One Jump Ahead

## Video

"**One Jump Ahead**" is a song sung by the film's main protagonist Aladdin (singing voice of Brad Kane/Mena Massoud) in the movies 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 guards after stealing a loaf of bread.

A few minutes later, the song is reprized in a softer, more dramatic tone as 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

* Original version
* 2019 version
* Reprise
* Reprise 2

**Aladdin:** Gotta keep

One jump ahead of the breadline

One swing ahead of the sword

I steal only what I can't afford

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 Vendor:** Outrage!)

**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

Mena Massoud - One Jump Ahead (From "Aladdin" Audio Only)Mena Massoud - One Jump Ahead (Reprise) (From "Aladdin" Audio Only)Mena Massoud - One Jump Ahead (Reprise 2) (From "Aladdin" Audio Only)
## 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 reprised by the protagonists later on.
* 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.