Back to
index
"Jean Genie, The" (Bowie):
Bowie song (and one of his favourites) from ALADDIN SANE (1973)
written one evening in New York for Cyrinda Fox on the 1st US Tour (it developed from an impromptu bus jam between Mick
Ronson and Will Palin) and performed on all subsequent Ziggy Stardust concert tours in
1972 and 1973. While largely believed to be about the French playwright Jean Genet - Bowie
says that it was actually based on an Iggy Pop-like character with the
setting inspired by Max's Kansas City. The song was released as
the A-side on "The Jean Genie/Ziggy Stardust" (RCA 2302 - 24 November 1972)
having been demoed at RCA's Nashville studios and recorded at RCAs New York studios. The
song was banned in Rhodesia as "undesirable."
"I remember all the fantastic times, the excitement,
the breathtaking 'breaking-new-ground'. Do you remember how "The Jean
Genie" was written on that chartered Greyhound (NYC/Cleveland/Nashville/NYC - not
sure guess I need to look up the old diary). Anyhow it went something like:
"Bus, Bus Bus, - we're going 'Busin'!" was the jam that Mick and I
started! Next thing you know we're loading-in the backline to RCA's studio in New
York and a 'classic' is born. What's the name of the girl with short blond hair I
have always thought of as Genie? (Ed: thats Cyrinda Foxe!). That was all before the band
and crew decided to fly; leaving David to catch-up by car and Am Track: Beverly
Hills Hotel was something else for a 21 year-old 'roadie'! How long did we have to
wait there? Two weeks I think!" - Will Palin
(2001) to Angie Bowie
"I wanted to get the same sound as the Stones
had on their first album on the harmonica. I didn't get that near to it but it had a feel
that I wanted - that 60's thing."- Bowie
Some Bowie writers have reported the similarities between the central
riff of "The Jean Genie" and The Sweet's "Blockbuster" and some
suggest that Bowie may have "borrowed" the Sweet's riff and vice versa.
However, The Jean Genie entered the British Chart on the 9th December 1972 and Blockbuster
was released sometime later on the 13th January 1973. Also the riffs are slightly
different with The Jean Genie's riff being "bowmp bowmp bowmp buh-DAH-duh"
whereas "Blockbuster"s is "ba-domp ba-domp ba-domp ba-DA-duh".
The Sweet's writers also deny this as below:
Interviewer: The Sweet's No. 1 'Blockbuster' had the same
riff as David Bowie's 'The Jean Genie' which charted at the same time. Coincidence?
Nicky Chinn: "Oh, absolute coincidence. The ridiculous thing
was, of course, they were both on the same record label (RCA). But I know we had never
heard Bowie's 'Jean Genie' and to the best of my knowledge he hadn't heard 'Blockbuster'.
There was a lot of fuss about it at the time. I think it's interesting to note, and again
it was not a conscious thing on our part, but the riff is extremely similar to 'I'm A Man'
by The Yardbirds. Fortunately, we went to No. 1 and Bowie went to 2." -
Record Collector (1998) talking to Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman
JEAN GENIE, THE:
Promotional video for "The Jean Genie" single shot in San Francisco in October
1972 and starring Cyrinda Foxe. It can be viewed on BOWIE - THE VIDEO COLLECTION (1993).
It was one of the first videos made for music television.
"John, I'm Only Dancing"
(Bowie): Bonus song on THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS
(1972).
JOHN, I'M ONLY DANCING:
Promotional video for "John, I'm Only Dancing" filmed by Mick Rock during
the afternoon rehearsal for the Rainbow Theatre concert on 19 August 1972. This was
Bowie's first video release for RCA. It can be viewed on BOWIE - THE VIDEO COLLECTION
(1993). Oddly, the first time the song was played on BBC's Top of the Pops it
was accompanied by a film of a young couple dancing on the edge of a cliff and not this
video.
Jones, (Anton) Anthony: Jamaican
bodyguard on the 1st US Ziggy Stardust Tour.
Jones, David Robert: David Bowie's
birth name. Bowie changed his name in the Sixties in order to avoid confusion with Davy
Jones - the British lead singer of the American pop group The Monkees. The name was
borrowed from the American Jim Bowie of "Bowie knife" fame.
Jones, Haywood Stenton: David
Bowie's father.
Jones, (nee Burns) Margaret (aka Peggy): David Bowie's
mother.
The 
Companion
