*JASMINE 49: A STUDY IN COINCIDENCE*

by DANIEL TRANSIT

The information in this article has been collected over several years. It concerns mainly the name 'Jasmine' and the connected names 'Yasmin' and 'Jesamine', as well as the number 49 and connected numbers 7 (the square root of 49), 94 (49 reversed) and 98 (twice 49).

CASE A-1 MARC BOLAN

"Jasmine '49.. is a buzz that's so divine"

In 1966, during a two-hour session at De Lane Lea Studios in Kingsway, London, Marc Bolan recorded several songs - including "Jasmine '49"

CASE A-2 THE CASUALS

In 1968, The Casuals had a hit single with "Jesamine." Twenty-three years later, a CD by The Casuals with this title was released - it includes "Jesamine" and "Seven Times Seven."

CASE A-3 ISLEY BROTHERS

"Summer Breeze , makes me feel fine, blowin' through the jasmine in my mind"

In May 1974, The Isley Brothers ' hit single "Summer Breeze" was released. It includes these lyrics:

"Sweet days of summer - the jasmine's in bloom. July is dressed up, and playing her tune.."

July is the 7th month of the year.

CASE A-4 DAVID BOWIE

One of the tracks on side one of David Bowie's 'Low' LP, issued January 1977, is "Always Crashing In The Same Car." The lyrics include references to 'Jasmine' and to the number '94.'

Later in the same year that this song was made available, Marc Bolan (Case A-1) died in a car crash.

CASE A-5 ELVIS PRESLEY

The stripper in Elvis' 1958 film 'King Creole' was named Forty Nina.

Elvis' favourite flower was Jasmine.

Elvis died in 1977, aged 42. There were 49 cars in his funeral procession.

CASE A-6 SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES

"Hong Kong Garden," the first single release by Siouxsie and the Banshees came out in August 1978, and made the UK top 10. The lyrics include:

"Would you like number 23,"

and "Unleashing scent of wild jasmine."

CASE A-7 DURAN DURAN

Towards the end of 1983, Duran Duran's LP 'Seven and The Ragged Tiger' made number 1 in the UK charts - it includes a track entitled "The Seventh Stranger."

The wife of the group's lead singer is named Yasmin Le Bon.

CASE A-8 JOAN COLLINS

On Page 334 of her book 'Second Act,' Joan Collins describes moving into her new French home, in 1989:

"(It was) on the St.Tropez peninsula... set in six acres of land... There were few houses within sight of the villa and the smells of jasmine and mimosa were overwhelming.. We christened it Destino - la forza del destino, something I've always believed in..."

On page 98 of her father's book 'A Touch of Collins,' there is reproduced a page from the casting directory Spotlight showing the entry for (a young) Joan Collins above the entry for an actress called Jasmine Dee.

 

CASE B-1 GENESIS

Genesis' October 1972-released LP 'Foxtrot,' features four apocalyptic horsemen in the cover artwork, and includes the track "Apocalypse In 9/8."

 

CASE B-2 STEVE HARLEY & COCKNEY REBEL

'The Best Years Of Our Lives' by Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel made no.4 in Britain, in March 1975. One song on this LP - named after a film - is "49th Parallel."

 

CASE B-3 ADAM & THE ANTS

One of the four songs recorded by Adam and The Ants for their first John Peel session was "Deutscher Girls," which at that time included these lines:

"Remember the curls of the deutscher girls, Camp 49, we're down on the Rhine"

The beginning lyrics to the song also refer to "the tango" and "the foxtrot" dances.

 

CASE B-4 'THE WORD' UK TV PROGRAMME

One of the presenters on a series of 'The Word,' that was produced by Planet 24, and sponsored by Tango, was named Jasmine Dotiwala.

 

If you've any ideas about what this all might possibly mean, or have any questions, or corrections etc., then please e-mail me, DT 26/12/1999.

Jasmine Victoria

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