David Bowie John Im Only Dancing Again

Vocal past David Bowie

"John, I'm Only Dancing"
Single by David Bowie
B-side	"Hang On to Yourself"
Released	one September 1972 (original version) April 1973 (sax version)
Recorded	26 June 1972 (original) 20 Jan 1973 (sax version)
Studio	Olympic, London (original) Trident, London (sax version)
Genre	Glam stone[one]
Length	2:49 (original) ii:43 (sax version)
Label	RCA
Songwriter(due south)	David Bowie
Producer(s)	David Bowie Ken Scott
David Bowie singles chronology
"Starman" (1972) "John, I'grand Only Dancing" (1972) "The Jean Genie" (1972)
Music video
"John, I'm Only Dancing" on Vimeo

"John, I'thousand Only Dancing" is a single by English language rock musician David Bowie, released in two versions – entirely different recordings, just conveying the aforementioned catalogue number – in September 1972 and April 1973. Bowie later re-worked the vocal into the disco-influenced "John, I'g Only Dancing (Again)," recorded in 1974 but unreleased until 1979.

Recording and release [edit]

The song is widely believed to exist concerned with a gay relationship, the narrator informing his swain not to worry about the girl he's with considering he's "only dancing" with her.^{[ii] [3]} Bowie had been 'out' equally bisexual since an interview with Tune Maker in January 1972, and the field of study thing did not touch on the single's radio airplay in the U.k., where information technology and the before "Starman" became his start dorsum-to-back hits. Even so, the original video directed by Mick Rock, featuring androgynous dancers from Lindsay Kemp's mime troupe, was banned past Pinnacle of the Pops.^[2]

The single was non released in America, beingness judged too risqué past RCA,^{[3] [four]} and did not officially appear stateside until it was finally issued on the compilation Changesonebowie in 1976. While the hook ("John, I'm only dancing / She turns me on / But I'm only dancing") has long been considered a gay tease, author Nicholas Pegg asserts that the vocal'due south narrator "could just as easily exist a straight human being reassuring the daughter's lover".^[4] Alternatively, it has been suggested that Bowie wrote the song in response to a derogatory comment fabricated by John Lennon well-nigh Bowie's cross-dressing.^[5]

Musically in a light R&B mode, the track was recorded on 26 June 1972,^{[vi] [7]} released equally a single, and then re-recorded on 20 January 1973^[8] during the Aladdin Sane sessions, in a slightly different arrangement featuring Ken Fordham on saxophone. Oft chosen the "sax version", the 2nd recording was issued equally a single in April 1973 with exactly the aforementioned catalogue number as the first release, causing difficulties for collectors.^[4] Generally held to be superior to the original cut,^{[3] [9]} the sax reworking also appeared on early pressings of Changesonebowie before information technology was replaced with the original single version.

Track listing [edit]

All songs written past David Bowie.^{[10] [eleven]}

1. "John, I'm Only Dancing" – 2:43
2. "Hang On to Yourself" – two:38

Personnel [edit]

• David Bowie – vocals, acoustic guitar, saxophone (sax version), producer
• Mick Ronson – pb guitar
• Lou Reed – rhythm guitar
• Trevor Bolder – bass guitar
• Mick Woodmansey – drums
• Ken Fordham – saxophone (sax version)
• Ken Scott – producer

Live versions [edit]

• A previously unreleased live version from Boston Music Hall, recorded on 1 October 1972, was released in 1989 on the original Sound + Vision box set, but was not included in subsequent versions of this compilation. The aforementioned track, however, was issued on the bonus disc of the Aladdin Sane – 30th Ceremony Edition in 2003.
• A live version recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on twenty October 1972 has been released on Santa Monica '72 and Live Santa Monica '72.

Other releases [edit]

• The Portugal release of the single "Starman" from September 1972 had "John, I'chiliad Only Dancing" as the B-side.
• In November 1972 information technology was released every bit the B-side of the unmarried "The Jean Genie" in Japan.
• It appeared on the B-side of the "Cracked Player" single in Eastern Europe in June 1973.
• In 1979, a remix of the 1972 version of the vocal was released on various United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland and The states singles, either equally an A-side or equally the B-side to "John, I'm But Dancing (Once again)". This version was included every bit a bonus track on the Rykodisc CD release of Ziggy Stardust in 1990.
• The song has appeared in the following compilations:
  • Changesonebowie (1976) – the start 1000 copies of the album included the sax version of the single; the residual featured the original single version^{[iii] [9]}
  • The All-time of Bowie (1980) – sax version
  • Sound + Vision (1989) – sax version
  • Changesbowie (1990) – original version
  • The Singles Collection (1993) – original version
  • The Best of David Bowie 1969/1974 (1997) – sax version
  • Best of Bowie (2002) – original version
• The sax version was released on the bonus disc of the 30th Anniversary Edition of Aladdin Sane in 2003.
• Both the 1972 original and the sax version were included on Re:Telephone call 1, part of the Five Years (1969–1973) boxed gear up, in 2015.
• The song was released every bit a movie disc in the RCA Life Time picture disc set.

John, I'one thousand Only Dancing (Once again) [edit]

"John, I'm Merely Dancing (Again)"
Single by David Bowie
B-side	"John, I'g But Dancing"
Released	seven December 1979
Recorded	August and November 1974
Studio	Sigma Audio, Philadelphia
Genre	Disco
Length	6:57 (12" version) 3:26 (single version)
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	David Bowie
Producer(southward)	David Bowie, Tony Visconti
David Bowie singles chronology
"Look Dorsum in Acrimony" (1979) "John, I'm Only Dancing (Over again)" (1979) "Alabama Song" (1980)

"John, I'm Only Dancing (Once again)" is a re-recording of "John, I'm Merely Dancing", made in 1974 during the sessions in Philadelphia for the album Young Americans. It was pencilled in as the opening track of the new album, before farther sessions in New York generated more tracks which pushed information technology out of the running gild.

Finally released every bit a standalone single in December 1979, the re-recording featured a much more funk-influenced take on the track, and has some similarities with the song "Stay" recorded for the Station to Station album in 1976. Originally running at six:57, the rail was cut for a vii" unmarried release, but the total version was issued on 12" vinyl – the first Bowie single to have a regular 12" release in the UK. For the B-side, the original version of "John, I'm Only Dancing" was remixed. After the relative disappointment of the singles from Lodger on the charts, the single gave Bowie some greater degree of mainstream exposure during a period when his work was increasingly being perceived as esoteric and experimental. The long 12" version was included equally a bonus track on the 1991 Rykodisk/EMI remaster CD of Young Americans, on the 2007 collectors edition of the album, and on The Best of David Bowie 1974/1979. The 7" unmarried version was not released on CD until 2016's Who Can I Exist Now? (1974–1976).

The reworking of "John, I'm Only Dancing" drops the original verses, only leaving the chorus' lyrics intact, possibly because of the supposed homosexual nature of the original piece. The new lyrics were simply an embrace of the dance floor and the spirit of disco. The chorus is delivered more than slowly and unswung with dance beats instead of the rather retro blues beats of the original, giving time for Bowie to demonstrate song virtuosity. The changes were considered somewhat foreign given the original's context, especially the transformation into the "overlong" trip the light fantastic toe track, given the 12" version's extended mix, in which half of the song is a repetitive riff consisting of the lyrics "dancing, dancing, dancing, woo woo woo-oo".

Track listings [edit]

All tracks written past David Bowie.

7" (BOW 4-United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland)

1. "John, I'm But Dancing (Again)" – 3:26
2. "John, I'm Only Dancing (1972)" – ii:43

vii" (11887-US)

1. "John, I'1000 But Dancing (1972)" – 2:43
2. "Joe The Lion" – 3:05

12" (11886-The states)

1. "John, I'grand Only Dancing (Again)" – half dozen:59
2. "Golden Years" – 4:03

12" (BOW 12 4-United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland)

1. "John, I'one thousand Only Dancing (Again)" – half-dozen:59
2. "John, I'thousand Only Dancing (1972)" – 2:43

There were 2 entirely distinct singles in the U.s.. One had "John, I'm Only Dancing (Again)", with "Golden Years" equally the B-side. The other omitted "John, I'm Only Dancing (Again)", instead featuring the new remix of the 1972 version of the vocal, with "Joe the Lion" every bit the B-side.

Personnel [edit]

• Producers:
  • Tony Visconti
• Musicians:
  • David Bowie – lead and backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, piano
  • Carlos Alomar – lead guitar
  • Willie Weeks – bass
  • Andy Newmark – drums
  • Mike Garson – pianoforte
  • David Sanborn – saxophone
  • Larry Washington – conga
  • Luther Vandross, Robin Clark, Ava Cherry – backing vocals

Other releases [edit]

• The 12" version appeared on the post-obit compilations:
  • Changestwobowie (1981)
  • The Best of David Bowie 1974/1979 (1998)
• Additionally, the 12" version was a bonus track on the Rykodisc CD release of Young Americans in 1991, and appeared on the Collectors Edition of that album in 2007.
• The 7" unmarried version was released on a vinyl LP, Rare, in 1982, only was non released on CD until 2016's Who Can I Exist Now? (1974-1976).
• A September 1974 live performance (previously available on the unofficial album A Portrait in Flesh) was released in 2017 on Cracked Actor (Live Los Angeles '74), while an October 1974 live version was released in 2020 on I'chiliad But Dancing (The Soul Tour 74).

Encompass versions [edit]

• United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland rockabilly revival band The Polecats released a encompass of the song every bit their 2d single in March 1981. Their version peaked at no. 35 on the Britain Singles Chart^[12] and was performed on Meridian of the Pops.
• A version past Great britain post-punk band The Chameleons appeared as a bonus track on the CD release of their 1986 album Foreign Times.
• American indie-pop band Vivian Girls covered the song for the 2010 David Bowie tribute anthology Nosotros Were So Turned On: A Tribute to David Bowie'.

Chart performance [edit]

In 1972, "John, I'yard Merely Dancing" debuted at #49 on the Ultratop 50 in Wallonia.^[13]

References [edit]

1. ^ Wolk, Douglas (22 Jan 2015). "David Bowie: Young Americans". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
2. ^ ^{a b} Buckley 1999, pp. 169–170.
3. ^ ^{a b c d} Carr & Murray 1981, pp. 49–50.
4. ^ ^{a b c} Nicholas Pegg (2000). The Complete David Bowie, pp. 112–113
5. ^ Philip Glaviano (1983). Inside Bowie, p. 69
6. ^ Cann 2010, p. 257.
7. ^ Chris O'Leary (2015). Rebel Rebel, pp. 246, 526
8. ^ Cann 2010, p. 283.
9. ^ ^{a b} "John, I'thou Only Dancing" Archived 8 February 2007 at the Wayback Automobile at The Ziggy Stardust Companion
10. ^ "John, I'm Only Dancing" (Single liner notes). David Bowie. UK: RCA Victor. 1972. RCA 2263. {{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. ^ "John, I'm Just Dancing" (Unmarried liner notes). David Bowie. United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland: RCA Victor. 1973. RCA 2263. {{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
12. ^ "John i'm merely dancing/Big green car | total Official Chart History | Official Charts Company".
13. ^ "David Bowie - John, I'm Just Dancing". Ultratop 50 (in French). Retrieved 12 September 2020.

Sources [edit]

• Buckley, David (1999). Strange Fascination – David Bowie: The Definitive Story. Virgin Books. ISBN978-1-85227-784-0.
• Cann, Kevin (2010). Any Day At present – David Bowie: The London Years: 1947–1974. Adelita. ISBN978-0-95520-177-half dozen.
• Carr, Roy; Murray, Charles Shaar (1981). Bowie: An Illustrated Record. Eel Pie Publishing. ISBN978-0-38077-966-half-dozen.
• Pegg, Nicholas, The Consummate David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN one-903111-14-5

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John,_I%27m_Only_Dancing

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