Jean (song)
Encyclopedia
"Jean" is the title of a popular song from 1969 (see 1969 in music
). It was written by the American
poet
and composer Rod McKuen
, who also recorded a version of the song.
The song was the theme to the film adaptation of Muriel Spark
's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which starred noted British
film actress Maggie Smith
. Smith won an Academy Award for Best Actress
for her portrayal of the lead character in the film, Jean Brodie
. The song "Jean", as performed by songwriter McKuen, was also nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Original Song
. Although released as a single
in the summer of 1969, McKuen's version of the song failed to reach the American music charts. Sergio Franchi
performed the song on the January 3, 1971 broadcast of The Ed Sullivan Show
, subsequently released on a rare Franchi DVD.
"Jean" was also recorded by the American singer William Swofford, who was known professionally by his middle name, Oliver. Earlier in 1969, Swofford had reached number three on the Billboard
pop
and easy listening charts with his version of "Good Morning Starshine
", a song from the musical
Hair
. While working on an album with producer Bob Crewe
(which would also be called Good Morning Starshine), "Jean" was selected as a song for the record and subsequently chosen as the follow-up single. It became another hit for the singer, reaching number two on the pop chart and spending four weeks at number one on the adult contemporary chart. Swofford would later describe his cover version
of the song: "We had no idea it would be a single. It was a 3/4 ballad in the psychedelic era...it was a beautiful arrangement."
1969 in music
-Events:Perhaps the two most famous musical events of 1969 were concerts. At a Rolling Stones concert in Altamont, California, a fan was stabbed to death by Hells Angels, a biker gang that had been hired to provide security for the event...
). It was written by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and composer Rod McKuen
Rod McKuen
Rod McKuen is an American poet, songwriter, composer, and singer. He was one of the best-selling poets in the United States during the late 1960s. Throughout his career, McKuen produced a wide range of recordings, which included popular music, spoken word poetry, film soundtracks, and classical music...
, who also recorded a version of the song.
The song was the theme to the film adaptation of Muriel Spark
Muriel Spark
Dame Muriel Spark, DBE was an award-winning Scottish novelist. In 2008 The Times newspaper named Spark in its list of "the 50 greatest British writers since 1945".-Early life:...
's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which starred noted British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
film actress Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith
Dame Margaret Natalie Smith, DBE , better known as Maggie Smith, is an English film, stage, and television actress who made her stage debut in 1952 and is still performing after 59 years...
. Smith won an Academy Award for Best Actress
Academy Award for Best Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for her portrayal of the lead character in the film, Jean Brodie
Jean Brodie
Jean Brodie is a fictional character in the Muriel Spark novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie; and in the play and film of the same name — both by Jay Presson Allen — which were based on the novel, but radically depart from it in the interest of theatre and poetic licence.Miss...
. The song "Jean", as performed by songwriter McKuen, was also nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Original Song
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
. Although released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in the summer of 1969, McKuen's version of the song failed to reach the American music charts. Sergio Franchi
Sergio Franchi
Sergio Franchi was an Italian tenor.Franchi was born in Cremona, Italy. His father wanted him to become an electrical engineer, so he studied both music and engineering simultaneously. The family moved to South Africa in 1952, where Sergio worked part-time as a draftsman, while continuing to study...
performed the song on the January 3, 1971 broadcast of The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, subsequently released on a rare Franchi DVD.
"Jean" was also recorded by the American singer William Swofford, who was known professionally by his middle name, Oliver. Earlier in 1969, Swofford had reached number three on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
pop
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and easy listening charts with his version of "Good Morning Starshine
Good Morning Starshine
"Good Morning Starshine" is a pop song from the musical Hair. It was a #3 hit in the United States in June of 1969 for the singer Oliver.-History:...
", a song from the musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
. While working on an album with producer Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe is an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, record producer and fine artist. He is known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for The Four Seasons...
(which would also be called Good Morning Starshine), "Jean" was selected as a song for the record and subsequently chosen as the follow-up single. It became another hit for the singer, reaching number two on the pop chart and spending four weeks at number one on the adult contemporary chart. Swofford would later describe his cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the song: "We had no idea it would be a single. It was a 3/4 ballad in the psychedelic era...it was a beautiful arrangement."
See also
- List of RPM number-one singles of 1969
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1969 (U.S.)