‘The Jean Genie’ is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie, originally released in November 1972 as the lead single to his 1973 album Aladdin Sane. Co-produced by Ken Scott, Bowie recorded it with his backing band the Spiders from Mars − comprising Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder and Mick Woodmansey. According to Bowie, it was "a smorgasbord of imagined Americana", with a protagonist inspired by Iggy Pop, and the title being an allusion to author Jean Genet. One of Bowie's most famous tracks, it was promoted with a film clip featuring Andy Warhol associate Cyrinda Foxe and peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
‘The Jean Genie’ originated on the Ziggy Stardust Tour as an impromptu jam, titled "Bussin'", on the tour bus between the first two concerts in Cleveland and Memphis, when Mick Ronson began playing the Bo Diddley-inspired guitar riff on his new Les Paul. It subsequently became the first song Bowie composed for Aladdin Sane, in autumn 1972 during his 1972 US tour, completing the song in New York City, where he spent time with the Warhol set's Cyrinda Foxe. Bowie later asserted, "I wrote it for her amusement in her apartment. Sexy girl." Bowie later in the 1990s described the song as "a smorgasbord of imagined America" and "my first New York song."
This was one of the first tracks Bowie wrote in New York City. He loves the city and has written many of his songs there. In 2001, Bowie opened the "Concert For New York," a tribute to the police, firemen, and rescue workers involved in the World Trade Center attacks. In 1973, Bowie spoke to NME about this song: "I wanted to get the same sound the Stones had on their very first album on the harmonica. I didn't get that near to it, but it had a feel that I wanted – that '60s thing."
‘The Jean Genie’ was released on 24 November 1972 as the lead single to Bowie's 1973 album Aladdin Sane, with the 1972 song ‘Ziggy Stardust’ as the B-side. On the album, it appears as the ninth and penultimate track. It spent 13 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 2, making it Bowie's biggest hit until that time; it was kept off the top spot by Little Jimmy Osmond's ‘Long Haired Lover from Liverpool’. In the US, it reached No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100. While biographer David Buckley has described it as "derivative, plodding, if undeniably catchy", it remains one of Bowie's signature tunes and was often played at his concerts.
Label – RCA
Songwriter – David Bowie
Producers - Ken Scott, David Bowie
SONG LYRICS
[Intro][Verse 1]
A small Jean Genie snuck off to the city
Strung out on lasers and slash back blazers
And ate all your razors while pulling the waiters
Talking 'bout Monroe and walking on Snow White
New York's a go-go and everything tastes nice
Poor little Greenie
Woo-hoo
(Get back on it)
[Chorus]
The Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
(The Jean Genie) he's outrageous, he screams and he bawls
The Jean Genie, let yourself go, oh
[Interlude]
[Verse 2]
Sits like a man, but he smiles like a reptile
She loves him, she loves him, but just for a short while
She'll scratch in the sand, won't let go his hand
He says he's a beautician and sells you nutrition
And keeps all your dead hair for making up underwear
Poor little Greenie
[Chorus]
The Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
(The Jean Genie) he's outrageous, he screams and he bawls
The Jean Genie, let yourself go, whoa-oh
[Interlude]
[Verse 3]
He's so simple minded, he can't drive his module
He bites on the neon and sleeps in the capsule
Loves to be loved
Loves to be loved
[Bridge]
Woo-hoo
Woo-hoo
[Chorus]
Oh, the Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
(The Jean Genie) he's outrageous, he screams and he bawls
The Jean Genie, let yourself go, oh
Go
Go
[Chorus]
The Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
(The Jean Genie) he's outrageous, he screams and he bawls
The Jean Genie, let yourself go, oh
Go
Go, go
[Instrumental Outro]