“John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)” was a re-recording of “John, I’m Only Dancing”, made in 1974 during the sessions for the album Young Americans.
Released in December 1979, the re-recording featured a much more funk-influenced take on the track, and has some similarities with the song “Stay” recorded for the Station to Station album in 1976. Originally running at 6:57, the track was cut for a 7″ single release, but the full version was issued on 12″ vinyl – the first Bowie single to have a regular 12″ release in the UK. For the B-side, the original version of “John, I’m Only Dancing” was remixed. After the relative disappointment of the singles from Lodger on the charts, the single gave Bowie some greater degree of mainstream exposure during a period when his work was increasingly being perceived as esoteric and experimental. The long 12″ version was included as a bonus track on the 1991 Rykodisk/EMI remaster CD of Young Americans, the 2007 collectors edition of the album and on The Best of David Bowie 1974/1979. The 7″ single version has yet to appear on any CD.
The reworking of “John, I’m Only Dancing” drops the original verses, only leaving the chorus’ lyrics intact, perhaps because of the supposed homosexual nature of the original piece. The new lyrics were simply an embrace of the dance floor and the spirit of disco. The chorus is delivered more slowly and unswung with dance beats instead of the rather retro blues beats of the original, giving time for Bowie to demonstrate vocal virtuosity. The changes were considered somewhat strange given the original’s context, especially the transformation into the “overlong” dance track, given the 12″ version’s extended mix, in which half of the song is a repetitive riff consisting of the lyrics “dancing, dancing, dancing, woo woo woo-oo”.
Track listing
All tracks by Bowie
7″: RCA / BOW 4 (UK)
“John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)” – 3:26
“John, I’m Only Dancing (1972)” – 2:43
7″: RCA / 11886 (US)
“John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)” – 3:26
“Golden Years” – 4:03
7″: RCA / 11887 (US)
“John, I’m Only Dancing (1972)” – 2:43
“Joe The Lion”
12″: RCA / BOW 12 4 (UK)
“John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)” – 6:57
“John, I’m Only Dancing (1972)” – 2:43
These two versions of the song were released on two separate singles in the US. One had “John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)” with “Golden Years” as the B-side, while the other version had the new remixed version with “Joe the Lion” as the B-side.
Production credits
Producers:
Tony Visconti on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)”
David Bowie, Ken Scott on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Remix)”
Musicians:
David Bowie: Vocals, Guitar, Piano
Carlos Alomar: Guitar on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)”
Willie Weeks: Bass on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)”
Andy Newmark: Drums on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)”
Mike Garson: Piano on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)”
David Sanborn: Saxophone on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)”
Larry Washington: Conga on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)”
Luther Vandross, Robin Clark, Ava Cherry: Backing vocals on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)”
Mick Ronson: Guitar on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Remix)”
Trevor Bolder: Bass on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Remix)”
Mick Woodmansey: Drums on “John, I’m Only Dancing (Remix)”
Other releases
The 12″ version appeared on the following compilations:
Changestwobowie (1981)
The Best of David Bowie 1974/1979 (1998)
The 12″ version was a bonus track on the Rykodisc CD release of Young Americans in 1991, and appeared again on the Collectors Edition of that album in 2007.
The 7″ single version was released on a vinyl LP, Rare, but has not been released on CD.
