Tour de France (song)

Last updated

"Tour de France"
TdF CD99.jpg
Single by Kraftwerk
ReleasedJuly 1983 [1]
Recorded1983
Studio Kling Klang (Düsseldorf, Germany)
Genre Electronic
Length
  • 6:30 (full version)
  • 3:00 (short edit)
Label
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)
  • Ralf Hütter
  • Maxime Schmitt
Producer(s)
  • Ralf Hütter
  • Florian Schneider
Kraftwerk singles chronology
"Computerwelt"
(1982)
"Tour de France"
(1983)
"Musique Non-Stop"
(1986)
"Tour de France"
Song by Kraftwerk
from the album Tour de France Soundtracks
Released4 August 2003
Studio Kling Klang (Düsseldorf, Germany)
Genre Techno
Length5:12
Label
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)
  • Ralf Hütter
  • Maxime Schmitt
Producer(s)
  • Ralf Hütter
  • Florian Schneider

"Tour de France" is a song by German electronic band Kraftwerk. It was first issued in July 1983, peaking at number 22 in the United Kingdom singles chart on 21 August.

Contents

Background

It is notable for the use of sampled voices and mechanical sounds associated with cycling that were used to supplement a simple electro-percussion pattern – an approach Kraftwerk had used on earlier tracks such as "Metal on Metal" (from Trans-Europe Express ) and "Numbers" (from Computer World ). The music is credited to Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider and Karl Bartos; the lyrics are credited to Hütter and Maxime Schmitt, a French label associate of the band. The melody appears to quote a fragment of the opening section of Paul Hindemith's "Sonata for Flute and Piano" ("Heiter Bewegt").

The sleeve design depicted the band on road bikes in a paceline, superimposed across an angled representation of the French national flag. The design was adapted from an image that had appeared on a 1953 Hungarian postage stamp, one of a sport-themed set commemorating the opening the Népstadion (People's Stadium) in Budapest. The piece was also included in the 1984 film Breakin' , also known as Breakdance internationally. Although the song did appear briefly in the film, Kraftwerk did not let the song appear on the movie soundtrack; instead, a cover version of the song was released by a group called "10 Speed".

Composition

The 1953 Hungarian postage stamp that formed the basis for the cycling motif 1953.1313 20f.jpg
The 1953 Hungarian postage stamp that formed the basis for the cycling motif

For Kraftwerk, "Tour de France" was a departure from the technological tone of the two previous albums, The Man-Machine and Computer World . Instead, the song is a joie de vivre celebration of cycling, marking the group's increasing interest in the sport. Of the current line-up, Hütter and Fritz Hilpert have been known to take part in cycling events. The track was originally recorded with the intention of being included on the subsequently abandoned Techno Pop album. The single was originally released on seven and twelve inch vinyl, and as a cassette-single. It has the most complicated set of variants of any Kraftwerk song, having been variously edited and remixed to the point that there is no completely definitive version.[ citation needed ]

Releases

Original release

In Germany it was released in both German- and French-language versions, one on each side of the vinyl disc, but in other countries the versions of the song that were issued were sung only in French. Typically, the seven-inch sides were edited down versions of the longer tracks released on twelve-inch singles. In the UK however the seven-inch B-side was an instrumental edit of the A-side track; an additional instrumental track of percussion and samples, "Tour de France, Étape 2", was included on the UK twelve-inch and cassette releases.

Remix release

On 22 June 1984 the song was re-released in two new versions: a substantially different and largely instrumental arrangement, remixed by François Kevorkian in New York; and a Kraftwerk-remixed alternative version of the original arrangement, featuring longer percussive sections than the 1983 version in the latter half of the track. Sleeves for later UK pressings of this version included the message "As featured in the film Breakdance " on the front. The remix reached number 24 on the UK Singles Chart and number 4 on the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

Digital remaster

In October 1999, the recordings were digitally remastered and released, this time as a CD and a twelve-inch single, with a slightly modified version of the original cover design: the faces of former members Karl Bartos and Wolfgang Flür, who had left the band by 1999, were replaced by faces presumably representing current members Fritz Hilpert and Henning Schmitz.

The 1999 vinyl twelve-inch had the 1984 Kraftwerk remix as the A side (now sub-titled "Kling Klang Analog Mix") and the Kevorkian version as the B side (re-titled "Remix François K"). The CD also included the 1983 seven-inch single edited mix of the song (re-titled "Radio Version") and a QuickTime format file of the video, featuring an edited version of the 1984 Kraftwerk remix with German lyrics ("Multi-Media-Track") over an amended video. The video itself was re-edited to remove sequences showing the 1983 incarnation of the band and now comprised only archive footage of Tour de France cyclists, such as the Italian champion Fausto Coppi and the French champion Jacques Anquetil.

2003 version

A completely new recording was made for the 2003 album Tour de France Soundtracks , based on the original 1983 arrangement. The album was remastered and re-released in 2009.

Music videos

For the 1983 release a video clip with cycling footage was released. The 1984 Kevorkian version had a rare video which included footage of the band members in Düsseldorf on their bicycles. The 1999 release had the same video as the 1983 Version.

Track listing

UK 12-inch vinyl, 1983 Catalog number: 12 EMI 5413

  1. "Tour de France (Long Version)" – 6:30 ¹
  2. "Tour de France" – 3:00
  3. "Tour de France, Étape 2" – 2:40 ²

UK 7-inch vinyl, 1983 Catalog number: EMI 5413

  1. "Tour de France" – 3:00
  2. "Tour de France (Instrumental)" – 2:40

UK cassette, 1983 Catalog number: TC-EMI 5413

  1. "Tour de France (Long Version)" – 6:30
  2. "Tour de France" – 3:00
  3. "Tour de France, Étape 2" – 2:40 ²

US 12-inch vinyl, 1984 Catalog number: 20146

  1. "Tour de France" (6:45)
  2. "Tour de France (Remix)" (6:47)

UK 12-inch vinyl, 1984 Catalog number: 12 EMI 5413

  1. "Tour de France (Remix)" – 6:47 (François Kevorkian remix)
  2. "Tour de France (French Version)" – 6:44 ³ (Kraftwerk remix sung in French)
  3. "Tour de France" – 3:00

Has the same catalogue number as the 1983 release

UK 7-inch vinyl, 1984 Catalog number: EMI 5413

  1. "Tour de France (Remix)" – 3:55 (Edit of François Kevorkian remix)
  2. "Tour de France" – 3:45 (Edit of Kraftwerk remix sung in French)

Has the same catalogue number as the 1983 release

German 12-inch vinyl, 1983 Catalog number: 1CK 052 1652046

  1. "Tour de France (Version Allemande)" – 6:30 (sung in German)
  2. "Tour de France (Version Française)" – 6:30

German 7-inch vinyl, 1983 Catalog number: 1C 006 1652047

  1. "Tour de France (Version Allemande)" – 3:00 (sung in German)
  2. "Tour de France (Version Francaise)" – 3:00

German 12-inch vinyl, 1984 (1) Catalog number: 1CK 052 1652046

  1. "Tour de France (Version Allemande)" – 6:44 ³ (Kraftwerk remix sung in German)
  2. "Tour de France (Version Francaise)" – 6:30

This may be a mis-pressing or promo as it has the same sleeve and catalogue number as the earlier release; replaced by (2) below, it was also released in Australia as EMI ED 85

German 12-inch vinyl, 1984 (2) Catalog number: 1CK 062 2003776

  1. "Tour de France (Remix)" – 6:47 (François Kevorkian remix)
  2. "Tour de France (Version Allemande)" – 6:44 ³ (though actually this track is sung in French!)
  3. "Tour de France" – 3:05

German 7-inch vinyl, 1984 Catalog number: 1C 006 200376-7

  1. "Tour de France (Remix)" – 3:50 (Edit of François Kevorkian remix)
  2. "Tour de France" – 3:10 (sung in German)

EU 12-inch vinyl, 1999 Catalog number: 7243 8 87421 6 0

  1. "Tour de France (Kling Klang Analog Mix)" – 6:44 (1984 Kraftwerk remix sung in French)
  2. "Tour de France (Remix François K)" – 6:45 (1984 François Kevorkian remix)

Note 1: "Tour de France (Long Version)" is the same track as "Tour de France (Version Française)".
Note 2: "Tour de France, 2e Étape", (listed as such on sleeves but misleadingly put as "Tour de France (Version)" on the B-side label of the 1983 12" disc and cassette), it is not the same track as the later song from Tour de France Soundtracks that has this title. It is a unique rhythmic instrumental track.
Note 3: On some releases "Tour de France (French Version)" is sub-titled "New York Club Mix", or even "Version Allemande" for the 1984 German Remix 12", though this latter one may have been the result of an error. The track was digitally remastered and re-released as "Tour de France (Kling Klang Analog Mix)" in 1999.

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">François Kevorkian</span> Musical artist

François Kevorkian, also known by the stage name François K, is a French DJ, producer, remixer and label owner of Armenian descent and based in the United States of America, who started his career DJing in clubs such as the Paradise Garage and Studio 54. Kevorkian has produced and remixed work by a diverse range of musicians including the Smiths, Adam Ant, Kraftwerk, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Diana Ross, Gloria Estefan and U2, and is considered one of the forefathers of house music.

<i>Tour de France Soundtracks</i> 2003 studio album by Kraftwerk

Tour de France Soundtracks is the eleventh and final studio album by German electronic music band Kraftwerk. It was first released on 4 August 2003, through Kling Klang and EMI in Europe and Astralwerks in North America. The album was recorded for the 100th anniversary of the first Tour de France bicycle race, although it missed its intended release date for the actual tour. It includes a new recording of their 1983 song of the same name, the cover artwork of both releases being nearly identical. The announcement of the release caused much anticipation, as it had been 17 years since the group had put out a full album of new studio material. It is also the last studio album to feature Florian Schneider before his departure from the band in 2008 and his death on 21 April 2020.

<i>Computer World</i> 1981 studio album by Kraftwerk

Computer World is the eighth studio album by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released on 11 May 1981. It was accompanied by four singles, including a double A-side UK no. 1 featuring "Computer Love".

<i>Electric Café</i> 1986 studio album by Kraftwerk

Electric Café is the ninth studio album by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released on 3 November 1986. The initial 1986 release came in versions sung in English and German, as well as a limited Edición Española release, featuring versions of "Techno Pop" and "Sex Object" with only Spanish lyrics. It was the first Kraftwerk LP to be created using predominantly digital musical instruments, although the finished product was still recorded onto analog master tapes.

<i>The Mix</i> (Kraftwerk album) 1991 studio album by Kraftwerk

The Mix is the tenth studio album by the German electronic music band Kraftwerk. It was released on 10 June 1991 by Kling Klang and EMI in Europe and by Elektra Records in North America. It features entirely re-arranged and re-recorded versions of a selection of songs which had originally appeared on Kraftwerk's albums Autobahn (1974) through Electric Café (1986). Some of the songs, such as "The Robots" and "Radioactivity", feature new additional melodies and/or lyrics.

<i>The Catalogue</i> 2009 box set by Kraftwerk

The Catalogue is a box set consisting of the eight albums by German electronic music band Kraftwerk that were released from 1974 to 2003. All albums are digitally remastered, with most of the cover art redesigned, including rare photographs in the liner notes that were not part of each album's original release.

<i>Remixes 81–04</i> 2004 remix album by Depeche Mode

Remixes 81–04 is a remix album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 25 October 2004. It was the band's first release since Daniel Miller's independent label Mute Records was acquired by industry major EMI in 2002. It features well-known remixes from the band's back catalogue, as well as previously unavailable mixes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moonlight Shadow</span> 1983 song by Mike Oldfield

"Moonlight Shadow" is a song written and performed by English multi-instrumentalist Mike Oldfield, released as a single in May 1983 by Virgin Records, and included on his eighth album, Crises, of the same year. The vocals were performed by Scottish vocalist Maggie Reilly, who had collaborated with Mike Oldfield since 1980. It is Oldfield's most successful single, reaching number one on numerous charts around Europe. In the UK, it reached number four during a nineteen week chart run and was subsequently listed by the Official Charts Company as the 29th best-selling single of 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaven (Bryan Adams song)</span> 1985 single by Bryan Adams

"Heaven" is a song by the Canadian singer and songwriter Bryan Adams recorded in 1983, written by Adams and Jim Vallance. It first appeared on the A Night in Heaven soundtrack album the same year and was later included on Adams' album Reckless in 1984. It was released as the third single from Reckless and reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in June 1985, over a year and a half after the song first appeared on record. The single was certified Gold in Canada in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Personal Jesus</span> 1989 single by Depeche Mode

"Personal Jesus" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released as the lead single from their seventh studio album, Violator (1990), in 1989. It reached No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The single was their first to enter the US top 40 since 1984's "People Are People" and was their first gold-certified single in the US. In Germany, "Personal Jesus" is one of the band's longest-charting songs, staying on the West German Singles Chart for 23 weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pop Muzik</span> 1979 single by M

"Pop Muzik" is a 1979 song by M, a project by English musician Robin Scott, from the debut album New York • London • Paris • Munich. The single, first released in the UK in early 1979, was bolstered by a music video that was well received by critics. The clip showed Scott as a DJ singing into a microphone from behind an exaggerated turntable setup, at times flanked by two female models who sang and danced in a robotic manner. The video also featured Brigit Novik, Scott's wife at the time, who provided the backup vocals for the track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radioactivity (song)</span> 1976 single by Kraftwerk

"Radioactivity" is a song by the German electronic music band Kraftwerk. It was released in February 1976 as the only single from their fifth studio album, Radio-Activity (1975).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Expo 2000 (song)</span> 1999 single by Kraftwerk

"Expo 2000" is a song by Kraftwerk. It was originally an a cappella jingle commissioned for the Hanover Expo 2000 world's fair in Germany, which was subsequently developed into longer pieces with music and additional lyrics. It was the group's first commercial recording of new, original music since the release of the 1986 album Electric Café.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Self Control (Raf song)</span> 1984 single by Raf, later covered by Laura Branigan

"Self Control" is a song by Italian singer Raf, released in 1984. It was written by Giancarlo Bigazzi, Steve Piccolo and Raf, and arranged by Celso Valli. The track topped the charts in Italy and Switzerland, and started the explosion and dominance of Italo disco-style recordings in continental European charts during the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kraftwerk discography</span>

The discography of German electronic band Kraftwerk consists of 10 studio albums, two live albums, one remix album and 26 singles. Formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in Düsseldorf in 1970, Kraftwerk were part of the krautrock scene. However, the group mostly found fame as pioneers of electronic music, showcasing their styles on a series of concept albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Power and the Passion (song)</span> 1983 single by Midnight Oil

"Power and the Passion" is the second single from Midnight Oil's 1982 album 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. The song is one of the band's most famous, and it was performed on every Midnight Oil tour since the issue of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 as well as at the WaveAid concert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I.O.U. (Freeez song)</span> 1983 single By Freeez

"I.O.U." is a song by British musical group Freeez, released in 1983. The song was written and produced by Arthur Baker and remixed by Jellybean Benitez and Arthur Baker. The song was an international hit, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart and topping the US Billboard Dance/Disco Top 80 chart, giving Freeez their only chart-topping single on any Billboard chart. It was the 20th-best-selling single of 1983 in the United Kingdom.

"You're the One For Me" is a song written by James "D. Train" Williams and Hubert Eaves III of D. Train, a New York based post-disco duo, released in 1981 by Prelude Records. "You're the One for Me" first charted on December 19, 1981, at number 53 on the Billboard dance singles chart. It was a number one dance hit for three weeks early in 1982. The single also made it to number thirteen on the soul singles chart. Later in 1982, "You're the One for Me" along with the track, "Keep On", would peak at number 2 on dance charts. "Keep On" peaked at number fifteen on the soul chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Telephone Call</span> 1987 single by Kraftwerk

"The Telephone Call" is a song by the German electronic band Kraftwerk. It was released in 1987 as the second and final single from their ninth studio album, Electric Café (1986). The single was their second number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and stayed two weeks at the number-one spot. It is the only Kraftwerk song to feature Karl Bartos on vocals. The versions from the single were remixed by François Kevorkian and Ron Saint Germain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Musique Non-Stop</span> 1986 single by Kraftwerk

"Musique Non Stop" is a 1986 single by German techno group Kraftwerk, which was featured on the album Electric Café. It was re-released as a remix on their 1991 album The Mix. The single was their first number one on Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and was one of two songs to make it to number one there.

References

  1. "Great Rock Discography". p. 471.
  2. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 170. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  3. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN   978-951-1-21053-5.
  4. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Tour de France". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  5. "Kraftwerk – Tour de France". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  6. "Kraftwerk – Tour de France". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Kraftwerk: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  8. "Kraftwerk Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  9. "Offiziellecharts.de – Kraftwerk – Tour de France" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  11. "Kraftwerk – Tour de France" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  12. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  13. "Dance Club Songs – Year-End 1984". Billboard. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.