A small Jean Genie snuck off to the city
Strung out on lasers and slash-back blazers
Ate all your razors while pulling the waiters
Talking 'bout Monroe and walking on Snow White
New York's a go-go, and everything tastes right
Poor little Greenie, ooh-ooh

Keep her comin'
The Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
He's outrageous, he screams and he bawls (Jean Genie)
Jean Genie, let yourself go, whoah

Sits like a man but he smiles like a reptile
She love him, she love him but just for a short while
She'll scratch in the sand, won't let go his hand
He says he's a beautician and sells you nutrition
And keeps all your dead hair for making up underwear
Poor little Greenie, ooh-ooh

The Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
He's outrageous, he screams and he bawls (Jean Genie)
Jean Genie, let yourself go, whoah

He's so simple-minded, he can't drive his module
He bites on the neon and sleeps in a capsule
Loves to be loved, loves to be loved

Oh, Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
He's outrageous, he screams and he bawls (Jean Genie)
Jean Genie, let yourself go, whoah

Go!
Go!

The Jean Genie lives on his back
The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks
He's outrageous, he screams and he bawls (Jean Genie)
Jean Genie, let yourself go, whoah

Go, go go!


Lyrics submitted by typo

The Jean Genie Lyrics as written by David Bowie

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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The Jean Genie song meanings
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23 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    Bowie came up with the music to this before the lyrics... he wrote it while he was touring america, and says it's a 'mish-mash of imagined americana'. He was hanging out with Cyrinda Foxe at the time, and she's in the video (check it out, she's hot!). She was one of Warhol's favourite girls at the time... kind of an 'it-girl', and apparently loads of fun to be with. I love how he sounds in this, especially when he says: 'poor little greenie...' so hot! ... but i'm pretty sure the line is: 'New York's a go-go and everything tastes nice'

    Coney_island_babyon May 25, 2006   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    Course it's about Jim! Have you ever seen anyone who looks more reptilian than Pop?

    Jean Genie doesn't wear shirts Jean Genie's so sexy it hurts He's outrageous, he's five seven tall Jean Genie walks before he crawls

    (Mine humble tribute to the Pop-ster.)

    NellieWhiskeyon June 20, 2010   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    nah its about iggy pop. he and iggy went to berlin and got over their drug addictions together

    Sandysbirdon December 31, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    The title may have been a take on Jean Genet, but the imagery was definitely inspired by proto-punk lunatic genius Iggy Pop.

    butterfingersbeckon October 21, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    whoever plays the guitar, it is fantastic.

    speyeron December 09, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I think part of it can also be a reference to a sort of "American dream" but even more to an aspiration of being part of the "jet set". In the sense that "greenie" can be a substatute for greed and the idea that money is green and talking about monroe and snow white can represent aspirations. But i may be taking it too far lol

    Mystical_nighton December 13, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    the song is about iggy pop - THE END

    jigsaw888on December 09, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Bowie explained once in an interview that "On 'Jean Genie" I wanted to get the same sounds the Stones had on their first album. I didn't get that near to it but it had a feel that I wanted, that Sixties thing." This is definitely one of the most close-knit band performances, with the rhythm section locking tightly together and particularly effective bass.

    TheThornBirdson January 30, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I’m with the Jean Genet camp on this (the French writer).

    He says he a beautician and sell you nutrition (he sells drugs). The Jean Genie lives on his back (homosexual reference). The Jean Genie loves chimney stacks (loves cocaine — smoke goes up chimneys, coal makes smoke as does coke) He’s walking on snow white (cocaine reference again)

    my 2 cents.

    p67on August 08, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The guitar thing - Jeff Beck played live in '73 at the Spiders' last gig. God knows where the Bo Diddley rumour came from but the guitar is Mick Ronson all the way. The brilliant, sorely missed Mick Ronson.

    Gerymanon September 03, 2010   Link

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