Yassassin
"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 |
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| 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) |
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| 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'.
"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).[3]
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)
Personnel
According to Chris O'Leary:[4]
- David Bowie – lead and background vocals, synthesiser
- Carlos Alomar – rhythm guitar, background vocals
- Tony Visconti – acoustic 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
- 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
- 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.