You've heard it. You can probably hum the hook right now. It’s that infectious, high-energy blast of retro-funk that sounds like it was ripped straight out of a 1970s block party. But here is the weird thing: if you go looking for a track called Jump in the Cadillac by Bruno Mars on an official studio album, you aren't going to find it.
It’s a ghost. A digital phantom.
Most people recognize the song from the endless "vibing" memes or TikTok dances featuring a very round, very joyful animated character. But the actual story of the song—which is actually titled "Perm"—is a masterclass in how modern internet culture can completely rename a piece of art. It’s a track that leans so heavily into the James Brown and The J.B.'s aesthetic that it feels like a historical artifact rather than a 2016 pop hit.
The Identity Crisis of Jump in the Cadillac
Basically, the internet decided the song was named after its most catchy lyric. When Bruno Mars dropped his third studio album, 24K Magic, in November 2016, "Perm" was the fourth track. It wasn't the lead single. It wasn't "That’s What I Like." But the opening directive—"Throw some perm on your attitude / Girl, you gotta relax"—was overshadowed by the bridge where Bruno shouts, "Jump in the Cadillac, girl, let’s put some miles on it."
The internet won.
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Search volume for Jump in the Cadillac by Bruno Mars often rivals the actual title because of how the song circulated through meme culture. Specifically, the "Casper Slide" or the "Ricardo Milos" edits. It’s a fascinating case study in SEO accidentalism. People hear the hook, they type what they hear into Google, and suddenly, the "official" name doesn't matter anymore.
Honestly, the song is a pivot point for Bruno’s career. Before this, he was the "Just the Way You Are" crooner. After this, he was the funk revivalist. "Perm" (or "Jump in the Cadillac," if we're being colloquial) is loud. It’s abrasive in the best way. It features live horns, aggressive drumming, and a vocal performance that sounds like Bruno is losing his voice in a sweaty basement club in 1974.
The James Brown DNA
You can't talk about this track without talking about the Godfather of Soul. Bruno and his production team, The Shampoo Press & Curl, weren't just "inspired" by James Brown; they were performing a seance.
The structure of the song is built on "The One." In funk music, "The One" is the heavy emphasis on the first beat of every measure. It’s what makes you move. If you listen to the rhythmic grunts and the way Bruno commands the band—"Band! Let me see if y'all got the rhythm"—it’s a direct homage to Brown’s 1960s and 70s bandleader persona.
The lyrics are mostly nonsense, let’s be real. It’s about a girl needing to fix her attitude (the "perm"), but the vibe is so infectious that nobody cares about the semi-problematic metaphor. It’s pure energy. It’s a 3-minute and 30-second shot of espresso.
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Why It Exploded in the 2020s
Why are we still talking about a deep cut from 2016?
Memes.
The song found a second life via a video of a 3D-animated character (often referred to as the "Dancing Guy" or associated with the "Genie" from Aladin in some weird internet crossovers) dancing to the "Jump in the Cadillac" snippet. It became a "vibe check." If the song comes on, you have to stop what you’re doing and move.
This is the power of a "synch" that isn't actually a synch. Usually, songs get big because they're in a movie or a Pepsi commercial. Jump in the Cadillac by Bruno Mars got big because it became the universal soundtrack for "feeling yourself."
The Technical Brilliance Nobody Mentions
If you strip away the memes, the musicianship on this track is actually insane. Most modern pop is programmed. It’s MIDI. It’s quantized to death.
"Perm" sounds alive.
The horns are bright and slightly sharp. The bassline is busy—waaaaay busier than what you’d hear on a Dua Lipa or Taylor Swift record. It requires a level of pocket drumming that most session players struggle to hit. It’s a reminder that beneath the silk shirts and the pinky rings, Bruno Mars is a terrifyingly good musician who understands the history of Black American music better than almost any other A-list pop star working today.
What You Should Do Next
If you've only ever heard the 15-second clip on social media, you are missing out on the full experience. The song is a journey.
- Listen to the full version of "Perm" on a decent set of speakers or headphones. The low-end frequencies of the bass guitar are lost on phone speakers, and that's where the "stank" is.
- Watch the live performances. Bruno Mars at the BET Awards or during his Madison Square Garden sets performing this song is a different beast. The choreography is tighter than the studio recording.
- Trace the roots. If you like the sound of Jump in the Cadillac by Bruno Mars, go listen to James Brown’s The Payback or Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine. You’ll hear exactly where the blueprint came from.
- Check out the rest of the 24K Magic album. While "Perm" is the high-energy peak, tracks like "Calling All My Lovelies" show the 80s R&B side of the same coin.
Stop calling it "Jump in the Cadillac." Or don't. At this point, the internet has rewritten the credits, and the song belongs to the fans now. Just make sure you're actually listening to the whole thing, because that bridge is only half the story.
The real magic is in the "perm."
Actionable Insight: To truly appreciate the production, try to isolate the drum fills during the second verse. They are intentionally mixed "dry" to mimic the recording techniques of the mid-70s, a detail that helped the album win Album of the Year at the 60th Grammy Awards.