acoustic tuned to open D, six string. Open D or open E, which is the same thing – same intervals – but it would be slackened down some for D. Then there was a capo on it, to get that really tight sound. And there was another guitar over the top of that, but tuned to Nashville tuning. I learned that from somebody in George Jones' band in San Antonio in 1964. The high-strung guitar was an acoustic, too. Both acoustics were put through a Philips cassette recorder. Just jam the mic right in the guitar and play it back through an extension speaker."

Picture sleeves from around the world

210 editions worldwide include 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' on the 7" format.

'Jumpin' Jack Flash' was covered by the following artists:

• Black, Johnny: 1994 CD: V/A: Like A Rolling Stone, '95. France.
  
• Boyce & Hart : CD: (Rhino).
  
• Cathedral City Project: 1994 CD: Performs The Rolling Stones Favourites. Belgium.Instr.
  
• Children, The: 7": (Sweet Smoke: SS-2). USA, 70's, GM.
  
• Chilton, Alex : 1996 CD: 1970
  
• Cinderella : 1996 CD: The Songs Of The Rolling Stones - Shared Vision 2, (Mercury). Live.
  
• D'Arby, Terence Trent: 1987 CD: Ricard SA Live Music - Best Of Live, '92 compilation CD (Sony Music). Live. UC.
  
• Digger : 1994 CD: V/A: Boston Gets Stoned.
  
• Flaming Groovies: 1974 EP, CD: Alive Forever.
  
• Frampton, Peter : 1970's Studio version. + 1976 Album: 'Frampton Comes Alive'. Live.
  
• Franklin, Aretha w/ Keith Richards + Ron Wood : 1986 7", 12" [4 remixes], Album: Aretha.
  
• Goldberg, Barry : 2002 CD: Stoned Again
  
• Guns N' Roses: Vol. 1: The Story. Boot.
  
• Hines, Marcia 1975 LP: Marcia Shines.
  
• Houston, Thelma: 1981 Album: Sunshower, LP. 'Best Of Thelma Houston', CD.
  
• John, Elton 1993 DCD: Charity In Court. Live. Boot. May 13.
  
• London Symphony Orchestra 1994 CD: Symphonic Music Of The Rolling Stones. Instr.
  
• Maarit 1973 LP: Finnish title 'Synnyin Saatanan Merkit Käsissäin' = 'I Was Born With The Signs Of Satan On My Hands'.
  
• Mott The Hoople: 1970 LP: Mad Shadows. Various releases, some live. Medley. Snippet in "Walkin' With A Mountain".
  
• Munich Philharmonic Orchestra: 1992 CD: The MPO Plays Rolling Stones Classic. Germany.
  
• Primeval Unknown, The: 1988 CD: V/A: Stoned Again - A Tribute To The RS, CD. CD bonus track.
  
• Reinhart, Craig: 1994 Cassette: V/A: Undercover Of The Net. Instr.
  
• Russell, Leon 1972 Album: George Harrison: Concert For Bangladesh, box. Live. + 1973 Album: Leon Live. Live.
  
• Schleicher, Peter 1979 Lp: Hart Auf Hart. Austria. As 'Der Letzte Fetzentandler Von Wien'
  
• Shankar, Ananda: 70's 45 c/w 'Light My Fire'. Reprise RV 20246. France.
  
• Songrise Orchestra 1994-5 CD: The Music Of The Rolling Stones : 16 Instr. Hits. EEC
• Taylor, Mick: 1989 live album: 'Stranger In This Town'
  
• Tillberg, Dan 1979 LP: Gatstenar. Album 'Roadstones'. Swedish title 'Det är Jag Som är Mick'
  
• Washington, Geno : (Pye).
  
• Winter, Johnny : 1971 CD: Various releases, including Walking By Myself, CD. Live.

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charts	peak	release date	7" single	B-side
	1	May 24, 1968	Decca F.12782	Child Of The Moon
	3	May 31, 1968	London 908

While the dynamic of the sound on the UK original 7" pressing is just amazing, some early London Records US pressings of the single had a technical flaw in them: about halfway through the song's instrumental bridge, the speed of the master tape slows down for a moment, then comes back to speed.
The first Rolling Stones album on which the song appeared was their 1969 compilation album, 'Through The Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)', a year after the single release. The track is the one the band has played in concert most frequently since.

Two promotional videos were made in May 1968: one featuring a live performance, another showcasing the band lip-syncing, with Jones, Jagger, and Watts donning makeup.

Jumpin' Jack Flash
[Mick Jagger / Keith Richards]

I was born in a crossfire hurricane
And I howled at my ma in the driving rain

But it's all right now, in fact it's a gas
But it's all right
I'm Jumping Jack Flash, it's a gas, gas, gas

I was raised by a toothless, bearded hag
I was schooled with a strap right across my back

I was drowned, I was washed up and left for dead
I fell down to my feet and I saw they bled
Yeah, yeah, I frowned at the crumbs of a crust of bread
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was crowned with a spike right through my head

Come on, yeah

Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas

Child Of The Moon
[Mick Jagger / Keith Richards]

The wind blows rain into my face
The sun glows at the end of the highway
Child of the moon, rub your rainy eyes
Oh, child of the moon
Give me a wide-awake crescent-shaped smile

She shivers, by the light she is hidden
She flickers like a lamp lady vision
Child of the moon, rub your rainy eyes
Child of the moon
Give me a wide-awake crescent-shaped smile

The first car on the foggy road riding
The last star for my lady is pining
Oh, child of the moon, bid the sun arise
Oh, child of the moon
Give me a misty day, pearly gray, silver, silky faced,
Wide-awake crescent-shaped smile

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Recorded July & October, 1967.
Producer: Jimmy Miller
Arranger: The Rolling Stones

Mick Jagger: vocals
Keith Richards: guitar
Brian Jones: saxophone
Bill Wyman: bass
Charlie Watts: drums
Nicky Hopkins: piano