Yassassin
"Yassassin" | ||||
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Single by David Bowie | ||||
from the album Lodger | ||||
B-side |
"Repetition" (Netherlands) "Red Money" (Turkey) | |||
Released | July 1979[1] (Netherlands) | |||
Format | 7″ single | |||
Recorded | Mountain Studios, Montreux; September 1978; Record Plant Studios, New York City, March 1979 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
3:06 (single version) 4:10 (album version) | |||
Label |
RCA Records PB-9417 (Netherlands) 79.014 (Turkey) | |||
Songwriter(s) | David Bowie | |||
Producer(s) |
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David Bowie singles chronology | ||||
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"Yassassin" (Bowie's pronunciation /jɑːˈsɑːsɪn/; also known as "Yassassin (Turkish for: Long Live)", and released in Turkey as "Yassassin (Yaşasın)") is a song written by David Bowie for the 1979 album Lodger. "Yassassin" is an incongruous reggae song with a Turkish flavour. It also appears to be at least partly inspired by the 1936 jazz standard Caravan, echoing its chord progression, melody, and Middle Eastern sensibility. The title of the song is derived from the Turkish verb used to wish someone a long life, spelled yaşasın (pronounced [jaʃaˈsɯn]), from the verbal root yaşa- 'live' with the third-person imperative ending; therefore yaşasın literally means 'may he/she live'.
"Yassassin" was released as a single -- the third single to be released from Lodger -- but only in the Netherlands and Turkey. The Dutch single edit of the song was included on Re:Call 3, part of the A New Career in a New Town (1977–1982) compilation (2017).[2]
Track listing
RCA PB-9417 (Netherlands)
- "Yassassin" (David Bowie) – 3:06
- "Repetition" (Bowie) – 2:58
RCA 79.014 (Turkey)
- "Yassassin" (Bowie)
- "Red Money" (Bowie, Carlos Alomar)
Production credits
- Producers
- Musicians
- David Bowie - lead and background vocals, synthesizer
- Dennis Davis - drums, background vocals
- George Murray - bass, background vocals
- Carlos Alomar - rhythm guitar, background vocals
- Tony Visconti - lead guitar, background vocals
- Simon House - violin, background vocals
Cover versions
- Litfiba - 12-inch single (1984)
References
- ↑ Nicholas Pegg (2016). The Complete David Bowie: p.318
- ↑ "A NEW CAREER IN A NEW TOWN (1977 – 1982) - David Bowie Latest News". DavidBowie.com. 2016-07-22. Retrieved 2017-09-30.