There will never be another rock hero like David Bowie. In addition to his unique vocals and songwriting, his sense of style and dedication to creation, itself, are unparalleled. His was a one-of-a-kind genius that we were blessed to have lived alongside.
Iggy Pop wrote this with Bowie. Paul Trynka, the author of David Bowie's biography , claims the song was inspired by Iggy Pop's infatuation with Kuelan Nguyen, a beautiful Vietnamese woman. She was staying at the studio and Bowie encouraged the couple's relationship. It has also been argued that the song is about heroin addiction, as "China White" is slang for the drug.
lol. u both right. this was Bowie's peak of commercialism thanks to Nile Rogers excellent production and Stevie Ray Vaughn's brilliant guitar work. its shunned by the superfans but it is pop perfection.
I am a "superfan", or at least a long time huge fan of David Bowie, and I love this song. I think Bowies 80s and 90s period is underrated. His last album, Blackstar,, also go way to little attention compared to it's quality.
@@krissysteel1 I think it can be said that real fans of a band allow that band to experiment with their sound and actually appreciate they don't try to replicate the same thing over and over again.
@@krissysteel1 oh puleeze. you know exactly what im referring too. people constantly bash this album as being too commercial. dont insult my intelligence by acting dumb.
This is a gem of a tune. When I tell people of this gen that music just doesn't measure up these days, I can point to this. Perfect example of my era's "standard fare" brilliance. We heard these every single day on the radio. The musicality, the creative juices, nuances...lyrics are unknown to our fav reactors because history isn't taught.
As I got older, I grew tired of all the songs on the radio & I only wanted to hear stuff that was odd or different. I was never a Bowie fan as a kid, but I discovered he's more odd & different 50-60 yrs ago than anything out there today. He was a genius & fearless.
Bowie’s biggest mainstream hits were in the 80s, but his period of biggest influence, and his creative brilliant best, were in the 70s. I recommend you take a listen to some of his songs from that decade. It’s hard to go wrong with anything - and each album was very different to the last.
My favorite Bowie song ever. This got me a little emotional cause it’s been sooooooo long since I’ve heard it. There are some songs you deliberately limit yourself to listening to, because you never wanna get sick of it. This one was really overplayed when it was new. Great reaction!! Love you guys!!
Okay, biggest Bowie fan here (millions of others claim the same, I have no illusions). This song was produced during, what Bowie himself admits, his weakest music producing time, in terms of creativity and artistic prowl. Bowie was forced socially and, no doubt, at the urge of his label to embrace the disco era/scene. What I like about this song is that the late 70's, early eighties (disco) beat is clearly there, but, all be it a cheapish, fast and a bit less thoughtful single production, it still has distinctive Bowie characteristics that so many of us love;, the swaggery hooks in his singing, interesting runs and riffs with various instruments and a Bowie presence in its sound, its projection. Made in the height of Bowie's Berlin era, one of Bowie's projects of that time was to uplift Iggy Pop's career and the song was written by, or together with or for Iggy Pop, who really knows the real truth. While some Asian girl hanging around Iggy Pop and a drug use theme probably inspired the song, I am convinced (there is no evidence of this, purely my speculation) that a general exploitation of, described as, very cute, small, adorable and sexy Asian girls by western society men is part of Bowie's artistic inspiration. And we get real instruments, it's not overladen with synthesizer work with snip bits of Stevie Ray Vaughn on guitar,...all of this makes the song wear well over the years where we probably had not expected it to. David Bowie, may you rest in piece.
Bowie covered this song by Iggy Pop when Iggy was going through a really rough financial stage in his life. Bowie wanted to help him out just like he helped out a lot of other musicians during his life. The more you dive into Bowie's music and persona, the more you appreciate what an incredible talent and person he really was.
Bowie went through a pop period in the 80s , whenever you see artists from this period you have to remember the importance of MTV which really took over from radio in terms of promoting music world wide .
This is what happens when David Bowie, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Nile Rodgers get together, Magic.. One of my favourite tracks on the Lets Dance album. Be sure to try Cat People too.
Brad, before the Third Reich stole the emblem of the swastika as their "sacred" emblem, it was an emblem of Infinity, Wisdom, Eternity, etc in MANY eastern cultures (Hindu, early Buddhism, etc etc), and found carved into ruins in the Lost City of Angkor in Cambodia. It was perverted by the Nazis, but was originally a symbol of enlightenment.
I wouldn't even say the Nazis perverted it. I would say everyone who came afterwards that hated Hitler perverted it just because they let their hatred override everything else.........
Original one turned in the opposite direction. Giving life from the center (of torus fields, of the nucleus, of the self), while the Swastika took life away, sucking it up like a black hole.
Kiss, Peter Gabriel and Bowie are among the groups where ya really have to watch the official music videos (blur them a bit). They're very visual and part of that whole 70's-80's visual component. This was part of Bowie's continuing pop cross over experiments. For people that aren't huge Bowie fans, they'll still associate this song with the music video.
Huge '80s song and video got played a lot on MTV. Bowie music style was unique, always changing styles. '80s he went somewhat new wave but still poppy.
Original was from the 1970s from Iggy Pop, proto-punk song. David Bowie did the cover in new wave, dance pop style with Oriental music mixed in during the 1980s. Which ended up being a top hit. All over the radio and MTV video. Bowie was doing some new wave type music during the 1980s and early 1990s, too. He made all kinds of music style one of the best ever in music.
The China girl in the picture is the same girl as the video - Geeling Ng was a girl from New Zealand working in a restaurant in Sydney Australia, when she auditioned for the role. For some reason it was being filmed in Australia. She had a brief affair with David Bowie, and became well known in New Zealand media. She has been quoted as saying the Video changed her life. also : "The video parodies Asian stereotypes and went on to win an MTV award. At the time, the unedited version was banned from New Zealand and some other countries for a raunchy scene on a beach."
Bowie's "Serious Moonlight" tour is in my top 10 live concert performance. By the way, that's Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar. Bowie and Jackson Browne saw SRV perform at Montrose and paid the freight for recording his album "Texas Flood."
Kia ora hello from Aotearoa new zealand hay i went to Western springs in 1983 with my dad and younger sister i was 13 THE SERIOUS MOONLIGHT TOUR it's still to this day THE LARGEST GATHERING OF PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE AT THE SAME TIME IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND and burnt into my memory up on the bank looking at over 90.000 people. Western springs had a high hurricane wire fence with barbed wire at the top there were around 5000 people outside who couldn't get tickets and they stormed the fence and pushed over a large section it's had a very high cinder block wall with barbed wire ever since . I've also seen Neil Young.... The Police....pink Floyd.... And Supergroove at this venue
You guys might want to consider the song 'Putting Out Fire' that he did with Giorgio Moroder for the movie *Cat People.* As for this song's meaning, the guy who produced this Bowie version thought it was about drugs when in reality it was about Iggy Pop's infatuation with a woman, turned into a metaphor for his band's career.
@@NewBluesBros It's actually both, but whatever people choose to call it, I just hope they like it half as much as I do. Almost all credit sequence songs for movies are listed as the title-theme, but the subtitle is generally the actual name of the song if it weren't in a movie. On the LP I got from the film's distributor, the album is Cat People, and the first song is the Cat People theme, which is Putting Out Fire.
When I lived in Japan, their was Swastikas all around the Buddhist Shrines and temples. A big one was about 5 klicks north of Yokosuka, Japan viewed from the train.
The girl on cover and Video is Geeling Ng a New Zealand model .The Video was filmed in Sydney Australia .Around the same time as ( Lets dance ) also filmed in Sydney .
It's "Her finger" near his mouth, in relation to the lyric "oh baby just you shut your mouth". Easy to figure out. In the video they show them like this, you are looking at with her saying "shuuu" and her finger near his mouth. And also reference to drugs. And when he says "I'll give you television I'll give you eyes of blue" in reference to maybe he might ruin her with "that "American stuff" and maybe a baby to be created "eyes of blue" i.e "American". Also the "Marlon Brando" reference I think is in relation to a movie Brando, did where he fell in love with an Asian woman, as he was in her country.
In the 80s Bowie's friend Iggy Pop was in money troubles, so Bowie had an idea. He took songs they wrote together for Iggy's album and covered them for his albums "Let's Dance" & "Tonight". One of those was "China Girl" (on "Let's Dance"), that Bowie deliberately re-arranged to make it a mainstream hit, so Iggy would get a lot of royalties. Guess what? That plan worked and Iggy's money troubles were solved. 😀😀 "Tonight" was not a good album, but Bowie helped out two friends with it, so I forgive him that one. :-) The other friend he helped out was Tina Turner, who he helped to resurrect her career. One of those things he did for her was the title trick of that album as a duett with her.
I've always understood the song to be about how the West invaded and changed the East, culturally. How it's tragic that Western culture influenced and even dominated Eastern culture. It's kind of a love song in the literal sense, but you're right, it's also symbolic.
Cows are considered sacred beings in the Hindu religion. They roam freely, are well kept, and are not milked or eaten. Swastikas are common symbols in Hindu and Buddhist culture, and the word mean "well-being" in Sanskrit. The lyrics are referring to common sights in a many Asian cultures.
Cows are sacred, but they are definitely milked. Milk, butter, ghee, yogurt, and cheese are heavily consumed. Also, India is the number one producer of milk in the world.
Bowie into his 80's phase (sort of new wave) a bit here. This album (Let's Dance 1983) was his best selling, I believe. He's warning his Asian girlfriend that he'll corrupt her with his Western values (ie. materialism etc.) Stevie Ray Vaughan plays guitar on this track and the whole album, prior to going solo. You may want to check out Rebel Rebel, Changes or Young Americans next. So many more to hit! ✌
When David Bowie made it big, he helped struggling acts like Lou Reed, Mott the Hoople, and Iggy Pop with producing hit versions of their songs. This was Iggy Pop's song, reworked and made into a big hit for Bowie. You can compare it to Iggy's version here ruclips.net/video/T8qRBkGxZ14/видео.html
Iggy Pop is probably number two for me for being the most intense and no regard for self-preservation front man I've ever seen live I'M SO SORRY LORD IGGY. BUT THE MOST INTENSE FRONT MEN I'VE SEEN WAS IN 1986 at the Galaxy auckland Aotearoa new zealand and he was LUX INTERIOR of THE CRAMPS my English Bullmastiff is called IGGY PUP My oldest son 15 is called Strummer Clash Palace. My dad took me and my younger sister to see DAVID BOWIE at Western springs stadium in Auckland Aotearoa new zealand in 1983 the serious moonlight tour for the LET'S DANCE ALBUM it's still to this day the largest crowd of people in one place at the same time in Aotearoa new zealand ever
@@heathcornbeef I admit I had not heard of the Cramps, but their RUclips videos show they were 🔥 Lux Interior was born in Stow, Ohio. Synchronously, I grew up in Cuyahoga Falls, about 15-20 minutes to the east. My first serious romance (4.5 years) was with a Stow girl, who like Lux graduated from Stow High School (but in 1968). We split up in 1970, when I was 20. CRIS, IT STILL ACHES like an old wound sometimes, but my life went very well (so far). I read that Lux had a memorial service at the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in California. 🛕 My dad was a SRF member, and on his meditation room wall had pictures of both Yogananda and Y's guru Sri Yukteswar. More coincidence? I guess this means I have to listen to more of the Cramps. 🤔 Thanks for the note .
@@bowtangey6830 when i was in hospital from a drunk driver running a red light in 1987 17 year's old in an orthopedic ward for 3 months two years rehabilitation still have constant pain but anyway I had a really big THE CRAMPS (off the bone) poster above me on the wall in the ward it would raze eyebrows
Bowie was inspired to write this song based on his friend Iggy Pops infatuation with a Vietnamese Girl . Bowie changed it to China Girl and in the video the Chinese Girl is actually from New Zealand 23 year old Geeling Ng .
Not many People are aware of this, but during that whole period Mick Ronson Was with Bowie, he wrote & arranged all the music, Bowie just wrote the lyrics(which were fantastic admittedly) but Ronson's contribution to that golden Period of Bowie's Career was equal if not more important. He was an unheralded musical Genius. R.I.P. Mick.
Something I just noticed: listing to music , I’m chill like Brad on the outside, but I’m bobbing along to the tune on the inside like Lex. Keep it up guys!
Lex is right, it is Bowie being poetic..."code" for how western culture tends to ruin more "primitive" cultures...even when they don't mean to do it. Watch this. It is from a MTV show which I remember seeing on live tv in the late 90s. As always, he changes the song some, but also explains a bit of how he wrote it. ruclips.net/video/3AVgwnU2Rig/видео.html
Thank you so much Eric. Listening to his explanation then hearing it makes all the difference. Brad. Lex. Hope you see this link from Eric. If you get a chance listen to it, it makes so much more sense and because of that you can’t help but have a deeper appreciation. ❤️
My take is similar. The song is of an Anglo fantasizing about being a white supremacist despoiler, meanwhile she is actually holding her own. She's having her fun and watching him be a fantasizing boy.
I always think it's kinda misguided to always try and "figure out" what a song is about, many rock songs are purposely vague, ambiguous and open to interpretation or even more about creating a subjective personal impression in the listener no matter what the song writer was actually thinking about, music is a lot more fun that way IMHO.
Wife here..Wore this record out for sure..!!!.Even as a child I knew the instrumentation and vocals on this song were straight 🔥fire..!!!..(I thought he was just singing about his girlfriend)..Thank you for your awesome insight!!
I can totally see this being about dope. I've been listening to this since I was a kid and I don't know how I missed it, it's so obvious now. Good catch!
You are hearing Stevie Ray Vaughn..before he got his solo record deal....Bowie was in LA..and seeking a unknown studio guitarist....he called Jackson Browne..who happened to be in Dallas earlier and caught SRV. live...this song and Let's dance from Bowie was the Worlds first introduction to Stevie Ray. Thank you David.
Iggy Pop wrote China Girl, its about Iggys drunk ass fighting with her and she tells him to shut up... later on Bowie comes in and reboots this song as a romance and puts it on the Lets Dance Album.... the original song was Punk Rock and proto power metal.
Produced by Nile Rodgers. SRV on the 'gut'tar'. Nile produced for a lot of big-time artists. Check out his song "Good Times". You may have already heard it. He plays guitar in it and the bass line is extra funky. (1978or9
I just sang this at a show, very challenging & rewarding. I researched the heck out of this song, Nile Rodgers is the key to the groove, so much to analyze about this song. The song is a statement against racism according to Bowie. Rock on! 😊
So I never really thought about the lyrics but he says "stumble into town Just like a sacred cow, Visions of swastikas in my head" I'm gonna guess he's referencing the ancient Eurasian symbol of divinity and spirituality. Cows are sacred in Hinduism
My interpretation is he’s referencing the infamous Victoria Station incident a couple years before they wrote CG, when he was captured giving a nazi salute and blaming the coke for his flirtation / fascination with fascism. The whole song explores cultural differences and warns of the adoption of western culture in Asia. ie You might admire my blue eyes and the western ‘stuff’ but ‘I’ll ruin everything you are.’
Third video I watch. Great reaction as usual. Lex, I love watching your face as you listen to the music. I can tell you are really enjoying what you are listening to. Love this song. Bowie has some great songs. Too bad we lost him so young. R.I.P. David.
I think the song is about colonialism. “I’ll give you television, I’ll give you eyes of blue (Europeans), I’ll give you a man who wants to rule the world”.
Stevie ray Vaughan playin guitar on this album .. Bowie offered him the touring job .. he turned it down .. went solo 😎 the video is about a girl who is Asian
Ive been waiting for this pearl to be reacted to more in youtube land. Its David Bowies best song,by far,in my opinion. The only regrettable thing is that you guys didnt do a reaction on the really good music video here...
![Twenty One Pilots - The Line (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XCz7WUotXs8/mqdefault.jpg)
The smile on Lex’s face when that SRV solo kicked in…priceless. That’s exactly how I feel about it too!
Bomb ass tone, SRV was legend.
I remember reading an interview of SRV in Guitar Magazine where SRV said he worked with Bowie for a while, but found him too controlling...
That is right Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar
Stevie ray!!!!!!
One of my favorites by David Bowie
There will never be another rock hero like David Bowie. In addition to his unique vocals and songwriting, his sense of style and dedication to creation, itself, are unparalleled. His was a one-of-a-kind genius that we were blessed to have lived alongside.
I HAD THE LUXURY TO BE BOWIES DRIVER FOR ONE NITE IN SF BAY AREA. THE SHOW? AWESOME! THE MAN? SAME ... VERY VERY PLEASANT.
Iggy Pop wrote this with Bowie. Paul Trynka, the author of David Bowie's biography , claims the song was inspired by Iggy Pop's infatuation with Kuelan Nguyen, a beautiful Vietnamese woman. She was staying at the studio and Bowie encouraged the couple's relationship. It has also been argued that the song is about heroin addiction, as "China White" is slang for the drug.
Thanks for the history lesson!
It is Iggy Pop’s song,Bowie sang it to help him make some money
ruclips.net/video/9BBAEUOOFKQ/видео.html
I wandered about the line "Ruining everything she was " . I took at as Americanization (buying her television)
it's totally about heroiun. bowie and Iggy were doing more dope back then than a block full of junkies in North Philly do today
Pretty sure it's the first one
lol. u both right. this was Bowie's peak of commercialism thanks to Nile Rogers excellent production and Stevie Ray Vaughn's brilliant guitar work. its shunned by the superfans but it is pop perfection.
Bowie is like Elton John. Even his more commercial material is pretty epic.
Super fans my butt if they’re close minded
I am a "superfan", or at least a long time huge fan of David Bowie, and I love this song. I think Bowies 80s and 90s period is underrated. His last album, Blackstar,, also go way to little attention compared to it's quality.
@@krissysteel1 I think it can be said that real fans of a band allow that band to experiment with their sound and actually appreciate they don't try to replicate the same thing over and over again.
@@krissysteel1 oh puleeze. you know exactly what im referring too. people constantly bash this album as being too commercial. dont insult my intelligence by acting dumb.
This is a gem of a tune. When I tell people of this gen that music just doesn't measure up these days, I can point to this. Perfect example of my era's "standard fare" brilliance. We heard these every single day on the radio. The musicality, the creative juices, nuances...lyrics are unknown to our fav reactors because history isn't taught.
One of my fave Bowie songs. Old enough to be in college when it came out. What a great talent.
What an iconic bass line wow!
Absolutely. Just rediscovered it and very fun to play.
The original musical video is simply beautiful!
☮️
Both this and Creep had great videos to go with the song. It's ashame you didn't watch those versions of the songs.
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Yes, definitely worth checking out the video.
This is like four songs in one. I bowl once a week with a bunch of people my age. We all grew up in the 80s and everyone loves this song
As I got older, I grew tired of all the songs on the radio & I only wanted to hear stuff that was odd or different. I was never a Bowie fan as a kid, but I discovered he's more odd & different 50-60 yrs ago than anything out there today. He was a genius & fearless.
I don't think any higher praise can be said!
Brad & Lex, I think you'll love his "Changes" and "Young Americans" next!!
Bowie was so eclectic in his music.......and such an eccentric. This album was fabulous
Bowie’s biggest mainstream hits were in the 80s, but his period of biggest influence, and his creative brilliant best, were in the 70s. I recommend you take a listen to some of his songs from that decade. It’s hard to go wrong with anything - and each album was very different to the last.
Agreed 100%.
they have been
One of his very best was his last
Blackstar
I wanna hear more 80s and 90s Bowie. Everyone does 70s Bowie.
Bowie is my favorite artist & I love almost everything but 90s Bowie is my favorite, closely followed by the late 70s Berlins stuff.
I love this song so much. Thank you two.
My favorite Bowie song ever. This got me a little emotional cause it’s been sooooooo long since I’ve heard it. There are some songs you deliberately limit yourself to listening to, because you never wanna get sick of it. This one was really overplayed when it was new. Great reaction!! Love you guys!!
Nile Rodgers, who produced this, is the one who came up with the intro music for this song.
Whether it’s about a relationship or drugs, it’s still a great song and the killer guitar solo was by Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Okay, biggest Bowie fan here (millions of others claim the same, I have no illusions). This song was produced during, what Bowie himself admits, his weakest music producing time, in terms of creativity and artistic prowl. Bowie was forced socially and, no doubt, at the urge of his label to embrace the disco era/scene. What I like about this song is that the late 70's, early eighties (disco) beat is clearly there, but, all be it a cheapish, fast and a bit less thoughtful single production, it still has distinctive Bowie characteristics that so many of us love;, the swaggery hooks in his singing, interesting runs and riffs with various instruments and a Bowie presence in its sound, its projection.
Made in the height of Bowie's Berlin era, one of Bowie's projects of that time was to uplift Iggy Pop's career and the song was written by, or together with or for Iggy Pop, who really knows the real truth. While some Asian girl hanging around Iggy Pop and a drug use theme probably inspired the song, I am convinced (there is no evidence of this, purely my speculation) that a general exploitation of, described as, very cute, small, adorable and sexy Asian girls by western society men is part of Bowie's artistic inspiration.
And we get real instruments, it's not overladen with synthesizer work with snip bits of Stevie Ray Vaughn on guitar,...all of this makes the song wear well over the years where we probably had not expected it to.
David Bowie, may you rest in piece.
I feel this song is about addiction - both to someone and something
Bowie covered this song by Iggy Pop when Iggy was going through a really rough financial stage in his life. Bowie wanted to help him out just like he helped out a lot of other musicians during his life. The more you dive into Bowie's music and persona, the more you appreciate what an incredible talent and person he really was.
He was a really smart dude. I love some of his interviews where he eviscerates the interviewer for asking vapid questions.
It was co-written
@@simianinc yes, the confusion comes about because it was released by Iggy five years earlier. But yes, it was written by both of them in Berlin.
Long Live Iggy Pop, the emaciated immortal 🖤
@@noisycthulhu I mean... who guessed he'd outlive Bowie?
Bowie went through a pop period in the 80s , whenever you see artists from this period you have to remember the importance of MTV which really took over from radio in terms of promoting music world wide .
This is what happens when David Bowie, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Nile Rodgers get together, Magic.. One of my favourite tracks on the Lets Dance album. Be sure to try Cat People too.
Love the bass on this song. One of my favorite Bowie songs. Love his voice too.
One of my all time favorite David Bowie songs...great tune. RIP David Bowie
Brad, before the Third Reich stole the emblem of the swastika as their "sacred" emblem, it was an emblem of Infinity, Wisdom, Eternity, etc in MANY eastern cultures (Hindu, early Buddhism, etc etc), and found carved into ruins in the Lost City of Angkor in Cambodia. It was perverted by the Nazis, but was originally a symbol of enlightenment.
just about everything beautiful has been perverted by western culture
I wouldn't even say the Nazis perverted it. I would say everyone who came afterwards that hated Hitler perverted it just because they let their hatred override everything else.........
Apparently Goering first saw the symbol on a fireplace, mantelpiece in A house in Sweden, and clearly liked it.
Original one turned in the opposite direction. Giving life from the center (of torus fields, of the nucleus, of the self), while the Swastika took life away, sucking it up like a black hole.
Native American basketball team had swastikas on their shirts before Hitler.
Kiss, Peter Gabriel and Bowie are among the groups where ya really have to watch the official music videos (blur them a bit). They're very visual and part of that whole 70's-80's visual component. This was part of Bowie's continuing pop cross over experiments. For people that aren't huge Bowie fans, they'll still associate this song with the music video.
Huge '80s song and video got played a lot on MTV. Bowie music style was unique, always changing styles. '80s he went somewhat new wave but still poppy.
You mean the unedited video? On MTV? I can hardly believe that.
Original was from the 1970s from Iggy Pop, proto-punk song. David Bowie did the cover in new wave, dance pop style with Oriental music mixed in during the 1980s. Which ended up being a top hit. All over the radio and MTV video. Bowie was doing some new wave type music during the 1980s and early 1990s, too. He made all kinds of music style one of the best ever in music.
Actually, writers of the song are Bowie and Mr. Osterberg Jr. !
Bowie actually re-arranged this song and made it a mainstream hit, because Mr. Osterberg was in serious money troubles and could use the royalties. ^^
@@mori1bund That's what friends are for !
I caught hell from a neighbor for singing along as I showered in the late '80s. 😅
The China girl in the picture is the same girl as the video - Geeling Ng was a girl from New Zealand working in a restaurant in Sydney Australia, when she auditioned for the role. For some reason it was being filmed in Australia. She had a brief affair with David Bowie, and became well known in New Zealand media. She has been quoted as saying the Video changed her life.
also :
"The video parodies Asian stereotypes and went on to win an MTV award. At the time, the unedited version was banned from New Zealand and some other countries for a raunchy scene on a beach."
Bowie's "Serious Moonlight" tour is in my top 10 live concert performance. By the way, that's Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar. Bowie and Jackson Browne saw SRV perform at Montrose and paid the freight for recording his album "Texas Flood."
You are correct sir. Very good. Jackson was very helpful to S.R.V and Double Trouble.
Saw him at the US Festival and the L.A. Sports Arena that tour. Incredible. Saw him on his next tour, the Glass Onion tour. It was merely all right.
Kia ora hello from Aotearoa new zealand hay i went to Western springs in 1983 with my dad and younger sister i was 13 THE SERIOUS MOONLIGHT TOUR it's still to this day THE LARGEST GATHERING OF PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE AT THE SAME TIME IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND and burnt into my memory up on the bank looking at over 90.000 people. Western springs had a high hurricane wire fence with barbed wire at the top there were around 5000 people outside who couldn't get tickets and they stormed the fence and pushed over a large section it's had a very high cinder block wall with barbed wire ever since . I've also seen Neil Young.... The Police....pink Floyd.... And Supergroove at this venue
Damn. I still break into tears when i hear Bowie. RIP
You guys should react to…
David Bowie - Wild Is The Wind
🎸🤘
You guys might want to consider the song 'Putting Out Fire' that he did with Giorgio Moroder for the movie *Cat People.*
As for this song's meaning, the guy who produced this Bowie version thought it was about drugs when in reality it was about Iggy Pop's infatuation with a woman, turned into a metaphor for his band's career.
The song is called Cat People. Great song
@@NewBluesBros It's 'Cat People (Putting Out Fire)', you're both right!
@@NewBluesBros It's actually both, but whatever people choose to call it, I just hope they like it half as much as I do.
Almost all credit sequence songs for movies are listed as the title-theme, but the subtitle is generally the actual name of the song if it weren't in a movie. On the LP I got from the film's distributor, the album is Cat People, and the first song is the Cat People theme, which is Putting Out Fire.
There's the soundtrack version that is superior and the version he did on his "Let's Dance"album. Soundtrack version by a mile.
When I lived in Japan, their was Swastikas all around the Buddhist Shrines and temples. A big one was about 5 klicks north of Yokosuka, Japan viewed from the train.
The girl on cover and Video is Geeling Ng a New Zealand model .The Video was filmed in Sydney Australia .Around the same time as ( Lets dance ) also filmed in Sydney .
It's "Her finger" near his mouth, in relation to the lyric "oh baby just you shut your mouth". Easy to figure out. In the video they show them like this, you are looking at with her saying "shuuu" and her finger near his mouth. And also reference to drugs. And when he says "I'll give you television I'll give you eyes of blue" in reference to maybe he might ruin her with "that "American stuff" and maybe a baby to be created "eyes of blue" i.e "American". Also the "Marlon Brando" reference I think is in relation to a movie Brando, did where he fell in love with an Asian woman, as he was in her country.
In the 80s Bowie's friend Iggy Pop was in money troubles, so Bowie had an idea.
He took songs they wrote together for Iggy's album and covered them for his albums "Let's Dance" & "Tonight".
One of those was "China Girl" (on "Let's Dance"), that Bowie deliberately re-arranged to make it a mainstream hit, so Iggy would get a lot of royalties.
Guess what? That plan worked and Iggy's money troubles were solved. 😀😀
"Tonight" was not a good album, but Bowie helped out two friends with it, so I forgive him that one. :-)
The other friend he helped out was Tina Turner, who he helped to resurrect her career. One of those things he did for her was the title trick of that album as a duett with her.
I've always understood the song to be about how the West invaded and changed the East, culturally. How it's tragic that Western culture influenced and even dominated Eastern culture. It's kind of a love song in the literal sense, but you're right, it's also symbolic.
I had a China Girl in Singapore. 😎
Cows are considered sacred beings in the Hindu religion. They roam freely, are well kept, and are not milked or eaten. Swastikas are common symbols in Hindu and Buddhist culture, and the word mean "well-being" in Sanskrit. The lyrics are referring to common sights in a many Asian cultures.
Cows are sacred, but they are definitely milked. Milk, butter, ghee, yogurt, and cheese are heavily consumed. Also, India is the number one producer of milk in the world.
Yeah you could see them all over Google maps in Japan up until just a year ago or so, showing where temples are.
The swastika or broken cross was a Native American icon as Well. The Nations voted not to use it anymore either during or after WW2.
@@bcast9978 yeah I was thinking that later - just visions of leaking udders running through my head lol
Bowie into his 80's phase (sort of new wave) a bit here. This album (Let's Dance 1983) was his best selling, I believe. He's warning his Asian girlfriend that he'll corrupt her with his Western values (ie. materialism etc.) Stevie Ray Vaughan plays guitar on this track and the whole album, prior to going solo. You may want to check out Rebel Rebel, Changes or Young Americans next. So many more to hit! ✌
Love me some Bowie. 💖🔥💖🔥💖🔥⭐
It's about a girl. SRV is on guitar, and does a great solo.
And Nile Rodgers doing a good job too on rhythm guitar
It’s a about a girl named heroin maybe 😂
Stevie Ray Vaughn on guitar here and I didn't believe it when I first heard it. Awesome ✌❤🇨🇦
One of my favorite songs by Bowie
Should have watched the video - really, really good -
When David Bowie made it big, he helped struggling acts like Lou Reed, Mott the Hoople, and Iggy Pop with producing hit versions of their songs. This was Iggy Pop's song, reworked and made into a big hit for Bowie. You can compare it to Iggy's version here ruclips.net/video/T8qRBkGxZ14/видео.html
Iggy Pop is probably number two for me for being the most intense and no regard for self-preservation front man I've ever seen live I'M SO SORRY LORD IGGY. BUT THE MOST INTENSE FRONT MEN I'VE SEEN WAS IN 1986 at the Galaxy auckland Aotearoa new zealand and he was LUX INTERIOR of THE CRAMPS my English Bullmastiff is called IGGY PUP
My oldest son 15 is called Strummer Clash Palace. My dad took me and my younger sister to see DAVID BOWIE at Western springs stadium in Auckland Aotearoa new zealand in 1983 the serious moonlight tour for the LET'S DANCE ALBUM it's still to this day the largest crowd of people in one place at the same time in Aotearoa new zealand ever
@@heathcornbeef I admit I had not heard of the Cramps, but their RUclips videos show they were 🔥
Lux Interior was born in Stow, Ohio. Synchronously, I grew up in Cuyahoga Falls, about 15-20 minutes to the east. My first serious romance (4.5 years) was with a Stow girl, who like Lux graduated from Stow High School (but in 1968). We split up in 1970, when I was 20. CRIS, IT STILL ACHES like an old wound sometimes, but my life went very well (so far).
I read that Lux had a memorial service at the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in California. 🛕 My dad was a SRF member, and on his meditation room wall had pictures of both Yogananda and Y's guru Sri Yukteswar. More coincidence?
I guess this means I have to listen to more of the Cramps. 🤔
Thanks for the note .
@@bowtangey6830 when i was in hospital from a drunk driver running a red light in 1987 17 year's old in an orthopedic ward for 3 months two years rehabilitation still have constant pain but anyway I had a really big THE CRAMPS (off the bone) poster above me on the wall in the ward it would raze eyebrows
Bowie was inspired to write this song based on his friend Iggy Pops infatuation with a Vietnamese Girl . Bowie changed it to China Girl and in the video the Chinese Girl is actually from New Zealand 23 year old Geeling Ng .
Moonage Daydream with Mick "extraordinaire" Ronson on lead guitar will always be in my Top 5 Bowie songs ever!
Not many People are aware of this, but during that whole period Mick Ronson Was with Bowie, he wrote & arranged all the music, Bowie just wrote the lyrics(which were fantastic admittedly) but Ronson's contribution to that golden Period of Bowie's Career was equal if not more important. He was an unheralded musical Genius. R.I.P. Mick.
Something I just noticed: listing to music , I’m chill like Brad on the outside, but I’m bobbing along to the tune on the inside like Lex. Keep it up guys!
Bowie writes this song in 1977 to the Iggy Pop girlfiend... the original song is from the Iggy album "The Idiot"
Lex is right, it is Bowie being poetic..."code" for how western culture tends to ruin more "primitive" cultures...even when they don't mean to do it. Watch this. It is from a MTV show which I remember seeing on live tv in the late 90s. As always, he changes the song some, but also explains a bit of how he wrote it. ruclips.net/video/3AVgwnU2Rig/видео.html
Well now communism is ruining all "advanced" cultures.
Thank you so much Eric. Listening to his explanation then hearing it makes all the difference.
Brad. Lex. Hope you see this link from Eric. If you get a chance listen to it, it makes so much more sense and because of that you can’t help but have a deeper appreciation. ❤️
My take is similar. The song is of an Anglo fantasizing about being a white supremacist despoiler, meanwhile she is actually holding her own. She's having her fun and watching him be a fantasizing boy.
Agreed.
finally! ive been wating for ya'll to listen to this one. my fav bowie tune.
This song was HUGE in the early music video era. I doubt you could go an hour on MTV, NightTracks, or the other video shows without seeing the video.
this is one of the very few that I still remember where I was and doing when I heard this for the first time
Its sooo fun seeing you guys good & stumped & making great guesses! 😊
Many rock stars fancy "little girls"
You need to learn this iconic bass-line.. so smooth!
One of Bowies many masterpieces. Really glad you chose this one.
I always think it's kinda misguided to always try and "figure out" what a song is about, many rock songs are purposely vague, ambiguous and open to interpretation or even more about creating a subjective personal impression in the listener no matter what the song writer was actually thinking about, music is a lot more fun that way IMHO.
I've always loved the bass "solo" in this and the guitar that layers over it 2nd time around.
Always rocking the SWEET hits 😎🤘
Wife here..Wore this record out for sure..!!!.Even as a child I knew the instrumentation and vocals on this song were straight 🔥fire..!!!..(I thought he was just singing about his girlfriend)..Thank you for your awesome insight!!
Stevie Ray Vaughan on the solo
I can totally see this being about dope. I've been listening to this since I was a kid and I don't know how I missed it, it's so obvious now. Good catch!
Code? That's what I have always thought myself!! I didn't think that as quickly as you, so well done!! 👏🏾
Great song...can't help but sing along.
You are hearing Stevie Ray Vaughn..before he got his solo record deal....Bowie was in LA..and seeking a unknown studio guitarist....he called Jackson Browne..who happened to be in Dallas earlier and caught SRV. live...this song and Let's dance from Bowie was the Worlds first introduction to Stevie Ray. Thank you David.
Now, this is more Brad's speed, lol
Amazing that Bowie and Iggy Pop wrote this!
One my favorites of all time him and Prince❤
This is a true classic! I know Lex will like it
IMO, Bowie's final masterpiece. Best thing on the album, one of his greatest vocals. And the tour from this was incredible.
I remember listening to this song on the way from my first job to the college. It was fun and tranquility in my ears.
Iggy Pop wrote China Girl, its about Iggys drunk ass fighting with her and she tells him to shut up... later on Bowie comes in and reboots this song as a romance and puts it on the Lets Dance Album.... the original song was Punk Rock and proto power metal.
I saw this reaction video posted and immediately thought... Cool... the Stevie Ray Vaughn solo!!!
Stevie Ray Vaughn in guitar too. Loved this song since the first time I saw in MtV. 1983 I believe.
Featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan playing lead guitar at the end there. Bowie fakes it in the video but that's us SRV.
I love the forensic analysis.
Unmistakable SRV
Produced by Nile Rodgers. SRV on the 'gut'tar'. Nile produced for a lot of big-time artists.
Check out his song "Good Times". You may have already heard it. He plays guitar in it and the bass line is extra funky. (1978or9
Nile is amazing - his back catalog of well known hits is mind blowing.
Mr. Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar, even 🤘🏻
Guitar solo by Stevie Ray Vaughan!!! 🐐🎸🔥
Always loved that one. Thanks, cats.
I just sang this at a show, very challenging & rewarding. I researched the heck out of this song, Nile Rodgers is the key to the groove, so much to analyze about this song. The song is a statement against racism according to Bowie. Rock on! 😊
So I never really thought about the lyrics but he says "stumble into town
Just like a sacred cow,
Visions of swastikas in my head" I'm gonna guess he's referencing the ancient Eurasian symbol of divinity and spirituality. Cows are sacred in Hinduism
My interpretation is he’s referencing the infamous Victoria Station incident a couple years before they wrote CG, when he was captured giving a nazi salute and blaming the coke for his flirtation / fascination with fascism. The whole song explores cultural differences and warns of the adoption of western culture in Asia. ie You might admire my blue eyes and the western ‘stuff’ but ‘I’ll ruin everything you are.’
@@simonspeak9288 I've never heard of that. Guess I have some reading to do
Stevie Ray added tasty licks all over that album
Third video I watch. Great reaction as usual. Lex, I love watching your face as you listen to the music. I can tell you are really enjoying what you are listening to. Love this song. Bowie has some great songs. Too bad we lost him so young. R.I.P. David.
I think the song is about colonialism. “I’ll give you television, I’ll give you eyes of blue (Europeans), I’ll give you a man who wants to rule the world”.
Love me some David Bowie! Let's dance is another good one!
Stevie ray Vaughan playin guitar on this album .. Bowie offered him the touring job .. he turned it down .. went solo 😎 the video is about a girl who is Asian
Ive been waiting for this pearl to be reacted to more in youtube land. Its David Bowies best song,by far,in my opinion. The only regrettable thing is that you guys didnt do a reaction on the really good music video here...
The video explicitly shows him with a Chinese woman, so mystery solved!
The great Stevie Ray Vaughan supplying the lead guitar solos on this album.
Hey there I just came across ur site Now I am fan 🥰😎💟☮️
Bowies song "Stay" is one of the funkiest tunes ever recorded. A nice slow buildup.. shit it's a good tune.
I live now in Berlin and Bowie's and Pop's apartment is only 5 minutes from where I live. Bowienwas the King ....R.I.P.