Computer World

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For the computer magazine, see Computerworld.
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Computer World
Computer World cover
Studio album by Kraftwerk
Released May 1981
Recorded 1979 - 1980 at Kling Klang Studio, Düsseldorf, Germany
Genre Electronic music
Synthpop
Length 39:21
Label Kling Klang
EMI
Warner Bros.
Producer Ralf Hütter
Florian Schneider
Professional reviews
Kraftwerk chronology
The Man-Machine
(1978)		 Computer World
(1981)		 Electric Café
(1986)
Singles from Computer World
  1. "Computer Love" b/w "The Model"
    Released: 7/1981, EMI 5207 (UK)
  2. "Pocket Calculator" b/w "Dentaku"
    Released: 5/1981, EMI 5175 (UK)
  3. "Taschenrechner" b/w "Dentaku"
    Released: 1981 Kling Klang 1C00646365
  4. "Computerwelt 1 (Special Mix)" b/w "Nummern"; "Computerwelt 2"
    Released: 1982, 12", Kling Klang 1CK062-46379Z

Computer World is a concept album created by Kraftwerk and released in 1981. It was released in German as Computerwelt. The album deals with the themes of the rise of computers within society. Critics see this album as a peak in the career of Kraftwerk, along with Autobahn[citation needed] and Trans-Europe Express.

The compositions are credited to Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, and Karl Bartos. The sound of the album is more reliant on purely electronics and vocals. For the first time since 1970's "Vom Himmel Hoch" from the group's first album, the band displayed shades of funk music - tracks such as "Numbers" went on to influence early elements of hip hop music in the US.[1]

In keeping with the album’s concept, Kraftwerk showcased their music on an ambitious world tour and issued several versions of the single, "Pocket Calculator". The song is also sung in German—"Taschenrechner", French—"Mini Calculateur", and Japanese—"Dentaku" (電卓). While not major, it should also be noted that there are a few noticeable differences in the album mixes used on the English- and German-language releases.

As was the case with the two previous albums, "Computer World" was released both as German and English language editions. Instead of translating everything verse by verse, some lyrics were omitted. Most notably the opening title track, "Computer world", lacks approximately half of the original lyrics. The English lyrics misses the reference to the collection of peoples' personal data (Finanzamt und das BKA - Haben unsere Daten da) by agencies such as the tax authorities and the police. Similarly the refrain Computerwelt - Denn Zeit ist Geld is simplified. The title of the final track is in English in all releases, as it is a pun based on the slogan "It's more fun to compete!" that could be seen on old pinball machines.

"Computer Love" was released as a 7-inch single single in the UK, in July 1981, backed with "The Model", from the group's previous album The Man-Machine. The single reached number 36 in the charts. In December 1981 the two songs were reissued as a double A-side 12-inch single, and reached number one on the UK pop charts in February 1982, although "The Model" received the most airplay.

"Computerwelt" was subsequently remixed as a punchier-sounding dance version, with additional bass and percussion and was released in January 1982 as a twelve-inch vinyl single only in Germany.

In the same year, the song "Computer World" was nominated for a Grammy award in the category of Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

Although the album was originally released by Warner Bros. Records in the US and Canada, it has since been reissued in these regions by Elektra Records. Warner Bros. also issued a vinyl version pressed on neon green vinyl[citation needed].
"Computer World" excerpt
An excerpt from the "Computer World" title track.
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

[edit] English-language release

[edit] Side one
  1. "Computer World" – 5:05
  2. "Pocket Calculator" – 4:55
  3. "Numbers" – 3:19
  4. "Computer World 2" – 3:21

[edit] Side two

  1. "Computer Love" – 7:15
  2. "Home Computer" – 6:17
  3. "It's More Fun to Compute" – 4:13
Computerwelt.

[edit] German-language release

[edit] Side one
  1. "Computerwelt" - 5:06
  2. "Taschenrechner"- 4:32
  3. "Nummern"- 3:21
  4. "Computerwelt 2"- 3:11

[edit] Side two
  1. "Computerliebe"- 7:19
  2. "Heimcomputer"- 8:03
  3. "It's More Fun to Compute"- 4:12

[edit] French-language release

[edit] Side one
  1. "Computer World" – 5:05
  2. "Mini Calculateur" – 4:55
  3. "Numbers" – 3:00
  4. "Computer World 2" – 3:30

[edit] Side two
  1. "Computer Love" – 7:00
  2. "Home Computer" – 6:00
  3. "It's More Fun to Compute" – 4:15
Japanese version (Konpyūtā wārudo).

[edit] Japanese-language release

[edit] Side one
  1. "Computer World" ("コンピューター・ワールド") – 5:07
  2. "Dentaku" ("電卓") – 4:56
  3. "Numbers" ("ナンバース") – 3:21
  4. "Computer World 2" ("コンピューター・ワールド2") – 3:20

[edit] Side two
  1. "Computer Love" ("コンピューター・ラブ") – 7:16
  2. "Home Computer" ("ホーム・コンピューター") – 6:17
  3. "It's More Fun to Compute" ("コンピューターはボクのオモチャ") – 4:12


Note 1: The French-language album has never been reissued on CD.
Note 2: On the Japanese-language re-release CD, track 2 is "Pocket Calculator," while "Dentaku" is a bonus track.

[edit] Equipment

[edit] Other utilization

  • The song "Computer World" was used as the theme music of the series The Computer Programme, a TV show originally broadcast on British network BBC2 in 1982. The series aimed to introduce people to computers and showcase their potential. "Computer World 2" was used at the end of the show on the credits.
  • Afro-Rican, a popular Miami Bass and Hip-Hop group, sampled Kraftwerk's "It's more fun to compute" on its hit "Give it All You Got (Doggy Style)," which would later be sampled on Fergie's hit "Fergalicious."
  • Coldplay got the permission to use the synthesizer melody of "Computer Love" in its song "Talk," which was featured on the album X&Y.[citation needed]
  • Pizzicato Five utilized the bass line from "Pocket Calculator" for the song "Contact" from Romantique 96.
  • German musician Uwe Schmidt, under his pseudonym Señor Coconut, recorded a merengue arrangement of the song "Home Computer" on El Baile Alemán, his album of Latin-style Kraftwerk cover versions.
  • Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, launched her solo career with "Steam," a track that heavily sampled "Numbers."
  • An image of the Computer World album cover was used on a t-shirt given to students in the Fall 1998 EE302 class taught at the University of Texas at Austin. This T-shirt has since made appearances on the Warner Bros. television show Beauty and the Geek.
  • Kaiser Broadcasting, the stations of which included WKBS in Philadelphia and WFLD in Chicago, used the tracks "Numbers" and "Home Computer" as musical backgrounds for its kids cartoon bumpers in the early-mid 1980's.
  • The Miami bass hip-hop group the Puppies sampled "It's more fun to Compute" and "Numbers" in its song "Funky Y-2-C."
  • The Native American house-music group Alternations sampled "Home Computer" in its song "Feel it for You."
  • Techmaster P.E.B. used samples of "Computer Love" and a did a complete remake of "Numbers," called "Bass by Numbers," on its debut album, Bass Computer.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Pascal Bussy - author of the book, Kraftwerk: Man, Machine and Music - Bartos relates that prior to this, Hütter & Schneider were disturbed by him playing off-beats in rhythms.
v • d • e
Kraftwerk
Ralf Hütter · Fritz Hilpert · Henning Schmitz · Stefan Pfaffe
Florian Schneider · Karl Bartos · Wolfgang Flür · Klaus Röder · Michael Rother · Klaus Dinger · Andreas Hohmann
Fernando Abrantes · Emil Schult · Plato Kostic · Peter Schmidt · Houschäng Néjadepour · Charly Weiss · Thomas Lohmann · Eberhard Kranemann
Albums
Live and compilation releases
Non-album singles
Videography
Related articles
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