China Girl (song)
Encyclopedia
"China Girl" is a song co-written by David Bowie
and Iggy Pop
during their years in Berlin, first appearing on Pop's album The Idiot
(1977). It was more widely popularized when it was rerecorded and released by Bowie on his album Let's Dance (1983).
The UK single release reached #2 for one week on June 14, 1983, being kept off the top position by "Every Breath You Take
" by The Police
. The US release reached #10.
was directed by David Mallet
and is shot mainly in the Chinatown district of Sydney
, Australia
. Alongside Bowie, Chinese model Geeling Ng
starred in the video, which Bowie described as a "very simple, very direct" statement against racism (alongside his previous single's video for "Let's Dance
"). The original video release includes the two lying naked in the surf (a visual reference to the film From Here to Eternity
), though versions of the video included on subsequent video
and DVD
compilations are slightly censored to remove the nudity. The original video went on to win an MTV
video award for Best Male Video.
and Glass Spider
, respectively). It was rehearsed for his appearance at the 1985 London
Live Aid
concert but along with the songs "Fascination
" and "Five Years
" was eventually dropped due to time constraints. Additional live versions of the song appear on 2009's release of a 1999 performance for VH1 Storytellers
and a 2010 release of Bowie's 2003 concert, entitled A Reality Tour
.
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...
and Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
during their years in Berlin, first appearing on Pop's album The Idiot
The Idiot (album)
The Idiot is the debut solo album by American rock singer Iggy Pop. It was the first of two LPs released in 1977 which Pop wrote and recorded in collaboration with David Bowie...
(1977). It was more widely popularized when it was rerecorded and released by Bowie on his album Let's Dance (1983).
The UK single release reached #2 for one week on June 14, 1983, being kept off the top position by "Every Breath You Take
Every Breath You Take
"Every Breath You Take" is a song by The Police on the band's 1983 album Synchronicity, written by Sting and Andy Summers . The single was one of the biggest hits of 1983, topping the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for eight weeks and the UK Singles Chart for four weeks. It also topped the...
" by The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
. The US release reached #10.
7": EMI America / EA 157 (UK)
- "China Girl [Edit]" (Bowie, Pop) – 4:14
- "Shake It" (Bowie) – 3:49
12": EMI America 75038 / 12EA 157 (UK)
- "China Girl" (Bowie, Pop) – 5:32
- "Shake It [Re-Mix]" (Bowie) – 5:21
- On the US 12", "Shake It" is called the "Long Version," although it's identical to the UK's "Re-Mix"
- The UK 12" single's cover was slightly different from the US cover (they're mirrors of each other), and the flip side of the UK 12" includes dates for the 1983 Serious Moonlight Tour in the UK (specifically the London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Milton Keynes shows).
Music video (Bowie remake)
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was directed by David Mallet
David Mallet (director)
David Mallet is a British director particularly noted for his work on music videos, including David Bowie's innovative "Ashes to Ashes", Rush's "Distant Early Warning, and Queen's "Radio Ga Ga" and "I Want to Break Free" videos. He has also served as a producer on television programmes including...
and is shot mainly in the Chinatown district of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Alongside Bowie, Chinese model Geeling Ng
Geeling Ng
Geeling Ng is a New Zealand model, actress and restaurateur who is best known as the title character in David Bowie's music video "China Girl". She was a waitress when Bowie spotted her and wanted her in the video....
starred in the video, which Bowie described as a "very simple, very direct" statement against racism (alongside his previous single's video for "Let's Dance
Let's Dance (David Bowie song)
"Let's Dance" is the title album track on David Bowie's album Let's Dance. It was also released as the first single from that album in 1983, and went on to become one of his biggest-selling tracks....
"). The original video release includes the two lying naked in the surf (a visual reference to the film From Here to Eternity
From Here to Eternity
From Here to Eternity is a 1953 drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and based on the novel of the same name by James Jones. It deals with the troubles of soldiers, played by Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra and Ernest Borgnine stationed on Hawaii in the months leading up to the...
), though versions of the video included on subsequent video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
compilations are slightly censored to remove the nudity. The original video went on to win an MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
video award for Best Male Video.
Live performances
The song was a regular for Bowie's live shows for the rest of the 1980s (appearing on concert videos in 1983 and 1988 as Serious MoonlightSerious Moonlight (1983 film)
Serious Moonlight is the title of a David Bowie concert video; originally filmed on the singer's 1983 "Serious Moonlight Tour" in Vancouver , it was released on video in 1984 and on DVD in 2006...
and Glass Spider
Glass Spider
Glass Spider is a video album by David Bowie, recorded during the 1987 Glass Spider Tour at Sydney Entertainment Centre.-Release details:...
, respectively). It was rehearsed for his appearance at the 1985 London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
concert but along with the songs "Fascination
Fascination (David Bowie song)
"Fascination" is a song written by British singer-songwriter David Bowie and American musician Luther Vandross for Bowie's Young Americans album in 1975. The song originated from a Vandross song called "Funky Music" which Mike Garson Band used to play before Bowie concerts in 1974...
" and "Five Years
Five Years
"Five Years" is a song written by David Bowie and released in 1972. It was the opening track on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars....
" was eventually dropped due to time constraints. Additional live versions of the song appear on 2009's release of a 1999 performance for VH1 Storytellers
VH1 Storytellers (David Bowie album)
VH1 Storytellers is a live album by David Bowie. It was released on 6 July 2009 and features a 23 August 1999 performance on Storytellers, a VH1 program. The package contains an audio CD and a DVD of footage...
and a 2010 release of Bowie's 2003 concert, entitled A Reality Tour
A Reality Tour (album)
A Reality Tour is a live album by David Bowie that was released on 25 January 2010. The album features the 22 and 23 November 2003 performances in Dublin during his concert tour A Reality Tour. This is an audio version of the concert video of the same name, except that it adds three bonus tracks...
.
Chart performance (Bowie remake)
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 15 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 5 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 2 |
| German Singles Chart | 6 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 5 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... (charted together with "Shake It") |
51 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
3 |
Musicians
- Iggy PopIggy PopIggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - 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...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, 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...
, 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...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, xylophoneXylophoneThe xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - 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...
– guitar - Dennis DavisDennis DavisDennis Davis is an American drummer and session musician best known for his work with David Bowie.He was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City and studied with the late drummers Max Roach and Elvin Jones. He met guitarist Carlos Alomar when they were both playing with Roy Ayers...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - George MurrayGeorge Murray (musician)George Murray is an American bass guitarist best known for his work with David Bowie as a part of his regular ensemble , on a number of Bowie's albums released in the 1970s.-Selective Discography:Weldon Irvine...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Phil PalmerPhil PalmerPhilip 'Phil' John Palmer is a sideman and session guitarist in jazz and rock who has toured, recorded, and worked with numerous famous artists...
– guitar - Michel Santangeli – drums
- Laurent Thibault – bass
Musicians
- 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...
: Vocals - Stevie Ray VaughanStevie Ray VaughanStephen Ray "Stevie Ray" Vaughan was an American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan and frontman for Double Trouble, a band that included bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. Born in Dallas, Vaughan moved to Austin at the age of 17 and...
: 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... - Nile RodgersNile RodgersNile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, producer, composer, arranger, and guitarist.-Biography:...
: Guitar - 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...
: BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - 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...
, Tony ThompsonTony ThompsonAnthony T. "Tony" Thompson was a session drummer best known as a member of Chic. He was raised in the middle-class community of Springfield Gardens, in Queens, NY.-Chic:...
: 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 - Rob Sabino: KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Mac Gollehon: TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Robert Aaron, Stan HarrisonStan HarrisonStan Harrison is an American saxophonist who is also accomplished in playing other woodwind instruments, namely the horn, flute and clarinet. He has also written music for television. Harrison released his first solo album The Ties That Blind in 2000 on his own record label...
, Steve Elson: SaxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846... - Sam Figueroa: Percussion
Other releases
- It appeared 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
- The soundtrack for the film The Wedding SingerThe Wedding SingerThe Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler as a wedding singer in the 1980s and Drew Barrymore as a waitress with whom he falls in love....
featured "China Girl". - The original Iggy Pop version is included in Pop's compilation A Million in Prizes: The AnthologyA Million in Prizes: The AnthologyA Million in Prizes: The Anthology is a 2-disc greatest hits collection of Iggy Pop, released in 2005. It supersedes the compilation Nude & Rude: The Best of Iggy Pop. The title comes from the lyrics of "Lust for Life"...
.
Cover versions
- Nick CaveNick CaveNicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
- Live recording in Melbourne, 1978. - JamesJames (band)James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
- Single (1998) - Ziggy Stardust - Ashes to Ashes: A Tribute to David Bowie (1998)
- Trance To The Sun -Goth Oddity: A Tribute to David Bowie (1999)
- Anna TernheimAnna Ternheim-Early life:Ternheim was born 31 May 1978 in Stockholm, Sweden. When she was 10 years old she began playing the guitar, writing songs and performing. During a year abroad in Atlanta, Georgia, Anna created her first band "Sova," playing at smaller festivals and local clubs...
- Shoreline EP (2005) - VoltaireVoltaire (musician)Voltaire , is a popular dark cabaret Cuban-American musician...
- Zombie Prostitute...Zombie Prostitute...Zombie Prostitute... is an EP by the Dark Wave/dark cabaret artist Voltaire, released in 2006 by Projekt Records.All the songs apart from "China Girl" appeared on Ooky Spooky. "Zombie Prostitute..." appeared in the same form. "Día de los Muertos" appeared translated to English...
(2006), and on .2 Contamination: A Tribute to David Bowie (2006) - Pete YornPete YornPeter Joseph Yorn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who first gained international recognition after his debut record, Musicforthemorningafter, was released to critical acclaim in 2001.-Early history:Yorn's father is a dentist and his mother is a former concert pianist who worked as a...
- MusicforthemorningafterMusicforthemorningafterMusicforthemorningafter is the critically acclaimed and commercially successful debut album by Pete Yorn, released on March 27, 2001 through Columbia Records...
(Bonus CD) (2001) - Johny Dey - Hero: The Main Man Records Tribute to David Bowie (2007)
- The Tragically HipThe Tragically HipThe Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as The Hip, is a Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario, consisting of Gordon Downie , Paul Langlois , Rob Baker , Gord Sinclair and Johnny Fay . Since their formation in 1983 they have released 12 studio albums, two live albums, and 46 singles...
- During "New Orleans is SinkingNew Orleans Is Sinking"New Orleans Is Sinking" is the second single released by The Tragically Hip from the band's debut studio album, Up to Here. The song reached #1 on the RPM Canadian Content chart. The song has since become one of the band's signature songs and still receives consistent radio airplay...
" on Live Between UsLive Between UsLive Between Us is the first full-length live album by Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. It was released in May 1997.The album was recorded in Detroit, Michigan in 1996, during the tour supporting Trouble at the Henhouse....
a verse of "China Girl" is sung. - Scars on BroadwayScars on BroadwayScars on Broadway is an American-Armenian rock band, founded by System of a Down members Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan. The band's eponymous debut album was released on July 29, 2008....
- Live with altered lyrics - System of a DownSystem of a DownSystem of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
- Live with altered lyrics - The White StripesThe White StripesThe White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
- Live - Alejandro SokolAlejandro SokolAlejandro Sokol was an Argentine rock musician, who was part of Sumo and Las Pelotas.Sokol was the bassist, and then the drummer, of Sumo in its early days , and left the band because the rock and roll lifestyle went against his convictions, as he was a member of the LDS church.After the death of...
- Live