The Jean Genie
David Bowie
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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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Written by: RAYMOND KLAGES, FATS WALLER
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Release and Performance"The Jean Genie" was released as a single by David Bowie in November 1972. The song, which is from the album "Aladdin Sane," reached number two in the UK Singles Chart.
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Song InspirationThe song was inspired by Bowie's friend and collaborator, Iggy Pop and is also an homage to the influential American author, Jean Genet.
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Title MisconceptionMany initially assumed that "The Jean Genie" was a tribute to Jean Genie - the French revolutionary known as Jean-Paul Marat. However, the title was actually a play on author Jean Genet’s name.
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Album SignificanceThe song, featured on the 1973 album "Aladdin Sane," helped lay the groundwork for Bowie’s later exploration into soul, funk, and disco music.
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Highlight Performances"The Jean Genie" was often the last song Bowie performed in concerts during the 1970s. His rendition of this song is particularly memorable in his 1973 Top of the Pops performance.
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GenreThe song falls primarily in the glam rock genre, a style associated with fashionable and ostentatious performances. It was during the recording of songs like "The Jean Genie" that Bowie developed his Ziggy Stardust persona.
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Music VideoThe music video of "The Jean Genie" was thought to be lost for many years until it was miraculously discovered in a television station vault in 2011.
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Chart SuccessThe song became an instant hit, and despite only reaching number 2 in the UK, "The Jean Genie" is considered one of Bowie's most popular songs and has since been covered by numerous artists.
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Lyrical ContentThe lyrics include several references to city life, sexuality, and the tour experiences that Bowie had with his band, The Spiders from Mars.
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Song StructureThe song features a harmonica, guitar, and piano arrangement, producing a bluesy, rock 'n' roll sound that was catchy and accessible to a more mainstream audience.
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Citation
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"The Jean Genie Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/14565452/David+Bowie/The+Jean+Genie>.
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