Back Das Model BE-X-OLD Das Modell Danish Das Model German مدل (ترانه) Persian Das Modell Finnish Das Model French Das Model Croatian Das Model (Kraftwerk) Hungarian Das Model Italian モデル (クラフトワークの曲) Japanese
| "Das Model" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 German sleeve | ||||
| Single by Kraftwerk | ||||
| from the album The Man-Machine | ||||
| Language | German, English | |||
| B-side |
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| Released | 22 September 1978 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:38 | |||
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| Kraftwerk singles chronology | ||||
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| Audio sample | ||||
Kraftwerk – The Model | ||||
| "The Model" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 UK sleeve | ||||
| Single by Kraftwerk | ||||
| from the album Computer World | ||||
| B-side | "Computer Love" | |||
| Released | 7 December 1981 | |||
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| Kraftwerk singles chronology | ||||
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"Das Model" ("The Model" in English) is a song recorded by the German group Kraftwerk in 1978, written by musicians Ralf Hütter and Karl Bartos, with artist Emil Schult collaborating on the lyrics. It is featured on the album, Die Mensch-Maschine (known in international versions as The Man-Machine).
In 1981, the song was re-released to coincide with the release of the studio album Computerwelt (Computer World in English).[6] It reached no. 1 in the UK singles chart. Both the German and English versions of the song have been covered by other artists, including Snakefinger, Hikashu, Big Black and Robert.[7]
- ^ a b Reynolds, Simon (2009). Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984. Faber and Faber. ISBN 978-0-5712-5227-5.
A few weeks later, another song from 1978 – Kraftwerk's 'The Model', the catchiest song on The Man-Machine – was released as a single and, as if to proclaim the Düsseldorf group's ancestral centrality for synth-pop, promptly soared to number 1
- ^ a b Owen, Tom (30 April 2024). "The top 25 greatest 1980s synthpop songs ever". Smooth Radio. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ a b Edwards, Luke (17 July 2021). "Why were Kraftwerk so influential? Behind the electro pioneers' legacy". Dig!. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ "The 100 Best Albums of the 1970s". Pitchfork. 23 June 2004. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
But the inhumanity is suddenly broken towards the end with the wry, pop-art commentary of "The Model"...
- ^ Edwards, Luke (17 July 2022). "Best Kraftwerk Songs: 20 great tracks from the electro-pop godfathers". Dig!. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ "Kraftwerk International Discography: Great Britain". Archived from the original on 6 February 2006.
- ^ Bussy, Pascal (2004). Kraftwerk: Man, Machine and Music. SAF. p. 106. ISBN 9780946719709.
Being their most accessible song it has been covered on a number of occasions by other artists. A notable early version being by long-time Residents' collaborator Snakefinger (Philip Lithman). Other versions include one by the Japanese band Hikashu, a rock version by Big Black on their Songs About Fucking LP and the French female singer Robert who recorded a version in German.