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Tour de France (song)
Encyclopedia
"Tour de France" is a song by Kraftwerk
. It was first issued in June 1983, peaking at #22 in the UK singles chart. 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 have 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 Ralf 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”).
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, Ralf 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.
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”.
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 #24 on the UK Singles Chart
and #4 on the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.
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
.
, based on the original 1983 arrangement.
Has the same catalogue number as the 1983 release
Has the same catalogue number as the 1983 release
|width=50%|
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
|}
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.
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
. It was first issued in June 1983, peaking at #22 in the UK singles chart. 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 have used on earlier tracks such as "Metal on Metal" (from Trans-Europe Express
Trans-Europe Express (album)
Trans-Europe Express is the sixth studio album by German electronic music band Kraftwerk. Recorded in mid-1976 in Düsseldorf, Germany, the album was released in March 1977 on Kling Klang Records. The album's themes were influenced by friends who suggested writing songs about the Trans-Europ...
) and "Numbers" (from Computer World
Computer World
Computer World is the eighth studio album by the German electronic music band Kraftwerk, released in May 1981. 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 and Trans-Europe Express...
). The music is credited to Ralf Hütter
Ralf Hütter
Ralf Hütter is the lead singer, keyboardist, and reportedly leader of the electronic-music band Kraftwerk. Since the departure of Florian Schneider in 2008, he is also the group's sole remaining founding member....
, Florian Schneider
Florian Schneider
Florian Schneider-Esleben is one of the founding members of electronic music band Kraftwerk. He left the band in November 2008.-Career:...
and Karl Bartos
Karl Bartos
Karl Bartos was, between 1975 and 1990, along with Wolfgang Flür, an electronic percussionist in the electronic-music group Kraftwerk. He was originally recruited to play on its US "Autobahn" tour...
; the lyrics are credited to Ralf Hütter
Ralf Hütter
Ralf Hütter is the lead singer, keyboardist, and reportedly leader of the electronic-music band Kraftwerk. Since the departure of Florian Schneider in 2008, he is also the group's sole remaining founding member....
and Maxime Schmitt, a French label associate of the band. The melody appears to quote a fragment of the opening section of Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, music theorist and conductor.- Biography :Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Hindemith was taught the violin as a child...
's “Sonata for Flute and Piano” (“Heiter Bewegt”).
The Man-Machine
The Man-Machine is the seventh studio album by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released in May 1978. It contains the song "The Model" which was a chart-topping single in the UK in 1982....
and Computer World
Computer World
Computer World is the eighth studio album by the German electronic music band Kraftwerk, released in May 1981. 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 and Trans-Europe Express...
. Instead, the song is a joie de vivre
Joie de vivre
Joie de vivre is a French phrase often used in English to express a cheerful enjoyment of life; an exultation of spirit. Joie de vivre"can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy of anything one might do… And joie de vivre may be seen as a joy of everything, a comprehensive joy, a philosophy...
celebration of cycling, marking the group's increasing interest in the sport. Of the current line-up, Ralf Hütter
Ralf Hütter
Ralf Hütter is the lead singer, keyboardist, and reportedly leader of the electronic-music band Kraftwerk. Since the departure of Florian Schneider in 2008, he is also the group's sole remaining founding member....
and Fritz Hilpert
Fritz Hilpert
Fritz Hilpert, born May 31, 1956 in Amberg, Germany, is a member of the electro-pop group Kraftwerk.- Background :Fritz Hilpert studied trumpet and percussion at the Musisches Max-Reger-Gymmnasium, Germany, until 1976....
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.
The sleeve design depicted the band on road bikes
Racing bicycle
A racing bicycle, also known as a road bike, is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling, a sport governed by according to the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale...
in a paceline
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
, 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
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
.
The piece was also included in the 1984 film, Breakin'
Breakin'
Breakin', released as Breakdance: The Movie in some countries, is a 1984 breakdancing-themed film directed by Joel Silberg. The film setting was inspired by a German documentary entitled Breakin' and Enterin set in the Los Angeles multi-racial hip hop club Radiotron, based out of Macarthur Park in...
; 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”.
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
In August 1984 the song was re-released in two new versions: a substantially different and largely instrumental arrangement, remixed by François KevorkianFrançois Kevorkian
François Kevorkian, alias François K, is a French DJ of Armenian origin, remixer, producer and record label owner. Having started his career in renowned clubs such as the Paradise Garage and Studio 54, the New York City resident is widely considered as one of the forefathers of house...
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 #24 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and #4 on the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.
Digital remaster
In 1999 the recordings were digitally remastered and released yet again, 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 BartosKarl Bartos
Karl Bartos was, between 1975 and 1990, along with Wolfgang Flür, an electronic percussionist in the electronic-music group Kraftwerk. He was originally recruited to play on its US "Autobahn" tour...
and Wolfgang Flür
Wolfgang Flür
Wolfgang Flür is a German musician, best known as a member of the electronic group Kraftwerk, from 1973 to 1987, playing electronic percussion...
, who had left the band by 1999, were replaced by faces presumably representing current members Fritz Hilpert
Fritz Hilpert
Fritz Hilpert, born May 31, 1956 in Amberg, Germany, is a member of the electro-pop group Kraftwerk.- Background :Fritz Hilpert studied trumpet and percussion at the Musisches Max-Reger-Gymmnasium, Germany, until 1976....
and Henning Schmitz
Henning Schmitz
Henning Schmitz, born December 26, 1953 in Germany, is a member of the electronic/experimental pop band Kraftwerk.-Background:Henning Schmitz studied at the Musikhochschule Rheinland and the FH Düsseldorf, and in 1980 he received his Diplom-Ingenieur qualification in sound and image technology...
.
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
QuickTime
QuickTime is an extensible proprietary multimedia framework developed by Apple Inc., capable of handling various formats of digital video, picture, sound, panoramic images, and interactivity. The classic version of QuickTime is available for Windows XP and later, as well as Mac OS X Leopard and...
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
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
cyclists, such as the Italian champion Fausto Coppi
Fausto Coppi
Angelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...
.
Final version
A completely new recording was made for the 2003 album Tour de France SoundtracksTour de France Soundtracks
Note: The 2003 Japanese CD release of this album also contains the video of the single "Tour de France 2003" as enhanced content.-Promotional version:...
, based on the original 1983 arrangement.
UK 12-inch vinyl, 1983
Catalog number: 12 EMI 5413- "Tour de France (Long Version)" – 6:30 ¹
- "Tour de France" – 3:00
- "Tour de France, Étape 2" – 2:40 ²
UK 7-inch vinyl, 1983
Catalog number: EMI 5413- "Tour de France" – 3:00
- "Tour de France (Instrumental)" – 2:40
UK cassette, 1983
Catalog number: TC-EMI 5413- "Tour de France (Long Version)" – 6:30
- "Tour de France" – 3:00
- "Tour de France, Étape 2" – 2:40 ²
US 12-inch vinyl, 1984
Catalog number: 20146- "Tour de France" (6:45)
- "Tour de France (Remix)" (6:47)
UK 12-inch vinyl, 1984
Catalog number: 12 EMI 5413- "Tour de France (Remix)" – 6:47 (François Kevorkian remix)
- "Tour de France (French Version)" – 6:44 ³ (Kraftwerk remix sung in French)
- "Tour de France" – 3:00
Has the same catalogue number as the 1983 release
UK 7-inch vinyl, 1984
Catalog number: EMI 5413- "Tour de France (Remix)" – 3:55 (Edit of François Kevorkian remix)
- "Tour de France" – 3:45 (Edit of Kraftwerk remix sung in French)
Has the same catalogue number as the 1983 release
|width=50%|
German 12-inch vinyl, 1983
Catalog number: 1CK 052 1652046- "Tour de France (Version Allemande)" – 6:30 (sung in German)
- "Tour de France (Version Francaise)" – 6:30
German 7-inch vinyl, 1983
Catalog number: 1C 006 1652047- "Tour de France (Version Allemande)" – 3:00 (sung in German)
- "Tour de France (Version Francaise)" – 3:00
German 12-inch vinyl, 1984 (1)
Catalog number: 1CK 052 1652046- "Tour de France (Version Allemande)" – 6:44 ³ (Kraftwerk remix sung in German)
- "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- "Tour de France (Remix)" – 6:47 (François Kevorkian remix)
- "Tour de France (Version Allemande)" – 6:44 ³ (though actually this track is sung in French!)
- "Tour de France" – 3:05
German 7-inch vinyl, 1984
Catalog number: 1C 006 200376-7- "Tour de France (Remix)" – 3:50 (Edit of François Kevorkian remix)
- "Tour de France" – 3:10 (sung in German)
EU 12-inch vinyl, 1999
Catalog number: 7243 8 87421 6 0- "Tour de France (Kling Klang Analog Mix)" – 6:44 (1984 Kraftwerk remix sung in French)
- "Tour de France (Remix François K)" – 6:45 (1984 François Kevorkian remix)
EU CD maxi-single, 1999
Catalog number: 7243 8 87421 0 8- "Tour de France (Radio Version)" – 3:07 (1983 version sung in French)
- "Tour de France (Kling Klang Analog Mix)" – 6:44 (1984 Kraftwerk remix sung in French)
- "Tour de France (Remix François K)" – 6:45 (1984 François Kevorkian remix)
- "Tour de France (Multi-Media-Track)" – 3:07 (Video of track, which requires a computer to play)
|}
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
Tour de France Soundtracks
Note: The 2003 Japanese CD release of this album also contains the video of the single "Tour de France 2003" as enhanced content.-Promotional version:...
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
| Chart (1983/84) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Media Control Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... Singles Chart |
47 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
20 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
22 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... (1984 Remix) |
24 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... (1999 re-release) |
61 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
4 |
See also
- Tour de France SoundtracksTour de France SoundtracksNote: The 2003 Japanese CD release of this album also contains the video of the single "Tour de France 2003" as enhanced content.-Promotional version:...
2003 album - Breakin'Breakin'Breakin', released as Breakdance: The Movie in some countries, is a 1984 breakdancing-themed film directed by Joel Silberg. The film setting was inspired by a German documentary entitled Breakin' and Enterin set in the Los Angeles multi-racial hip hop club Radiotron, based out of Macarthur Park in...
Break dance movie soundtrack