"Jimmy James"
Single by Beastie Boys
from the album Check Your Head
B-side"The Maestro", "Boomin' Granny," "Drinkin' Wine"
ReleasedAugust 28, 1992
RecordedG-Son Studios, Atwater Village
Genre
Length3:14 (album version)
3:05 (original/single version)
LabelCapitol/Grand Royal
Songwriter(s)Beastie Boys, Mario Caldato Jr.
Producer(s)Beastie Boys, Mario Caldato Jr.
Beastie Boys singles chronology
"So What'cha Want"
(1992)		 "Jimmy James"
(1992)		 "Gratitude"
(1992)
Music video
"Jimmy James" on YouTube

"Jimmy James" is the third single from American rap rock band the Beastie Boys' third album Check Your Head. The song has been described as a tribute to Jimi Hendrix by Beastie Boys member MCA, and contains samples from several Hendrix songs including "Foxy Lady", "Happy Birthday", and "Still Raining, Still Dreaming".

Song information

"Jimmy James" originally started out as an instrumental track with scratching done by Yauch (this version of the song appears on the "Jimmy James" EP as the "original original version"). Later on, lyrics were written and the other two Beastie Boys, Mike "Mike D" Diamond and Adam "King Adrock" Horovitz, asked to lend their vocals to the song along with Yauch.

However, Hendrix's family, who own the rights to most of his catalogue, denied the group clearance to use the samples (the group, however, were somehow able to keep the "Happy Birthday" and "Foxy Lady" samples in the song, though). Determined to keep the song on Check Your Head, the group re-recorded "Jimmy James" using samples similar to the Hendrix ones. This version ended up being released as the first track on the album.

A few months after Check Your Head was released, Hendrix's family finally relented and gave the Beastie Boys clearance to use the samples. As a result, the "single version" of "Jimmy James" was released as the third single from Check Your Head, and a music video was made for it which premiered in August 1992.

The original version has since been issued on their compilation album The Sounds of Science. The beginning of the album version of the track ("This next one...") is a sample from the live version of "Surrender" by Cheap Trick from their live album Cheap Trick at Budokan.

Music video

MTV and VH1 credit the "Jimmy James" music video to Nathanial Hörnblowér, Adam Yauch's director alter ego. However, on the Beastie Boys' Sabotage VHS tape released in 1994, the "Jimmy James" music video is listed as being co-directed by Yauch (as Nathanial Hörnblowér) and Lisa Ann Cabasa, an actress, and Yauch's girlfriend at the time the video was made. Cabasa directed the dance sequences in the music video and also appeared in the video as one of the silhouetted female dancers.

Formats and track listing

The name of the character Jimmy James played by Stephen Root on the television series NewsRadio came from this song.[1]

Personnel

Beastie Boys
  • Mike D – vocals, producer
  • MCA – vocals, producer
  • Ad-Rock – vocals, producer
Production
  • Mario Caldato, Jr – producer
  • Tom Baker – mastering
Other personnel
  • Eric Haze – artwork

Charts

In the UK, the song charted as a part of the EP Frozen Metal Head.

Chart (1992) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[2] 55

References

  1. ↑ Cormier, Roger (2015-03-24). "21 Things You Might Not Know About NewsRadio". mentalfloss.com. Mental Floss. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
  2. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - Beastie Boys". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
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