Joe Jackson Songs Ranked

David Ian “Joe” Jackson (born 11 August 1954) is an English musician and singer-songwriter. Having spent years studying music and playing clubs, he scored a hit with his first release, “Is She Really Going Out with Him?”, in 1979. It was followed by a number of new wave singles before he moved to more jazz-inflected pop music and had a Top 10 hit in 1982 with “Steppin’ Out”. Jackson is associated with the 1980s Second British Invasion of the US. He has also composed classical music. He has recorded 20 studio albums and received five Grammy Award nominations. Here are all of Joe Jackson’s songs ranked.

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15. Friday (I’m the Man, 1979)

“I’m The Man is Joe Jackson’s second album and the followup to his debut Look Sharp! which spawned the excellent hit single “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” At the time, Jackson was part of an increasing new wave songwriter movement that also included Elvis Costello. But while Costello’s career has been revered for continuously challenging himself musically, Jackson’s career has become almost completely forgotten despite following a similar path.”

14. Got the Time (Look Sharp!, 1979)

“Lovely to hear this album again and without the drags of an old cassette tape too! There is a lot of anger in the music as I guess you might expect from something from the 70s, particularly in Sunday Papers and Got the Time – both of which still stand up excellently today, with highly relevant lyrics.”

13. One More Time (Look Sharp!, 1979)

“The lead-off track to “Look Sharp” was this punchy pub-rocky cum power-poppy romp. For all that Jackson’s main composing instrument appeared to be on the keyboard, this number does just fine with its stripped down guitar-attack.”

12. Home Town (Big World, 1986)

“Joe wanted to right a song about feeling nostalgic for the plece he grew up and the desire to return to that comfortable place. He jokes that it’s hard to feel nostalgic for Portsmouth but the on the album Big World, he felt it was important study this theme.”

See more: Joe Jackson Albums Ranked

11. Nineteen Forever (Blaze of Glory, 1989)

“Great song about trying to stay young (and using some drugs on the side). And the fear of growing dull having kids and letting principles go etc.”

10. On Your Radio (I’m the Man, 1979)

“At the time this song came out, radio was huge. It was common for a disc jockey to be treated like a rock star — Wolfman Jack, Rick Dees, Pat St. John, etc. Joe imagined most of these “celebrities” were really insecure inside due to perhaps being picked on as a child, and that they were merely broadcasting an alter ego that they always wanted to be. I always thought this song fit American radio personality Howard Stern like a glove.”

9. Look Sharp! (Look Sharp!, 1979)

“Look Sharp!” is genius – a fantastically hooky song with ‘no illusions’ lyrics. It also features a very distinctive Joe Jackson piano-break that would practically redefine his sound for his “Night And Day” LP in 1982 and the “Body And Soul” album from 1984.”

8. Memphis (Night And Day , 1982)

“”Memphis” is an especially good song, whose organ line and rhythm bear striking similarities to the Spencer Davis Group’s classic song, “Gimme Some Lovin’. I think Joe Jackson is one of the most talented pop artists of the past 25 years, without question! His output is prodigious and prolific.

7. Breaking Us in Two (Night And Day, 1982)

“Like all the songs on Jackson’s Night and Day album, Breaking Us in Two pays homage to the songwriting genius of Cole Porter. If Jackson is not in Porter’s league, this ballad does have a melodic sophistication which leaves most pop singles in the shade. It does borrow its opening phrase from Day After Day but the song develops it in interesting and new ways. This is not the clear case of plagiarism which some have posited.”

6. It’s Different for Girls (I’m the Man, 1979)

“It’s rare to hear a song where the excellence and subtlety of the lyric is matched by the accompanying melody. Jackson cleverly inverts the male – female stereotypical needs in a relationship in his lyric and crafts a brooding, slow-burning melody to go with it, creating one of the best songs of this or most any year.”

See more: Cole Swindell Songs Ranked

5. Invisible Man (Rain, 2008)

“The opening track “Invisible Man” is a great one finding Joe lamenting on his fade from commercial success over the years. “Hey, can you hear me now as I fade away…….I used to own this town, now I’m watching you…..” This song could be about any artists that has had their popularity fade, but it comes across as autobiographical.”

4. Sunday Papers (Look Sharp!, 1979)

“Nice skeletal white reggae forms the backdrop to Joe’s withering diatribe against the “News Of The Screws” and other Sunday scandal sheets. But he doesn’t help his cause with the lazy use of the offensive word “spastic” or weak lines like “If you want to know how to drive a car” or “Sunday papers ain’t got no eyes”.”

3. You Can’t Get What You Want (’till You Know What You Want) (Body and Soul, 1984)

“The song aptly expresses this hopeless longing to express anger, hurt, fear, loss and pain in its devastating chorus. Jackson’s next chart hit, “You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want),” claims that personal desires may not be as complicated as people think. “Sometimes you can’t see that all you need is one thing.” Human nature can trick us into thinking that if we just keep seeking we’ll find “it,” but many people find nothing except a need for more desultory seeking.”

2. Is She Really Going Out With Him? (Look Sharp!, 1979)

“The prototypical “friendzoned nice guy” anthem. The fact that Joe Jackson sported a fedora and trenchcoat on the cover of his second album cover didn’t help matters (and yes, I know that Joe Jackson later came out as gay but that’s beyond the point.) But beyond the lyrics this is a really good and infectious new wave/power pop song. It will definitely be stuck in your head for days regardless of it’s “euphoric” tendencies.”

1. Steppin’ Out (Night and Day, 1982)

“Steppin’ Out is glorious pop- a song about the joys of heading out for the bright lights of a big city. At the height of the synth pop craze, he was clever enough to mix jazzy piano with the programmed beats to give the song both modernity and soul. In fact, in bringing together Kraftwerk and Cole Porter on this track, Jackson may very well have created his most enduring and original song.”