Computer World
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| Computer World | ||||
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| 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. |
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| Producer | Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider | |||
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| Kraftwerk chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Computer World | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
Cover design for the 2009 remaster
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Computer World is the eighth studio 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.
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.
1982 bought more visibility and accolades to the Computer World track. "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. The original track was nominated for a Grammy award in the category of Best Rock Instrumental Performance. Computer World was also chosen by the BBC for use in the titles of their UK computer literacy project, The Computer Programme.
A newly remastered edition of the album was released by EMI and Mute Records (in the UK) on CD and digital download in October 2009, with a heavyweight vinyl edition released in November 2009. Due to licensing restrictions, the release was only made available in the US by Astralwerks Records as part of The Catalogue box set.
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Contents |
[edit] Track listing
The following are the worldwide album variations released in 1981:
[edit] English-language release
[edit] Side one
- "Computer World" – 5:05 (Karl Bartos, Ralf Hutter, Florian Schneider, Emil Schult)
- "Pocket Calculator" – 4:55 (Bartos, Hutter, Schult)
- "Numbers" – 3:19 (Bartos, Hutter, Schneider)
- "Computer World, Part 2" – 3:21 (Bartos, Hutter, Schneider)
[edit] Side two
- "Computer Love" – 7:15 (Bartos, Hutter, Schult)
- "Homecomputer" – 6:17 (Bartos, Hutter, Schneider)
- "It's More Fun to Compute" – 4:13 (Bartos, Hutter, Schneider)
[edit] German-language release
[edit] Side one
- "Computerwelt" - 5:06
- "Taschenrechner"- 4:32
- "Nummern"- 3:21
- "Computerwelt 2"- 3:11
[edit] Side two
- "Computerliebe"- 7:19
- "Heimcomputer"- 8:03
- "It's More Fun to Compute"- 4:12
[edit] French-language release
[edit] Side one
- "Computer World" – 5:05
- "Mini Calculateur" – 4:55
- "Numbers" – 3:00
- "Computer World 2" – 3:30
[edit] Side two
- "Computer Love" – 7:00
- "Home Computer" – 6:00
- "It's More Fun to Compute" – 4:15
[edit] Japanese-language release
[edit] Side one
- "Computer World" ("コンピューター・ワールド") – 5:07
- "Dentaku" ("電卓") – 4:56
- "Numbers" ("ナンバース") – 3:21
- "Computer World 2" ("コンピューター・ワールド2") – 3:20
[edit] Side two
- "Computer Love" ("コンピューター・ラブ") – 7:16
- "Home Computer" ("ホーム・コンピューター") – 6:17
- "It's More Fun to Compute" ("コンピューターはボクのオモチャ") – 4:12
[edit] Equipment
- Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 - used only on the accompanying tour
- Moog Polymoog
- Moog Minimoog
- Korg PS-3300
- Roland MC8 Microcomposer sequencer - used only on the accompanying tour
- Friendchip "Mr Lab" sequencer unit
- Custom-built 32x2-step analogue sequencers by Matten & Wiechers
- Dubreq Stylophone
- Mattel Bee Gees Rhythm Machine
- Texas Instruments "Speak & Spell" language toy: Home Computer begins with a sound sample of the off/on jingles of the Speak & Spell electronic spelling game. The Speak & Spell was an early example of a computer in an everyday household object – in this case an interactive toy – rather than shown as a stereotypical piece of space-age gadgetry.
- Texas Instruments Talking Translator (with English, French and Spanish language modules)
- Casio FX-501P Programmable Calculator with FA-1 Cassette Interface
- EMS and Sennheiser vocoders
[edit] Personnel
The original 1981 sleeve notes are relatively unspecific regarding roles, merely listing all the equipment suppliers and technicians under the heading "hardware" and the various other people involved, such as photographers, as "software". By contrast, the 2009 remaster notes give the performer credits as:
- Ralf Hütter – voice, vocoder, synthesizer, orchestron, synthanorma sequenzer, keyboards, electronics
- Florian Schneider – vocoder, speech synthesis, synthesizer, electronics
- Karl Bartos – electronic percussion
Band member Wolfgang Flür is included in the general acknowledgement of contributors ("software"), but is not credited with a performing role in these recordings. [6]
[edit] Production
- Produced By Florian Schneider & Ralf Hutter
- Engineer: Guenter Spachtholz
[edit] References
- ^ Snow, Mat (November 2009). "Gut Vibrations". Mojo (London: Bauer Media Group) (192): 110. ISSN 1351-0193.
- ^ Cavanagh, David. "Uncut Reviews: Kraftwerk - Reissues". Uncut. http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/kraftwerk/reviews/13709. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
- ^ http://www.poecker.homepage.t-online.de/01/discog.htm Kraftwerk International Discography
- ^ http://www.discogs.com/Kraftwerk-Computer-World/master/3112 Discogs.com
- ^ http://www.discogs.com/Kraftwerk-Computerwelt/master/108747 Discogs.com
- ^ (2009) Album notes for Computer World (Digital Remaster) by Kraftwerk [CD]. Great Britain: Mute Records (CDSTUMM307).
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