China Girl (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "China Girl" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Single by David Bowie | ||
| from the album Let's Dance | ||
| B-side(s) | Shake It | |
| Released | May 1983 | |
| Format | 7"/12” single | |
| Recorded | Power Station, New York, December 1982 | |
| Genre | Rock/Pop/Dance | |
| Length | 4:14 | |
| Label | EMI EA157 |
|
| Producer(s) | Nile Rodgers | |
| Chart positions | ||
|
||
| David Bowie singles chronology | ||
| Let's Dance (1983) |
China Girl (1983) |
Modern Love (1983) |
"China Girl" is a song which was co-written by Iggy Pop and David Bowie, for Iggy Pop's album The Idiot. However it was not popularized until it was re-released by David Bowie on the album Let's Dance.
An edit of David Bowie's 1977 version was also released as a single.
Under the auspices of Nile Rodgers, the song was given a much more commercial sheen than the sinister Iggy Pop version.
This song is arguably about heroin addiction; "China white" is a street nickname for heroin, and based on the following lyrics in the song:
- I could escape this feeling with my China girl
- I feel a wreck without my little China girl
- ...
- I’m a mess without my little China girl
- Wake up in the morning, where’s my little China girl.
The song also concerns commercial imperialism[citation needed], and as such continues the theme established in the video for "Let’s Dance". It was again edited for single release, but attracted more attention for its striking video. David Mallet’s clip, shot in Australia, featured Geeling Ng lying naked in the surf with Bowie (a visual reference to the film From Here to Eternity). The latter’s bared buttocks saw the video generate some lurid tabloid headlines, though the clip as it is went on to win an MTV award. The UK single release reached #2 in the charts, and the US release #10.
The song was a regular for Bowie’s live shows for the rest of the 1980s, and resurfaced again from 1999.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
7” version: -
- "China Girl" (Bowie, Pop) – 4:14
- "Shake It" (Bowie) – 3:49
12” version: -
- "China Girl" (Bowie, Pop) – 5:32
- "Shake It (Remix)” (Bowie) – 5:07
[edit] Production credits
- Musicians:
- David Bowie: Vocals
- Stevie Ray Vaughan: Guitar
- Nile Rodgers: Guitar
- Carmine Rojas: Bass
- Omar Hakim, Tony Thompson: Drums
- Rob Sabino: Keyboards
- Mac Gollehon: Trumpet
- Robert Aaron, Stan Harrison, Steve Elson: Saxophone
- Sam Figueroa: Percussion
[edit] Other releases
- It appeared on the following compilations:
- Changesbowie (1990)
- Bowie: The Singles 1969-1993 (1993)
- The Singles Collection (1993)
- The soundtrack for the film The Wedding Singer featured "China Girl".
[edit] Cover versions
- Nick Cave - Live recording in Melbourne, 1978.
- James - Single (1998)
- Jungk - Future Release?
- Kari Polo - Sikta mot Stjärnorna, Vol. 3
- Piggy Stardust - Ashes to Ashes: A Tribute to David Bowie (1998)
- The Rockridge Synthesiser Orchestra - Plays David Bowie Classic Trax
- Trance to the Sun - Goth Oddity: A Tribute to David Bowie (1999)
- An uncredited version on the album Discotastic - The Ultimate Dance Beat Collection Cover Versions (1998)
- Anna Ternheim - Shoreline EP (2005)
[edit] References
Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5
