"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 English singer-songwriter David Bowie for the 1979 album Lodger. "Yassassin" is an incongruous reggae song with a Turkish flavour.[2]
| "Yassassin" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by David Bowie | ||||
| from the album Lodger | ||||
| 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 Bowie singles chronology | ||||
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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'. The phrase “Yaşasın” is in most cases used as “Hurray!” in Turkish.
"Yassassin" was released as the third single 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).[3]
Track listing
editRCA 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
editAccording 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 by new wave band Litfiba in 1984.[5]
- American indie rock band Shearwater performed a version of the song in May 2016 for The A.V. Club's A.V. Undercover series,[6] and again as part of a live performance of the entire Berlin Trilogy for WNYC in 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. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
- ^ "A NEW CAREER IN A NEW TOWN (1977–1982) – David Bowie Latest News". DavidBowie.com. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
- ^ O'Leary 2019, chap. 3.
- ^ "Litfiba - Yassassin". Discogs. 30 August 1984. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
- ^ Meiburg, Jonathan (13 May 2016). "Shearwater covers the entirety of David Bowie's Lodger". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
- ^ Dorris, Jesse (23 October 2018). "A Surprising Tribute to David Bowie's Berlin Trilogy, Played in a Manhattan Mall". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
Sources
edit- O'Leary, Chris (2019). Ashes to Ashes: The Songs of David Bowie 1976–2016. London: Repeater. ISBN 978-1-91224-830-8.
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