Blue Jean

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“Blue Jean”
Single by David Bowie from the album Tonight
B-side	Dancing with the Big Boys
Released	September 1984
Format	7"/12" single
Recorded	Le Studio, Morin Heights, May 1984
Genre	Rock
Length	3:08
Label	EMI America - EA181
Producer	David Bowie, Hugh Padgham, Derek Bramble
David Bowie singles chronology
White Light/White Heat 1983 Blue Jean 1984 Tonight 1984

"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 the best part 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 #6 and #8 respectively. In some quarters this was seen as something of a disappointment compared to the success of the Let's Dance singles, and was the first hint of the long-term commercial failure of Tonight.

The song would remain in Bowie's live repertoire throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s.

[edit] Production credits

• Producers:
  • David Bowie
  • Hugh Padgham
  • Derek Bramble

• Musicians:
  • David Bowie: Vocals
  • Carlos Alomar: Guitar
  • Derek Bramble: Bass, Synthesizer
  • Carmine Rojas: Bass
  • Sam Figueroa: Percussion
  • Omar Hakim: Drums
  • Guy St Onge: Marimba

[edit] Other releases

• It appeared on the following compilations:
  • Changesbowie (1990)
  • Bowie: The Singles 1969-1993 (1993)
  • The Singles Collection (1993)
  • Best of Bowie (2002)
  • The Best of David Bowie 1980/1987 (2007)

[edit] 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)
• Pennywise

[edit] Track listing

[edit] 7": EMI America / EA 181 (UK)

1. "Blue Jean" - 3:08
2. "Dancing with the Big Boys" - 3:52

[edit] 12": EMI America / 12EA 181 (UK)

1. "Blue Jean (Extended Dance Mix)" - 5:15
2. "Dancing with the Big Boys (Extended Dance Mix)" - 7:28
3. "Dancing with the Big Boys (Extended Dub Mix)" - 7:15

• "Blue Jean (Extended Dance Mix)" remixed by John "Jellybean" Benitez.
• "Dancing with the Big Boys" remixes produced by Arthur Baker.

[edit] Chart Positions

[edit] References

Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5