China Girl (song): Difference between revisions
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"'''China Girl'''" is a song which was co-written by [[Iggy Pop]] and [[David Bowie]], for [[Iggy Pop]]'s album [[The Idiot (album)|The Idiot]]. However it was not popularized until it was released by David Bowie on the album ''[[Let's Dance]]''. |
"'''China Girl'''" is a song which was co-written by [[Iggy Pop]] and [[David Bowie]], for [[Iggy Pop]]'s album [[The Idiot (album)|The Idiot]]. However it was not popularized until it was released by David Bowie on the album ''[[Let's Dance]]''. |
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The song is about a man comes to bear the truth of the reality of then communist China run by Deng Xiaoping through an illegal prosetute he falls for, willing to aid her safety all eyes and ears, spoil her with gifts and to sort out her personal life. |
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An edit of David Bowie's 1977 version was also released as a single. |
An edit of David Bowie's 1977 version was also released as a single. |
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Revision as of 22:55, 1 August 2007
- This article is about the song. For the film, see China Girl (film).
| "China Girl" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "Shake It" |
"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 released by David Bowie on the album Let's Dance.
The song is about a man comes to bear the truth of the reality of then communist China run by Deng Xiaoping through an illegal prosetute he falls for, willing to aid her safety all eyes and ears, spoil her with gifts and to sort out her personal life.
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.
It continues the theme established in the video for "Let’s Dance". The song 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.
Track listing
7": EMI America / EA 157 (UK)
- "China Girl [Edit]" (Bowie, Pop) – 4:14
- "Shake It" (Bowie) – 3:49
12": EMI America / 12EA 157 (UK)
- "China Girl" (Bowie, Pop) – 5:32
- "Shake It [Remix]" (Bowie) – 5:07
Production credits
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".
Cover versions
- Nick Cave - Live recording in Melbourne, 1978.
- James - Single (1998)
- Kari Polo - Sikta mot Stjärnorna, Vol. 3
- Ziggy 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)
- Voltaire - Zombie Prostitute... (2006)
- Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter (Bonus CD) (2001)
- System of a Down - Live
References
Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5