Peak
10
Weeks
18
Score
2,464
Chart Year
1983
In this song, the singer warns the China Girl that he will destroy her culture by imparting Western values of materialism and superficial beauty ("I'll give you television, I'll give you eyes of blue, I'll give you a man who wants to rule the world"). Paul Trynka, the author of David Bowie's biography Starman, claims the song was inspired by Iggy Pop's infatuation with Kuelan Nguyen, a beautiful Vietnamese woman. She was staying at the studio and Bowie encouraged the couple's relationship. It has also be argued that the song is about heroin addiction, as "China White" is slang for the drug. Iggy Pop wrote this with Bowie. It first appeared on Iggy's 1977 album The Idiot. The song did not see commercial success until later performed by Bowie. Iggy Pop was a very influential musician, but he didn't sell a lot of albums and was often low on cash. The proceeds from this gave him some financial stability for the first time. >> In the 2018 documentary American Valhalla, Pop revealed that "China Girl" was indeed about a real woman - it was somebody's wife that Pop "got to know." In this scene, Josh Homme is reading a typed note from Pop that mentions a French singer as being the husband of this woman. This indicates that the song's subject is indeed Kuelan Nguyen, who was dating (although not married to) Jacques Higelin, a French singer. Stevie Ray Vaughan is the lead guitarist on this song and most of the album. Bowie discovered him after seeing him at a music festival. Bowie got him to play on his album and asked him to tour with him, but Stevie surprisingly declined. He believed in his group Double Trouble and thought they could make a go of it on their own. The original Iggy Pop version of this song didn't have the famous oriental guitar riff that featured on Bowie's recording. Bowie's version was produced by Nile Rodgers, who came up with that guitar riff. According to Rodgers, they had finished recording the song "Let's Dance," and Bowie game him a recording of the original "China Girl," explaining that it could be a hit if they could come up with a hook. Rodgers went literal, playing off the word "China" to come up with the riff, which he knew bordered on parody. Said Rodgers: "David was either going to hate this so much he would fire me, or he was going to get the comedic value of writing this silly little poppy thing." Rodgers was nervous when he played Bowie the riff, but David loved it straightaway. With this riff and a much smoother production, the song sounded little like Iggy Pop's version, and the song became a hit. The video was banned in many countries, but it went over very well on MTV. It won the first ever award for Best Male Video at the 1984 Video Music Awards. New Zealand waitress Geeling Ng was chosen by Bowie to play his object of affection. She is now a TV presenter. Ng recalled to Q magazine June 2009: "David was my idol. When I met him, it was terrifying. But he was very easy to get on with." She added: "David and I started dating soon afterwards, but I didn't enjoy the lack of privacy." In the video, Ng has a beach romp with Bowie. She told Q magazine: "Can I point out, contrary to popular belief, David and I did not have sex on the beach! It was shot at 5am; the water was freezing and wasn't a great lubricant and we were being watched by a film crew and joggers passing by. Not very romantic." In the film, The Wedding Singer, Drew Barrymore's character, Julia, sings this song in a nightclub.
Oh-oh-oh-oh, little China girl Oh-oh-oh-oh, little China girl I could escape this feeling with my China girl I'm a wreck without my little China girl I hear her heart beating as loud as thunder I saw the stars crashing I'm a mess without my little China girl Wake up in the morning, where's my little China girl? I hear her heart's beating loud as thunder I saw the stars crashing down I'm feeling tragic like I'm Marlon Brando When I look at my China girl I could pretend that nothing really meant too much When I look at my China girl I stumble into town Just like some sacred cow Visions of swastikas in my head Plans for everyone It's in the white of my eyes My little China girl You shouldn't mess with me I'll ruin everything you are You know it I'll give into your visions I'll give you eyes of blue But I'll give you a man who wants to rule the world And when I get excited My little China girl says "Oh, baby, just you shut your mouth" She says, "Shh..." She says, "Shh..." She says And when I get excited My little China girl, she says "Oh, baby, just you shut your mouth" And when I get excited My little China girl, she says "Oh, baby, just you shut your mouth" She says, "Shh..." She says Little China girl Little China girl
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 4, 1983 | 74 | 52 |
| 2 | Jun 11, 1983 | 68 | 58 |
| 3 | Jun 18, 1983 | 56 | 70 |
| 4 | Jun 25, 1983 | 51 | 75 |
| 5 | Jul 2, 1983 | 45 | 81 |
| 6 | Jul 9, 1983 | 38 | 88 |
| 7 | Jul 16, 1983 | 31 | 95 |
| 8 | Jul 23, 1983 | 27 | 99 |
| 9 | Jul 30, 1983 | 20 | 106 |
| 10 | Aug 6, 1983 | 18 | 108 |
| 11 | Aug 13, 1983 | 14 | 112 |
| 12 | Aug 20, 1983 | 12 | 114 |
| 13 | Aug 27, 1983 | 10 | 116 |
| 14 | Sep 3, 1983 | 12 | 114 |
| 15 | Sep 10, 1983 | 23 | 103 |
| 16 | Sep 17, 1983 | 24 | 102 |
| 17 | Sep 24, 1983 | 45 | 81 |
| 18 | Oct 1, 1983 | 77 | 49 |