Jealous Guy#Roxy Music version
{{short description|1971 song by John Lennon}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Jealous Guy
| cover = File:John-lennon-and-the-plastic-ono-band-with-the-flux-fiddlers-jealous-guy-capitol-s.jpg
| alt =
| caption = US picture sleeve
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = John Lennon
| album = Imagine
| B-side =
- "Going Down on Love" (UK)
- "Give Peace a Chance" (US)
| released = 18 November 1985
| recorded = 24 May – 5 July 1971
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:14
| label = Apple
| writer = John Lennon
| producer =
- John Lennon
- Yoko Ono
- Phil Spector
| prev_title = Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him
| prev_year = 1984
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = single
| cover = Jealous_Guy_single.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = 1985 UK picture sleeve
}}
{{External music video|header=Official audio|{{YouTube|GOq9cC9Vr4Y|"Jealous Guy" (Elements Mix)}}}}
}}
"Jealous Guy" is a song written and originally recorded by the English rock musician John Lennon from his second studio album Imagine (1971). Not released as a single during Lennon's lifetime, it became an international hit in a version by Roxy Music issued in early 1981; this version reached number one in the United Kingdom and Australia and was a top-10 hit in several European countries. Lennon's own version was subsequently issued as a single and charted in the United States and UK.
Lennon began writing the song in 1968, when, as "Child of Nature", it was among the many songs demoed by the Beatles before they recorded their self-titled double album (also known as the "White Album"). The lyrics were originally inspired by a lecture given by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in early 1968, when the Beatles attended his spiritual retreat in Rishikesh, India. In January 1969, The Beatles (primarily John) jammed the song during their Get Back / Let It Be recording sessions, where it was referred to as "On the Road to Marrakesh".{{Cite web|title = Get Back/Let It Be sessions: day 19| date=28 January 1969 |url = https://www.beatlesbible.com/1969/01/28/get-back-let-it-be-sessions-day-19/|accessdate = 2022-01-04}}{{Cite web|last=Beaumont|first=Mark|date=2021-11-29|title=Every song The Beatles play in Peter Jackson's 'Get Back'|url=https://www.nme.com/features/every-song-the-beatles-play-in-peter-jacksons-get-back-3107051|access-date=2022-01-04|website=NME|language=en-GB}}{{cite web|title='Jealous Guy': How The Beatles rejected John Lennon's defining anthem|author=Taylor, Tom|date=27 September 2023|accessdate=2024-01-24|publisher=Far Out|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/jealous-guy-how-the-beatles-rejected-john-lennons-defining-anthem/}}
Origins
The song's inspiration came in India, after the Beatles attended a lecture by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi about a "son of the mother nature". This inspired both Paul McCartney and John Lennon to write songs about the same subject. McCartney's composition, "Mother Nature's Son", was selected for The Beatles, but Lennon did not attempt to record "Child of Nature" during the sessions for the album. Both were demoed at George Harrison's Esher home in May 1968. The demo of "Child of Nature" featured Lennon's double-tracked vocal and playing an acoustic guitar. Early the following year, Lennon revisited the song as "On the Road to Marrakesh" during the Get Back sessions.{{cite web |url=http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/child-of-nature/ |title=Child Of Nature |date=16 March 2008 |publisher=The Beatles Bible |access-date=29 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417015929/http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/child-of-nature/ |archive-date=17 April 2014 |url-status=live }} Eventually, the lyrics were scrapped and replaced by the now well-known "Jealous Guy" lyrics for Imagine.
Listening to the original Esher Demo, the song begins "On the road to Rishikesh" and mentions mountains. It is not referring to Marrakesh in Morocco, and there is no evidence Lennon ever visited there. In its rewritten form, the song serves as a confessional in which Lennon addresses the feelings of inadequacy that resulted in pain for those he loved.
Three recordings of "Child of Nature" are currently known. The first is a demo of the song recorded at the home of George Harrison in May 1968. The second, on which Harrison sings backing vocals, was recorded at Twickenham Film Studios on 2 January 1969. A third recording was made at the Beatles' Apple Studio on 24 January. A snatch of the chorus from the second recording appears on the Fly on the Wall bonus disc packaged with Let It Be... Naked (2003). The first recording appears on the fiftieth anniversary release of The Beatles, which contains all of the demos recorded at Esher.{{Cite web|url=http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/the-beatles-the-white-album-50th-anniversary-super-deluxe-edition/|title=The Beatles / The 'White Album' 50th anniversary super deluxe edition {{!}} superdeluxeedition|website=www. superdeluxeedition.com|date=24 September 2018 |access-date=17 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117105321/http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/the-beatles-the-white-album-50th-anniversary-super-deluxe-edition/|archive-date=17 November 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/music/news/the-beatles-announce-white-album-deluxe-50th-anniversary-edition-1202954236/|title=The Beatles Announce 'White Album' Deluxe 50th Anniversary Edition|last=Aswad|first=Jem|date=24 September 2018|work=Variety|access-date=17 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117105201/https://variety.com/2018/music/news/the-beatles-announce-white-album-deluxe-50th-anniversary-edition-1202954236/|archive-date=17 November 2018|url-status=live}}
Recording
Lennon recorded "Jealous Guy" on 24 May 1971 at Ascot Sound Studios, where his vocals were overdubbed on 29 May 1971. String overdubs took place on 4 July 1971 at the Record Plant, in New York City.{{cite book |last1=Madinger |first1=Chip |last2=Raile |first2=Scott |title=LENNONOLOGY Strange Days Indeed, – A Scrapbook Of Madness |year= 2015 |publisher= Chesterfield, MO: Open Your Books, LLC |pages= 239, 247 |isbn= 978-1-63110-175-5}} Musicians included Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues and Joey Molland and Tom Evans of Badfinger.
Nicky Hopkins plays the distinctive piano part that runs through the song. His performance drew praise from those attending the sessions, including Yoko Ono.{{cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/15-classics-nicky-hopkins/|title=15 Rock Classics Improved By Nicky Hopkins|work=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=24 February 2019|accessdate=15 November 2024}}
Release
Lennon's recording of "Jealous Guy" was released on the Imagine album in 1971. It was not released as a single until November 1985, five years after Lennon's murder and four-and-a-half years after Roxy Music's version was released. Accompanied on the B-side by "Going Down on Love", a track from Walls and Bridges (1974), the single reached number 65 in the UK charts.{{cite web|url=http://www.jpgr.co.uk/r6117.html|title=Jealous Guy b/w Going Down On Love – John Lennon|access-date=16 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716191509/http://www.jpgr.co.uk/r6117.html|archive-date=16 July 2012|url-status=live}}
In the United States, the single reached number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1988 in conjunction with the release of the documentary film Imagine: John Lennon.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=379&cfgn=Singles&cfn=The+Billboard+Hot+100&ci=3007712&cdi=6382702&cid=10/22/1988|title=The Billboard Hot 100-Jealous Guy|magazine=Billboard }}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} "Jealous Guy" also peaked at number 22 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart.{{cite book |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2002 |publisher=Record Research |page=143}}
Critical reception
Stereogum contributors Timothy and Elizabeth Bracy rated it as Lennon's second best solo song behind "Instant Karma!", saying that "we have Lennon at his most wounded and vulnerable, confessing to every manner of emotional extortion, and somehow still on the defensive" in a song with "a melody worthy of anything the Beatles ever produced."{{cite web|title=The 10 Best John Lennon Songs|date=13 May 2014|last1=Bracy|first1=Timothy|last2=Bracy |first2=Elizabeth|accessdate=2023-05-03|publisher=Stereogum|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1681100/the-10-best-john-lennon-songs/lists/}}
Ultimate Classic Rock critic Stephen Lewis rated it as Lennon's third greatest solo love song, calling it "one of his most mature piano melodies."{{cite web|title=Top 10 John Lennon Love Songs|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/john-lennon-love-songs/|author=Lewis, Stephen|accessdate=2023-01-08|date=20 March 2013|publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock}}
Promotional video
A promotional video was made for the song in 1971. It showed, mostly in a continuous overhead shot by helicopter, John and Yoko travelling in a hearse from their Tittenhurst Park mansion to a nearby lake, where they were then shown getting into a row boat.{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzH8JBH1Ifg |title=YouTube – Jealous Guy (John Lennon) – promotional music video |website=YouTube |access-date=1 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324214618/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzH8JBH1Ifg |archive-date=24 March 2016 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq44NbDYcVI |title=YouTube – Jealous Guy (John Lennon) – official music video |publisher=YouTube |access-date=1 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310133314/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq44NbDYcVI |archive-date=10 March 2016 |url-status=live }}
Personnel
The following musicians performed on the final track on Imagine:{{cite book|title=John Lennon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZuCZR7MiDA0C&pg=PA84|author=John Blaney|page=86|publisher=John Blaney|isbn=978-0-9544528-1-0|date=6 June 2005}}{{cite web |url=http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/john-lennon/songs/jealous-guy/ |title=John Lennon: Jealous Guy |date=3 August 2010 |publisher=The Beatles Bible |access-date=19 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616132219/http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/john-lennon/songs/jealous-guy |archive-date=16 June 2016 |url-status=live }}
{{div col}}
- John Lennon – vocals, acoustic guitar, whistling
- Nicky Hopkins – piano
- John Barham – harmonium
- Alan White – vibraphone
- Klaus Voormann – bass
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Mike Pinder – tambourine
- Joey Molland and Tom Evans – acoustic guitars
- The Flux Fiddlers – strings
{{div col end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=John Lennon|award=Silver|title=Jealous Guy|relyear=2011|certyear=2024|id=3484-282-1|note=2011 release|access-date=9 February 2024|refname=BPI1}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}
Other versions
"Jealous Guy" has been recorded by many musicians including Aslan,{{cite web|url=http://www.aslan.ie/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=56 |title=Aslan Official Site – Singles |publisher=Aslan.ie |access-date=29 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226012100/http://www.aslan.ie/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=56 |archive-date=26 February 2012 }} Joe Cocker, Roberto Bellarosa, Donny Hathaway, Claudine Longet, the Faces, Frankie Miller, Roxy Music, Belinda Carlisle, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Peter Criss, Elliott Smith, Deftones, Spector, and the Weeknd. Lou Reed covered the song for a 2001 Lennon tribute concert. Jazz musician Jimmy Scott covered Jealous Guy on his 1998 album Holding Back the Years. The rock band the Black Crowes released a live cover of Jealous Guy on the 30th anniversary release of their debut studio album Shake Your Money Maker (1990).{{Cite web |title=The Black Crowes Share 'Jealous Guy' Outtake |url=https://www.jambase.com/article/black-crowes-jealous-guy-cover |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=JamBase |language=en-US}}
=Roxy Music version=
{{Infobox song
| name = Jealous Guy
| cover = Roxy Music - Jealous Guy.png
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Roxy Music
| album =
| B-side = To Turn You On
| released = {{Start date|1981|2|13|df=yes}}{{cite magazine|date=14 February 1981|title=New Singles|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1981/Music-Week-1981-02-14.pdf|magazine=Music Week|page=24|access-date=22 May 2021}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length =
- 6:10
- 4:57 (edit)
| label =
| writer = John Lennon
| producer =
| prev_title = In the Midnight Hour
| prev_year = 1980
| next_title = More Than This
| next_year = 1982
| misc = {{External music video|header=Official video|{{YouTube|hRzGzRqNj58|"Jealous Guy"}}}}
}}
Following Lennon's murder in 1980, Roxy Music added a version of the song to their set while touring in Germany, which they recorded and released in February 1981.{{cite book | first= Jo | last= Rice | year= 1982 | title= The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits | edition= 1st | publisher= Guinness Superlatives Ltd | location= Enfield, Middlesex | page= 212 | isbn= 0-85112-250-7}} The single was released by Polydor with "To Turn You On" as the B-side, with catalogue number "ROXY 2". The song was the only UK number-one hit for Roxy Music, topping the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in March 1981.{{cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/ |title=UK top 40 database |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913103452/http://www.everyhit.com/ |archive-date=13 September 2008 }}
"To Turn You On" later appeared on their eighth studio album Avalon (1982), although it was slightly remixed.{{cite web|url=http://www.vivaroxymusic.com/songs_547.php |title=Roxy Music – Songs – on |publisher=Vivaroxymusic.com |access-date=29 March 2014}} Roxy Music's cover of "Jealous Guy" features on many Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music collections and 1980s music compilations, though not always in its full-length version. As of 1982, the single had sold 91,000 copies in Australia.{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GCQEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22John+%26+Yoko%27s+%22Double+Fantasy%22%22|title=Billboard Vol. 94, No. 23– Majors Flight Economics with Quirky Rock Originals|magazine=Billboard|date=6 December 1982|access-date=16 August 2020}}
== Music video ==
A music video was filmed for the song, which mainly consisted of Bryan Ferry singing to camera before whistling and playing on a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 synthesizer during the coda. Guitarist Phil Manzanera and saxophonist Andy Mackay also appear in the video during their respective solos.
==Charts==
===Weekly charts===
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1981) !Peak |
| scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, NSW|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}
|1 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Austria|6|artist=Roxy Music|song=Jealous Guy|rowheader=true|access-date=12 April 2025}} |
| {{single chart|Flanders|5|artist=Roxy Music|song=Jealous Guy|rowheader=true|access-date=12 April 2025}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|3|song=Jealous Guy|rowheader=true|access-date=12 April 2025}} |
| scope="row"|Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg){{cite web|url=http://umdmusic.com/default.asp?Lang=Czech&Chart=F&ChDay=&ChMonth=&ChYear=&ChBand=&ChSong=Jealous+Guy |title=Ultimate Music Database |publisher=Umdmusic.com |access-date=29 March 2014}}
|1 |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|7|year=1981|week=17|rowheader=true|access-date=12 April 2025}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|10|artist=Roxy Music|song=Jealous Guy|rowheader=true|access-date=12 April 2025}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|4|artist=Roxy Music|song=Jealous Guy|rowheader=true|access-date=12 April 2025}} |
| {{single chart|Norway|6|artist=Roxy Music|song=Jealous Guy|rowheader=true|access-date=12 April 2025}} |
| scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|url=http://rock.co.za/files/sa_charts_1969_1989_songs_(J-L).html|title=SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Songs J–L|website=rock.co.za|access-date=12 April 2025}}
|3 |
| {{single chart|Sweden|18|artist=Roxy Music|song=Jealous Guy|rowheader=true|access-date=12 April 2025}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|4|artist=Roxy Music|song=Jealous Guy|rowheader=true|access-date=12 April 2025}} |
| {{single chart|UK|1|date=19810314|rowheader=true|access-date=12 April 2025}} |
| {{single chart|West Germany|19|artist=Roxy Music|song=Jealous Guy|songid=718|rowheader=true|access-date=12 April 2025}} |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1988) !Peak |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|80|artist=John Lennon|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|22|artist=John Lennon|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100[http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/19881029.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 29, 1988]
|64 |
|---|
===Year-end charts===
=Roberto Bellarosa version=
{{Infobox song
| name = Jealous Guy
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Roberto Bellarosa
| album = Ma voie
| released = 4 April 2012
| recorded = 2012
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 2:50
| label = * 8ball Music
| writer = John Lennon
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Je Crois
| next_year = 2012
}}
In 2012, Belgian singer Roberto Bellarosa recorded "Jealous Guy" after winning the first season of The Voice Belgique. It was released as a single on 4 April 2012 and included on his debut studio album Ma voie.{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/be/album/jealous-guy-single/516157807 |title=iTunes Music – Jealous Guy – Single by Roberto Bellarosa |publisher=iTunes Store |date=4 April 2012 |access-date=29 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618195811/https://itunes.apple.com/be/album/jealous-guy-single/id516157807 |archive-date=18 June 2015 |url-status=live }} The single reached number four in Belgium.{{Citation|title=Jealous Guy – Single by Roberto Bellarosa|date=4 April 2012|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/jealous-guy-single/516157807|access-date=20 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120143217/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/jealous-guy-single/516157807|archive-date=20 November 2018|url-status=live}}
{{Clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Imagine}}
{{John Lennon}}
{{John Lennon singles}}
{{Roxy Music}}
{{Roberto Bellarosa}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jealous Guy}}
Category:Songs written by John Lennon
Category:Song recordings produced by Phil Spector
Category:Song recordings produced by John Lennon
Category:Song recordings produced by Yoko Ono
Category:The Beatles and India
Category:Polydor Records singles
Category:Apple Records singles
Category:UK singles chart number-one singles