"Jean" is a popular song from the 1969 movie ''The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie''. It was written by the

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poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

and composer Rod McKuen, who also recorded a version of the song.

Background

The song was the theme to the 1969 film adaptation of

Dame ''Dame'' is an honorific title and the feminine form of address for the honour of damehood in many Christian chivalric orders, as well as the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system and those of several oth ...

Muriel Spark Dame Muriel Sarah Spark (née Camberg; 1 February 1918 – 13 April 2006). was a Scottish novelist, short story writer, poet and essayist. Life Muriel Camberg was born in the Bruntsfield area of Edinburgh, the daughter of Bernard Camberg, an ...

's '' The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'', which starred noted

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

film actress Maggie Smith. Smith won an

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for

Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress aw ...

for her portrayal of the lead character in the film,

Jean Brodie Jean Brodie is the name of a fictional character in the Muriel Spark novel '' The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'' (1961); and in the play and 1969 film of the same name—both by Jay Presson Allen—which were both based on the novel. Miss Br ...

. The song was performed by songwriter McKuen, who was nominated for an Academy Award in the category

Best Original Song This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

. Although released as a

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

in the summer of 1969, McKuen's version of the song failed to reach the American music charts.

Oliver recording

"Jean" was also recorded by the American singer Oliver. Earlier in 1969, Oliver had reached #3 on the '' Billboard'' pop and easy listening charts with his version of "

Good Morning Starshine "Good Morning Starshine" is a pop song from the musical '' Hair'' (1967). It was a No. 3 hit in the United States in July 1969 and a No. 6 hit in the United Kingdom in October 1969 for the singer Oliver. The chorus makes extensive use of appar ...

," a song from the

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and f ...

''. While working on an album with producer Bob Crewe (which would also be called ''

''), "Jean" was selected as a song for the record and subsequently chosen as the follow-up single. It became another hit for the singer, reaching #2 on the US pop charts, where "

Sugar, Sugar Sugar, Sugar is a song written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim (singer), Andy Kim. It was originally recorded by the Archies – a fictional band of studio musicians linked to the 1968–69 US Saturday morning TV cartoon ''The Archie Show'', inspire ...

" by

The Archies ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

kept it from #1. In Canada, the song reached #1, both Pop and AC. "Jean" spent four weeks at #1 on the US adult contemporary chart. Oliver would later describe his

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

of the song: "We had no idea it would be a single. It was a 3/4 ballad in the psychedelic era...it was a beautiful arrangement."

Chart history

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Other recordings

Sergio Franchi Sergio Franchi (born Sergio Franci Galli; April 6, 1926 – May 1, 1990) was an Italian-American tenor and actor who enjoyed success in the United States and internationally after gaining notice in Britain in the early 1960s. In 1962, RCA Vict ...

performed the song on the January 3, 1971, broadcast of ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the '' CBS Sunday Night M ...

'', subsequently released on a rare Franchi DVD.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jean (song) 1969 singles Oliver (singer) songs RPM Top Singles number-one singles Best Original Song Golden Globe winning songs Song recordings produced by Bob Crewe Songs written for films Songs written by Rod McKuen 1969 songs