Blue Jean

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This article is about the David Bowie song; for the magazine, see Blue Jean Magazine.

"Blue Jean"

Single by David Bowie
from the album Tonight
B-side(s)	Dancing with the Big Boys
Released	September 1984
Format	7”/12” single
Recorded	Le Studio, Morin Heights, May 1984
Genre	Rock
Length	4:06
Label	EMI EA181
Producer(s)	David Bowie, Hugh Padgham, Derek Bramble
Chart positions
6 (UK) 8 (US)
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.

1 Track listing
2 Production credits
3 Other releases
4 Cover versions
5 References

[edit] Track listing

7” version: -

"Blue Jean" (Bowie) – 3:10
"Dancing with the Big Boys” (Bowie, Pop) – 3:34

12” version: -

"Blue Jean (Extended Dance Mix)" (Bowie) - 5:16
"Dancing with the Big Boys (Extended Dance Mix)” (Bowie, Pop) – 7:28
"Dancing with the Big Boys (Extended Dub Mix)” (Bowie, Pop) – 7:15

[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)

[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)
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