Jumpin' Jack

This week's classic track look back is more about a man than about a song. But more on that in a second.

During the past few days, unless you've found yourself under a rolling rock, you've no doubt heard plenty about the Rolling Stones celebrating their 50th anniversary as a performing band. In fact, Mick Jagger is said to be thinking that maybe too much is being made of the occasion. So I'll make no more of it.

Instead, let's move ahead to 1968. That's when the Stones released their album Through the Past Darkly. The album included a future number 1 song called Jumpin' Jack Flash, which some viewed as a departure from the psychedelic and a return to the group's blues roots. But the story goes on.

Check out the beginning - John Lennon introduces the Stones in sign language!

Call it fact or fiction, Mick and Keith had apparently been up most of the night and were trying to catch some sleep. Well at some point in that rainy English early morning, Mick heard someone stomping about under the window and he asked Keith who was making all the noise.

Well now, perhaps the word asked is a bit of an understatement. I'm betting that the pros were prolific, though it's just my guess. Anyhow, Keith is said to have replied: "That's Jack, Jumpin' Jack.

Jumpin' Jack, as Keith called him, was Jack Dyer, his gardener, and it wasn't long before Jumpin' Jack Flash evolved from a gardener's name into another number 1 for the rockin' Rolling Stones. So if you, like me, like the song born of a gardener's name, then don't forget to raise a glass of whatever to one Jumpin' Jack Dyer.

'Til next time, that's another classic track look back at rock history.