OCTOBER 6, 1972 – During sessions at RCA Studios in New York City, David Bowie recorded “The Jean Genie,” which became the lead single from his 1973 album “Aladdin Sane.” Mixing occurred the following week at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee; the original single mix is in narrow stereo, while the stereo soundscape is wider in the album mix.It was promoted with a film clip featuring Andy Warhol associate Cyrinda Foxe (February 22, 1952 – September 7, 2002) an American actress, model and publicist, best known for her role in Andy Warhol’s film “Bad” (1977). She was later married to both David Johansen of the proto-punk band New York Dolls and Steven Tyler of the hard rock band Aerosmith, and was the mother of Mia Tyler. Released on November 24th, the track spent 13 weeks in the UK charts, peaking at #2, making it Bowie’s biggest hit to date. The line “He’s so simple minded, he can’t drive his module” would later give the band Simple Minds their name.
LYRICS:
A small Jean Genie snuck off to the city
Strung out on lasers and slash-back blazers
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 right
Poor little Greenie, ooh-ooh
Keep her comin’
The Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
He’s outrageous, he screams and he bawls (Jean Genie)
Jean Genie, let yourself go, whoah
Sits like a man but he smiles like a reptile
She love him, she love 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, ooh-ooh
The Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
He’s outrageous, he screams and he bawls (Jean Genie)
Jean Genie, let yourself go, whoah
He’s so simple-minded, he can’t drive his module
He bites on the neon and sleeps in a capsule
Loves to be loved, loves to be loved
Oh, Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
He’s outrageous, he screams and he bawls (Jean Genie)
Jean Genie, let yourself go, whoah
Go!
Go!
The Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
He’s outrageous, he screams and he bawls (Jean Genie)
Jean Genie, let yourself go, whoah
Go, go go!
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