This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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!
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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Bowie came up with the music to this before the lyrics... he wrote it while he was touring america, and says it's a 'mish-mash of imagined americana'. He was hanging out with Cyrinda Foxe at the time, and she's in the video (check it out, she's hot!). She was one of Warhol's favourite girls at the time... kind of an 'it-girl', and apparently loads of fun to be with. I love how he sounds in this, especially when he says: 'poor little greenie...' so hot! ... but i'm pretty sure the line is: 'New York's a go-go and everything tastes nice'
Course it's about Jim! Have you ever seen anyone who looks more reptilian than Pop?
Jean Genie doesn't wear shirts Jean Genie's so sexy it hurts He's outrageous, he's five seven tall Jean Genie walks before he crawls
(Mine humble tribute to the Pop-ster.)
nah its about iggy pop. he and iggy went to berlin and got over their drug addictions together
@Sandysbird I agree it's BASED on Iggy Pop...but has nothing to do with Berlin. This song was written before the Berlin Trilogy.
@Sandysbird he wrote this years before he went to Berlin though you may be right about Iggy
@Sandysbird <br /> In Bowie's own words, "an Iggy-type character... it wasn't actually Iggy.<br /> The Complete David Bowie: pp.110-111
The title may have been a take on Jean Genet, but the imagery was definitely inspired by proto-punk lunatic genius Iggy Pop.
whoever plays the guitar, it is fantastic.
Mick Ronson. Bowie + Ronson = legendary
I think part of it can also be a reference to a sort of "American dream" but even more to an aspiration of being part of the "jet set". In the sense that "greenie" can be a substatute for greed and the idea that money is green and talking about monroe and snow white can represent aspirations. But i may be taking it too far lol
@Mystical_night I think "Snow White" is cocain...
the song is about iggy pop - THE END
Bowie explained once in an interview that "On 'Jean Genie" I wanted to get the same sounds the Stones had on their first album. I didn't get that near to it but it had a feel that I wanted, that Sixties thing." This is definitely one of the most close-knit band performances, with the rhythm section locking tightly together and particularly effective bass.
I’m with the Jean Genet camp on this (the French writer).
He says he a beautician and sell you nutrition (he sells drugs). The Jean Genie lives on his back (homosexual reference). The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks (loves cocaine — smoke goes up chimneys, coal makes smoke as does coke) He’s walking on snow white (cocaine reference again)
my 2 cents.
The guitar thing - Jeff Beck played live in '73 at the Spiders' last gig. God knows where the Bo Diddley rumour came from but the guitar is Mick Ronson all the way. The brilliant, sorely missed Mick Ronson.
@Geryman, it's a Bo Diddley-style riff, that's all.