"Trans-Europe Express"
Single by Kraftwerk
from the album Trans-Europe Express
B-side
  • "Franz Schubert"
  • "Metal on Metal"
ReleasedApril 1977
Recorded1976
StudioKling Klang (Düsseldorf, Germany)
Genre
Length
  • 6:53 (album version)
  • 3:56 (single version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kraftwerk singles chronology
"Radioactivity"
(1976) 		"Trans-Europe Express"
(1977) 		"Showroom Dummies"
(1977)

"Trans-Europe Express" is a song by German electronic music band Kraftwerk. The song was released as the lead single from their sixth studio album of the same name in 1977. The long version of the song was on the original released album, is 13:44 long, and split into two (in the United States) or three parts (in Germany). The music was written by Ralf Hütter, and the lyrics by Hütter and Emil Schult.[2] The track is ostensibly about the Trans Europ Express rail system, with technology and transport both being common themes in Kraftwerk's oeuvre.

The track became popular in dance clubs in New York, US and has since found further influence, both in hip-hop by its interpolation by Afrika Bambaata (via Arthur Baker) on "Planet Rock", which has been sampled and remixed by many different artists such as Paul Oakenfold for Swordfish's soundtrack, and by modern experimental bands such as the electroclash bands of the early 2000s.[3] In 2021, it was ranked at No. 304 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[4]

Composition and lyrics

"Trans-Europe Express"
Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express" from Trans-Europe Express
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AllMusic described the musical elements of the suite as having a haunting theme with "deadpan chanting of the title phrase" which is "slowly layered over that rhythmic base in much the same way that the earlier "Autobahn" was constructed".[3] The song's lyrics reference the album Station to Station and meeting with musicians Iggy Pop and David Bowie.[5] Hütter and Schneider had previously met up with Bowie in Germany and were flattered with the attention they received from him.[6] Ralf Hütter was interested in Bowie's work as he had been working with Iggy Pop, who was the former lead singer of the Stooges; one of Hütter's favorite groups.[5]

Release and critical reception

"Trans-Europe Express" was released as a single in 1977,[7] and charted in the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 67, also peaked at No. 96 in the Canada charts. Trans-Europe Express as a single did not chart in the UK.[8] In 2020, Billboard and The Guardian both named it as Kraftwerk's greatest song.[9][10]

Track listing

7" vinyl

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Trans-Europe Express"3:56
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Franz Schubert"3:25

12" vinyl

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Trans-Europe Express"6:35
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Metal on Metal"6:31

CD single

No.TitleLength
1."Trans-Europe Express (album version)"6:43
2."Trans-Europe Express (single version)"3:55
3."Les Mannequins"6:04
4."Showroom Dummies"6:02

Charts

Chart (1977–1978) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11] 26
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12] 96
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[13] 15
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 67

References

  1. ^ Pitchfork Staff (22 August 2016). "The 200 Best Songs of the 1970s". Pitchfork. Retrieved 13 October 2022. The song extols the virtues of the Continent's rail system, mixing the band's minimalist experimentalism with the mechanized tones of what would become known as synth-pop.
  2. ^ Trans-Europe Express (Digital Remaster) (liner notes). Kraftwerk. Mute Records. 2009. CDSTUMM305.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ a b Mason, Stewart. "Song review: Trans-Europe Express". Allmusic. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  4. ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  5. ^ a b Bussy, 2004. p.85
  6. ^ Bussy, 2004. p.84
  7. ^ Strong, 1998. p.454
  8. ^ "Song artist 715 - Kraftwerk". tsort.info. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  9. ^ Zlatopolsky, Ashley (6 May 2020). "Kraftwerk's 10 Best Songs: Staff Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  10. ^ Simpson, Dave (7 May 2020). "Kraftwerk: their 30 greatest songs, ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Kraftwerk – Trans Europe Express" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4602b." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  13. ^ "Kraftwerk – Trans Europe Express". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Kraftwerk Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 June 2020.

Bibliography

Categories