You Belong in Rock n' Roll

"You Belong in Rock n' Roll" is a song by Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine, released ahead of their second album in August 1991. The song was the band’s first release on Victory Records, which was distributed by London Records in the UK.

"You Belong in Rock n' Roll"
Single by Tin Machine
from the album Tin Machine II
B-side	"Amlapura" (Indonesian version)
Released	12 August 1991[1]
Recorded	Sydney September – October 1989; April 1990; September – October 1990; Los Angeles, March 1991
Genre	Rock
Length	3:33
Label	London LON 305
Songwriter(s)	Bowie, Gabrels
Producer(s)	Tin Machine, Tim Palmer
Tin Machine singles chronology
"Prisoner of Love" (1989) "You Belong in Rock n' Roll" (1991) "Baby Universal" (1991)

Background and recording

Recorded in 1989 after Tin Machine's first tour, the song spent a year in mixing and overdubs by guitarist Reeves Gabrels, who was inspired by Nine Inch Nails' album Pretty Hate Machine (1989), saying that "You Belong in Rock n' Roll" started basically "as a bass song. I wanted to lay in some industrial stuff against it."^[2] Gabrels tried using an electric razor to influence the sound of his guitar for the song, but ended up instead using a vibrator that he bought from a local sex store.^[2]

The single was launched with a barrage of publicity, including appearances on Top of the Pops, where Gabrels chose to play his guitar with a chocolate éclair,^[3] and Wogan, where the band again mimed, and this time Gabrels played his guitar with the vibrator, and lead vocalist David Bowie visibly tired of the host’s patter.^[4] The single peaked at UK No. 33 – a disappointment, but it would be Tin Machine’s biggest hit single.^[4]

Track listing

7" version

1. "You Belong in Rock 'n' Roll" (Bowie, Gabrels) – 3:33
2. "Amlapura" (Indonesian version) (Bowie, Gabrels) – 3:49

12"/CD version 1

1. "You Belong in Rock n' Roll" (Extended version) (Bowie, Gabrels) – 6:32
2. "You Belong in Rock n' Roll" (LP version) (Bowie, Gabrels) – 4:07
3. "Amlapura" (Indonesian version) (Bowie, Gabrels) – 3:49
4. "Shakin' All Over" (Live) (Kidd) – 2:49

CD version 2

1. "You Belong in Rock n' Roll" (Bowie, Gabrels) – 3:33
2. "Amlapura" (Indonesian version) (Bowie, Gabrels) – 3:49
3. "Stateside" (H. Sales) – 5:38
4. "Hammerhead" (Bowie, H. Sales) – 3:15

Credits and personnel

Producers

• Tin Machine
• Tim Palmer

Musicians

• David Bowie – vocals, guitar, saxophone
• Reeves Gabrels – lead guitar
• Hunt Sales – drums, vocals
• Tony Sales – bass, vocals
• Kevin Armstrong – rhythm guitar

Live versions

• A live version recorded during the 1991 Tin Machine tour was released on the live album Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby in 1992.

Chart performance

Chart (1991)	Position
France (SNEP)[5]	42
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[6]	51
UK Singles (OCC)[7]	33

Bibliography

• Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5