Blue Jean
Encyclopedia
"Blue Jean" is a song from the album Tonight by David Bowie
. One of only two tracks on the album to be written entirely by Bowie, it was released as a single ahead of the album.
Loosely inspired by Eddie Cochran
, the song was an uncomplicated composition, recalling earlier Bowie rockers such as "The Jean Genie
," and is generally regarded as one of the better parts of a disappointing album.
Following the huge commercial success of Bowie's previous album, Let's Dance, its singles and the Serious Moonlight Tour
, "Blue Jean" was launched with massive promotion. Julien Temple
was engaged to direct a 21-minute short film to promote the song, Jazzin' for Blue Jean
. The song performance segment from this was also used as a more conventional music video.
"Blue Jean" was a hit in the UK and America, reaching No. 6 and No. 8, respectively.
The song would remain in Bowie's live repertoire for the rest of his career, being performed on tours in 1987, 1990 and 2004.
" to "Blue Jean," Bowie said "'Blue Jean' is a piece of sexist rock 'n roll. [laughs] It's about picking up birds. It's not very cerebral, that piece."
Musicians
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
. One of only two tracks on the album to be written entirely by Bowie, it was released as a single ahead of the album.
Loosely inspired by Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran , was an American rock and roll pioneer who in his brief career had a small but lasting influence on rock music through his guitar playing. Cochran's rockabilly songs, such as "C'mon Everybody", "Somethin' Else", and "Summertime Blues", captured teenage frustration and desire in the...
, the song was an uncomplicated composition, recalling earlier Bowie rockers such as "The Jean Genie
The Jean Genie
"The Jean Genie" is a song by David Bowie, originally released as a single in November 1972. According to Bowie, it was "a smorgasbord of imagined Americana", with a protagonist inspired by Iggy Pop, and the title being a pun on author Jean Genet. One of Bowie’s most famous tracks, it was the lead...
," and is generally regarded as one of the better parts of a disappointing album.
Following the huge commercial success of Bowie's previous album, Let's Dance, its singles and the Serious Moonlight Tour
Serious Moonlight Tour
The David Bowie Serious Moonlight Tour was thus far Bowie's longest, largest and most successful concert tour. The tour opened at the Vorst Forest Nationaal - Brussels on 18 May 1983 and ended in the Hong Kong Coliseum on 8 December 1983; 16 countries visited, 96 performances, 2,601,196 tickets...
, "Blue Jean" was launched with massive promotion. Julien Temple
Julien Temple
Julien Temple is an English film, documentary and music video director. He began his career with short films featuring the Sex Pistols, and has continued with various off-beat projects, including The Great Rock And Roll Swindle, Absolute Beginners and a documentary film about Glastonbury.-Temple...
was engaged to direct a 21-minute short film to promote the song, Jazzin' for Blue Jean
Jazzin' for Blue Jean
Jazzin' for Blue Jean is a 20-minute short film featuring David Bowie and directed by Julien Temple. It was created to promote Bowie's single "Blue Jean" in 1984 and released as a video single.-Plot:...
. The song performance segment from this was also used as a more conventional music video.
"Blue Jean" was a hit in the UK and America, reaching No. 6 and No. 8, respectively.
The song would remain in Bowie's live repertoire for the rest of his career, being performed on tours in 1987, 1990 and 2004.
David Bowie on "Blue Jean"
Interviewed in 1987 and asked to compare a track like "Time Will CrawlTime Will Crawl
"Time Will Crawl" is the second track on David Bowie's album Never Let Me Down and was issued as the second single from the album.The lyric is themed around the pollution and destruction of the planet by industry , and is often praised by critics for its restrained production compared to...
" to "Blue Jean," Bowie said "'Blue Jean' is a piece of sexist rock 'n roll. [laughs] It's about picking up birds. It's not very cerebral, that piece."
7": EMI America / EA 181 (UK)
- "Blue Jean" - 3:08
- "Dancing with the Big Boys" - 3:32
- Some versions of the 7" single were released on blue vinyl
12": EMI America / 12EA 181 (UK)
- "Blue Jean" (Extended Dance Mix) - 5:15
- "Dancing with the Big Boys" (Extended Dance Mix) - 7:28
- "Dancing with the Big Boys" (Extended Dub Mix) - 7:15
- "Blue Jean" (Extended Dance Mix) remixed by John "Jellybean" BenitezJohn BenitezJohn Benitez, better known as "Jellybean Benitez" is an American drummer, guitarist, songwriter, DJ, remixer and music producer of Puerto Rican descent...
. - "Dancing with the Big Boys" remixes produced by Arthur BakerArthur Baker (musician)Arthur Baker is an American record producer and DJ best known for his work with hip hop artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Planet Patrol, and the British group New Order.-Early career:...
.
- "Blue Jean" (Extended Dance Mix) remixed by John "Jellybean" Benitez
Production credits
Producers- David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
- Hugh PadghamHugh PadghamHugh Padgham is a British record producer. He has won many awards, including four Grammys, with Producer of the Year and Engineer of the Year. A 1992 poll in Mix magazine voted him one of the world's Top Ten Most Influential Producers....
- Derek Bramble
Musicians
- David Bowie: Vocals
- Carlos AlomarCarlos AlomarCarlos Alomar is an American guitarist, composer and arranger best known for his work with David Bowie, having played on more Bowie albums than any other musician...
: GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Derek Bramble: BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, SynthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones... - Carmine RojasCarmine RojasCarmine Rojas, Bassist, Musical Director, Composer & Producer born February 14, 1953, Brooklyn, NY.With the efforts and support of his family, friends and professional relationships, Carmine has traveled the World earning the reputation as one of the most renowned and respected bass players in the...
: Bass - Sam Figueroa: Percussion
- Omar HakimOmar HakimOmar Hakim is an American jazz, jazz fusion and pop music drummer.Hakim credits jazz vibraphonist Mike Mainieri with giving him his first break in 1980; Hakim appeared in a video with Mainieri called The Jazz Life and began working with singer Carly Simon through Mainieri...
: DrumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s - Guy St Onge: MarimbaMarimbaThe marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
Other releases
- It appears on the following compilations:
- ChangesbowieChangesbowieChangesbowie is a compilation album by David Bowie, released in 1990 in the United States by Rykodisc and by EMI in the UK as part of Rykodisc's Bowie remastering program, to replace the deleted RCA Records compilation Changesonebowie....
(1990) - Bowie: The Singles 1969-1993 (1993)
- The Singles CollectionThe Singles Collection (David Bowie album)The Singles Collection is a compilation album by David Bowie, released in 1993 in the UK and as The Singles 1969 to 1993 in the United States...
(1993) - Best of BowieBest of BowieBest of Bowie is a career-spanning greatest hits album by multi-platinum recording artist David Bowie. The songs range from his second album to 2002. It was released 35 years after his first album, David Bowie....
(2002) - The Best of David Bowie 1980/1987The Best of David Bowie 1980/1987The Best of David Bowie 1980-1987 is a David Bowie compilation album. The CD was originally released by EMI as part of The Platinum Collection in 2005/06. The 2007 release is part of EMI's two-disc Sight & Sound series, each of which features a CD and DVD of material from the same artist...
(2007)
- Changesbowie
Video versions
There are 3 versions of the video:- The full 21-minute version entitled Jazzin' for Blue JeanJazzin' for Blue JeanJazzin' for Blue Jean is a 20-minute short film featuring David Bowie and directed by Julien Temple. It was created to promote Bowie's single "Blue Jean" in 1984 and released as a video single.-Plot:...
- The 3-minute version of the performance of the title track, edited from the full Jazzin' for Blue Jean video. The video is available to download for the Xbox 360 karaoke game LipsLips (video game)Lips is a video game for the Xbox 360. Lips was developed by iNiS and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game features the use of motion sensitive wireless microphones and supports the use of songs already owned through a Zune or iPod. The game was released on November 18, 2008 in North...
. - An alternate version recorded for MTV in England that has no relation to the other videos. This alternate version was not popularly available until the DVD release of Best of BowieBest of BowieBest of Bowie is a career-spanning greatest hits album by multi-platinum recording artist David Bowie. The songs range from his second album to 2002. It was released 35 years after his first album, David Bowie....
in 2002.
Cover versions
- Example 2 - Ashes to Ashes: A Tribute to David Bowie (1998)
- Gallery of Fear - The Dark Side of David Bowie: A Tribute to David Bowie (1997)
- PennywisePennywise (band)Pennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....
- Trench - Hero: The Main Man Records Tribute to David Bowie (2007)
- Papercranes - We Were So Turned On: A Tribute to David Bowie (2010)
Charts
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Report Singles Chart | 12 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 16 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 4 |
| French Singles Chart | 22 |
| German Singles Chart | 21 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 3 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 5 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 14 |
| UK Singles Chart | 6 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 8 |