Actors - John, I’m Only Dancing

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	Actors - John, I’m Only Dancing

John, I’m Only Dancing was a single by David Bowie. The song was widely believed to be concerned with a homosexual relationship, though this didn’t infringe on its radio airplay in the UK, where it became his first back-to-back hit single. However, the original video directed by Mick Rock, featuring androgynous dancers, was banned by the BBC.

In America, the song was banned outright, and was only finally released on 1976’s Changesonebowie
.

A slightly reworked version was cut during the Aladdin Sane
sessions in January 1973. Often known as the "sax version", this was issued as a single with exactly the same catalogue number as the first release, thus creating a collector's nightmare. In 1974, a completely reworked funk-influenced version was recorded as "John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)".

Track listing

# "John, I’m Only Dancing" (Bowie) – 2:43 # "Hang Onto Yourself" (Bowie) – 2:38

Production credits

Producers:
* Ken Scott

Musicians:
* David Bowie
: vocals, guitar
* Mick Ronson: guitar
* Trevor Bolder: bass
* Mick Woodmansey: drums

Live versions

A previously unreleased live version from Boston Music Hall October 1st, 1972 was released in the Sound + Vision box set.
A live version recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 20 October 1972 was released on Santa Monica '72
. This was also released on the bonus disc of the Aladdin Sane
- 30th Anniversary Edition in 2003.
A recording from the 1974 tour was released on the semi-legal A Portrait in Flesh.

Other releases

The Portugal release of the single "Starman" from September 1972 had "John, I'm Only Dancing" as the B-side.
In November 1972 it was released as the B-side of the single "The Jean Genie
"
It appeared on yet another B-side in June 1973, this time the "Cracked Actor
" single.
A UK release of "John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)
" in December 1979 had the original version as the B-side.
A previously unreleased mix of the song was released as a bonus track on the Rykodisc CD release of Ziggy Stardust
in 1990.
The "sax version" was released on the bonus disc of the 30th Anniversary Edition of Aladdin Sane
in 2003.
It was released as a picture disc in the RCA Life Time picture disc set.
It also appeared on the following compilations:
* Changesonebowie
(1976)
* Best of Bowie
(RCA 1979)
* The Sound + Vision box set (1989)
* ChangesBowie (1990)
* Bowie: The Singles 1969-1993 (1993)
* The Singles Collection (1993)
* The Best of 1969/1974 (sax version) (1997)
* The Best Glam Rock Album in the World...Ever (various artists)

Cover versions

The Chameleons - Strange Times (1986)
Creem - Ashes To Ashes: A Tribute To David Bowie
The Deltas - Psycho Killers (various artists) (1998)
The Glam Rock Allstars - Glamtastic 70's Megamix
The Hormones - Only Bowie (1995)
Mime - Loving The Alien: Athens Georgia Salutes David Bowie
The Polecats - Polecats Are Go! and single release. It also appeared on David Bowie Songbook.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for John, I’m Only Dancing ]

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