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"One Jump Ahead" is a song sung by the film's main protagonist Aladdin (singing voice of Brad Kane in the film of the same name. The music and lyrics were written by Alan Menken and Tim Rice.
Summary[]
It is sung as Aladdin and Abu escape Razoul and his fellow guards after stealing a loaf of bread.
A few minutes later, the song is reprised in a softer, more dramatic tone. As he and Abu head home, Aladdin contemplates his life and desires for more.
The melody is a recurring theme throughout the film's score, often used as a musical representation of Aladdin himself.
Lyrics[]
Aladdin: Gotta keep
One jump ahead of the breadline
One swing ahead of the sword
I steal only what I can't afford
And that's everything!
One jump ahead of the lawmen
That's all, and that's no joke
These guys don't appreciate I'm broke
Guards: Riffraff!
Street rat!
Scoundrel!
Take that!
Aladdin: Just a little snack, guys
Guards: Rip him open! Take it back, guys!
Aladdin: I can take a hint,
Gotta face the facts
You're my only friend, Abu!
Harem Girls: Who?
Oh, it's sad, Aladdin's hit the bottom
He's become a one-man rise in crime
Massage Parlor Manager: I'd blame parents, except he hasn't got 'em
Aladdin: Gotta eat to live,
Gotta steal to eat
Tell you all about it when I got the time!
One jump ahead of the slowpokes
One skip ahead of my doom
Next time gonna use a nom de plume
One jump ahead of the hitmen
One hit ahead of the flock
I think I'll take a stroll around the block
Jewelry Vendor: Stop, thief! Vandal!
Aladdin: Abu?
Jewelry Customer: Scandal!
Aladdin: Let's not be too hasty
Lady: Still I think he's rather tasty!
Aladdin: Gotta eat to live,
Gotta steal to eat
Otherwise, we'd get along
Guards: Wrong!
Aladdin: One jump ahead of the hoofbeats
(Guards: Vandal!)
Aladdin: One hop ahead of the hump
(Guards: Street rat!)
Aladdin: One trick ahead of disaster
(Guards: Scoundrel!)
Aladdin: They're quick, but I'm much faster
(Guards: Take that!)
Aladdin: Here goes:
Better throw my hand in
Wish me happy landin'
All I gotta do is jump!
Aladdin: Gotta keep
One jump ahead of the breadline
One swing ahead of the sword
I steal only what I can't afford
And that's everything!
One jump ahead of the lawmen
That's all, and that's no joke
These guys don't appreciate I'm broke
Guards: Riffraff!
Street rat!
Scoundrel!
Aladdin: Take that!
Try a different tact, guys
Guards: Rip him open! 'Round the back, guys!
Aladdin: I can take a hint,
Gotta face the facts
Could really use a friend or two
Harem Girls: Huh?
Oh, it's sad, Aladdin's hit the bottom
He's become a one-man rise in crime
Harem Teacher: I'd blame parents, 'cept he hasn't got 'em
Aladdin: Gotta eat to live,
Gotta steal to eat
Tell you all about it when I got the time!
One jump ahead of the slowpokes
One skip ahead of my doom
Next time gonna use a nom de plume
One jump ahead of the hitmen
One hit ahead of the flock
I think I'll take a stroll around the block
Guards: Stop, thief!
Jewelry Vendor: Vandal!
Aladdin: Abu?
Jewelry Customer: Scandal!
Aladdin: Let's not be too hasty
Lady: Still I think he's rather tasty!
Aladdin: Gotta eat to live,
Gotta steal to eat
Otherwise, we'd get along
Guards: Wrong!
Aladdin: One jump ahead of the hoofbeats
One hop ahead of the hump
One trick ahead of disaster
They're quick, but I'm much faster
Here goes:
Better throw my hand in
Wish me happy landin'
All I gotta do is jump!
Aladdin: Riff-raff, street rat
I don't buy that
If only they'd look closer
Would they see a poor boy? No, siree
They'd find out
There's so much more to me
Aladdin: Riff-raff, street rat
Would they think that
If they look much closer
Still I can't play a prince here
No, siree
Gotta tell the truth
I can't pretend
Even if it means
This dream will end
Even if she walks away
From me
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- The song is similar to "Belle" in the sense that they both introduce the main character who isn't happy with their lives and are taunted by the crowd. Also, both are later reprised by the protagonists.
- The scene which Aladdin steals a loaf of bread is also a reference to Jean Valjean from Les Misérables, since:
- Both are criminals who steal a loaf of bread for survival.
- Both are hunted by the law. (Sultan's guards for Aladdin, Javert for Jean)
- Incidentally, Lea Salonga, the singing voice of Princess Jasmine, played the roles of Éponine Thénardier and Fantine in the musical Les Misérables.
- Since Abu does not appear in the musical version, the lines "You're my only friend, Abu/Who?" are replaced with "I could use a friend or two/True". The 2019 remake has similar lines ("Could really use a friend or two/Huh?"), but unlike the musical version, Abu appears, although not with Aladdin at that point.
- The 2019 version also replaces "Just a little snack, guys/Rip him open! Take it back, guys!" with "Try a different tact, guys/Rip him open 'round the back, guys!" as he wasn't seen holding a loaf of bread, as well as Aladdin saying "Take that!" instead of the guards.
External links[]
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