Start!

{{Short description|1980 single by the Jam}}

{{use British English|date=May 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Start!

| cover = Start! (album by Sound Affects).jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = The Jam

| album = Sound Affects

| B-side = Liza Radley

| released = 11 August 1980{{Cite web|url=https://thejam.org.uk/home/in-the-studio/the-singles/the-jam-single-start|title=The Jam - Single - Start! | The Jam Information Pages by Kevin Lock|website=Thejam.org.uk|access-date=12 October 2022}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Rock{{cite book|title=33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999|first=Mike|last=Segretto|date=2022|chapter= 1980|pages= 379-380|publisher=Backbeat|isbn=9781493064601|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jtNtEAAAQBAJ}}

| length = 2:16

| label = Polydor (UK)

| writer = Paul Weller

| producer = Vic Coppersmith-Heaven and The Jam

| prev_title = Going Underground” / "Dreams of Children

| prev_year = 1980

| next_title = That's Entertainment

| next_year = 1981

| misc = {{Extra album cover

| header =

| type = single

| cover = Start!Back.jpg

| border =

| alt =

| caption = Start!, back of single cover

}}

}}

"Start!" is the eleventh UK single release by the Jam and their second number-one, following "Going Underground"/"Dreams of Children".Martin Roach (ed) (2008) The Virgin Book of British Hit Singles, Virgin Books, London Upon its release on 15 August 1980, it debuted at number three, and two weeks later reached number one for one week.{{cite web|title=Jam - Full Official Chart History|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/14105/jam/|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=21 January 2016}} Written by Paul Weller and produced by Vic Coppersmith-Heaven and the Jam, "Start!" was the lead single from the band's fifth album Sound Affects. The single's B-side is "Liza Radley".

"Start!" is based on both the main guitar riff and bass riff of the Beatles' 1966 song "Taxman" from the album Revolver, written by George Harrison.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/pmw6/ |title=Music – Review of The Jam – Sound Affects |publisher=BBC |date=1 January 1970 |access-date=29 March 2014}} "To be Someone" and "Liza Radley" also utilise the "Taxman" bassline, as does "Dreams of Children", B-side to "Going Underground", played then as a lead guitar riff.{{Cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-jam/start|title=Start by The Jam |website=Songfacts.com|access-date=12 October 2022}}Feeling Like a Number One {{ISBN|978-1-326-52514-9}} p. 138 Bassist Bruce Foxton commented on the similarity:

{{quote|We were listening a lot to the Beatles' Revolver album. It wasn't intentional, but 'Taxman' subconsciously went in and when we came up with the idea for 'Start!' that's what went in. It isn’t exactly the same thankfully, otherwise I'm sure Paul McCartney would have thought about suing us!{{Cite web |last=Chamberlain |first=Rich |title=Bruce Foxton of The Jam's 11 career-defining songs: "Start isn’t exactly the same as Taxman... otherwise I’m sure Paul McCartney would have thought about suing us!" |url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/bruce-foxton-of-the-jams-11-career-defining-songs-start-isnt-exactly-the-same-as-taxman-otherwise-im-sure-paul-mccartney-would-have-thought-about-suing-us |website=MusicRadar}}}}

The album version of the song runs at 2:30 and features trumpets in the final section.