Iggy Pop - (May 20, 1977) China Girl- Single

Iggy Pop - May 20, 1977

Release day for Iggy Pop’s single “China Girl” on RCA Victor (PB 9093).

Co-written with David Bowie and produced by him during their Berlin period, this was one of the key tracks from the sessions that also produced the album The Idiot. The B-side was “Baby”.

The single failed to make an impression on the UK Singles Chart

A significant moment in Iggy’s artistic rebirth, with Bowie’s influence clearly shaping the sound and direction.

Written by David Bowie and Iggy Pop, "China Girl" began as a piece called "Borderline" that the two came up with one night residing at the Château d'Hérouville in Hérouville, France, during the sessions for Pop's debut solo album The Idiot.

During a visit by the French actor and singer Jacques Higelin, Pop had a brief affair with Higelin's Vietnamese girlfriend Kuelan Nguyen. The two did not speak the same language, communicating through gestures and expressions.

 Their brief encounter inspired the lyrics for "China Girl," which Pop improvised while standing at the microphone.

The song was recorded between June and July at the Château, with overdubs recorded in August at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany. As with the rest of The Idiot, Bowie composed the music, contributing piano, synthesizer, alto saxophone, rhythm guitar, toy piano, and backing vocals. The remaining lineup featured Phil Palmer on lead guitar, Laurent Thibault on bass, and Michel Santangeli on drums. The song was mixed in Berlin at Hansa Studio 1.