Yassassin
| "Yassassin" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| SinglebyDavid Bowie | ||||
| from the albumLodger | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | July 1979[1](Netherlands) | |||
| Recorded | Mountain,Montreux,September 1978;Record Plant,New York City, March 1979 | |||
| Length | 3:06(single version) 4:10(album version) | |||
| Label | RCA PB-9417 (Netherlands) 79.014 (Turkey) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | David Bowie | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| David Bowiesingles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Yassassin"(Bowie's pronunciation/jɑːˈsɑːsɪn/;also known as"Yassassin (Turkish for: Long Live)",and released inTurkeyas"Yassassin (Yaşasın)") is a song written by English singer-songwriterDavid Bowiefor the 1979 albumLodger."Yassassin" is an incongruousreggaesong with aTurkish flavour.[2]
The title of the song is derived from theTurkishverb used to wish someone a long life, spelledyaşasın(pronounced[jaʃaˈsɯn]), from the verbal rootyaşa-'live' with the third-person imperative ending; thereforeyaşasınliterally means 'may he/she live'. The phrase “Yaşasın” is in most cases used as “Hurray!” in Turkish.
"Yassassin" was released as the third single fromLodger,but only in theNetherlandsand Turkey. The Dutch single edit of the song was included onRe:Call 3,part of theA New Career in a New Town (1977–1982)compilation (2017).[3]
Track listing
[edit]RCA PB-9417 (Netherlands)
[edit]- "Yassassin" (David Bowie) – 3:06
- "Repetition" (Bowie) – 2:58
RCA 79.014 (Turkey)
[edit]- "Yassassin" (Bowie)
- "Red Money" (Bowie,Carlos Alomar)
Personnel
[edit]According to Chris O'Leary:[4]
- David Bowie– lead and background vocals, synthesiser
- Carlos Alomar– lead guitar, background vocals
- Tony Visconti– rhythm guitar, background vocals
- George Murray– bass, background vocals
- Simon House–violin,background vocals
- Dennis Davis– drums, tambourine, background vocals
Technical
- David Bowie – producer
- Tony Visconti – producer
Cover versions
[edit]- The song was covered bynew wavebandLitfibain 1984.[5]
- Americanindie rockbandShearwaterperformed a version of the song in May 2016 forThe A.V. Club'sA.V. Undercover series,[6]and again as part of a live performance of the entireBerlin TrilogyforWNYCin 2018.[7]
References
[edit]- ^Nicholas Pegg(2016).The Complete David Bowie:p.318
- ^"David Bowie Yassassin (1979) Only in the Netherlands and Turkey".David Bowie World.Retrieved21 June2020.
- ^"A NEW CAREER IN A NEW TOWN (1977–1982) – David Bowie Latest News".DavidBowie.com. 22 July 2016.Retrieved30 September2017.
- ^O'Leary 2019,chap. 3.
- ^"Litfiba - Yassassin".Discogs.30 August 1984.Retrieved11 August2023.
- ^Meiburg, Jonathan (13 May 2016)."Shearwater covers the entirety of David Bowie's Lodger".The A.V. Club.Retrieved22 May2016.
- ^Dorris, Jesse (23 October 2018)."A Surprising Tribute to David Bowie's Berlin Trilogy, Played in a Manhattan Mall".Pitchfork.com.Retrieved26 November2022.
Sources
[edit]- O'Leary, Chris (2019).Ashes to Ashes: The Songs of David Bowie 1976–2016.London:Repeater.ISBN978-1-91224-830-8.
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