The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
I met a fan dancer
Down in South Side Birmingham
She was running from a fat man
Selling salvation in his hand
Now he's trying to save me
We'll I'm doing alright, the best that I can
Just another fallen angel
Trying to get through the night
Step by step, one by one, higher and higher
Step by step, rung by rung
Climbing Jacob's ladder
Coming over the airwaves
The man says I'm overdue
Sing along, send some money
Join the chosen few
Well, Mister I'm not in a hurry
And I don't want to be like you
All I want from tomorrow
Is to get it better than today
Step by step, one by one, higher and higher
Step by step, rung by rung
Climbing Jacob's ladder
All I want from tomorrow
Is to get it better than today
Step by step, one by one, higher and higher
Step by step, rung by rung
Climbing and trying
Step by step, one by one
Step by step
Step by step
Step by step
Down in South Side Birmingham
She was running from a fat man
Selling salvation in his hand
Now he's trying to save me
We'll I'm doing alright, the best that I can
Just another fallen angel
Trying to get through the night
Step by step, one by one, higher and higher
Step by step, rung by rung
Climbing Jacob's ladder
Coming over the airwaves
The man says I'm overdue
Sing along, send some money
Join the chosen few
Well, Mister I'm not in a hurry
And I don't want to be like you
All I want from tomorrow
Is to get it better than today
Step by step, one by one, higher and higher
Step by step, rung by rung
Climbing Jacob's ladder
All I want from tomorrow
Is to get it better than today
Step by step, one by one, higher and higher
Step by step, rung by rung
Climbing and trying
Step by step, one by one
Step by step
Step by step
Step by step
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From reading various websites about 80s music, this song apparently targeted television evangelists, which sounds about right. Kind of in the vein of "Jesus He Knows Me". In comparison, however, the Genesis tune is much better, even though Jacob's Ladder is much better at sounding like a song of epic proportions. I just wish they would've given this a proper video, since Huey and his News tend to do wacky videos (not necessarily good).
@JohnDuran Dude. You don't need to read various websites to work out what this song is about. It's right there in the lyrics.<br /> Only the second verse is about televangelists.<br /> The first verse is about a preacher harassing a fan dancer.
From reading various websites about 80s music, this song apparently targeted television evangelists, which sounds about right. Kind of in the vein of "Jesus He Knows Me". In comparison, however, the Genesis tune is much better, even though Jacob's Ladder is much better at sounding like a song of epic proportions. I just wish they would've given this a proper video, since Huey and his News tend to do wacky videos (not necessarily good).
JohnDuran, they didn't really do a music video for this one, instead they filmed Huey's live performance of the song to kick off the "Fore!" tour.
I saw Bruce Hornsby, who wrote the song, perform it live. I liked Huey's interpretation better, though.
@JohnDuran: I don't think you need to read various web sites to understand this song is about televangelists - it's clearly there in the lyrics.
Speaking of Genesis, there's the Book of Genesis in the Bible. In it, Jacob has a vision of a set of stairs to Heaven ie Jacob's Ladder.
So there is a rejection of evangelists who are trying to sell entry into Heaven (and thus the altered view of Jacob's Ladder) and focus on climbing the ladder of life to survive.
This song was released at the peak of "televangelism". Pat Robertson graced the cover of TIME in February 1986. A "fan dancer" is an erotic dancer.In 1986, evangelist Jimmy Swaggart began on-screen attacks against fellow televangelists Marvin Gorman and Jim Bakker. He uncovered Gorman's affair with a member of Gorman's congregation, and also helped expose Bakker's infidelity with Jessica Hahn (which was arranged by a colleague while on an out-of-state trip).[12] These exposures received widespread media coverage. Gorman retaliated in kind by hiring a private investigator to uncover Swaggart's own adulterous indiscretions with a prostitute.