The song always pops up when you least expect it.

There you are, minding your own business, you hear a few notes, and you’re pulled back to a wonderful-horrible time, starry dreams, laughter, bitterness, love lost. That old love song might be just a “precious melody,” but it almost brings you to your knees.

Randy Jackson, the last original “American Idol” judge, announced Thursday that he’s voting himself off the hit singing competition program after the current season ends.

“Yo! Yo! Yo! To put all of the speculation to the rest, after 12 years of judging on ‘American Idol,’ I have decided to leave after this season,” Jackson said in a statement, released through his representative.

Along with Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, the musician and producer was one of three judges when the Fox show debuted in 2002.