Das Model

"Das Model" (spelling on all releases of the album up to the 2009 remaster: "Das Modell"; English version title: "The Model") is a song recorded by the German group Kraftwerk in 1978, written by musicians Ralf Hütter and Karl Bartos, with artist Emil Schult collaborating on the lyrics. It is featured on the album, Die Mensch-Maschine (English version title: The Man-Machine).

First released as a 7" single in Germany (B-side: "Neonlicht"), under its English translation the song was eventually included on the B-side of the "Computer Love" single released in July 1981, which reached no. 36 in the UK charts. When radio DJs started playing the B-side, EMI re-issued the single in December 1981—apparently against the band's wishes—with "The Model" as the A-side. It reached no. 1 in February 1982 and spent a total of 21 weeks in the top 75 of the UK Singles Chart.[4]

Contents 1 Chart performance 2 Rammstein version 2.1 Live versions 2.2 Track listings 2.3 Chart performance 3 Other cover versions 4 References 5 External links

Chart performance
Chart (1978)

Peak position

Netherlands (Single Top 100)[5] 43 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[6] 39

Chart (1982)

Peak position

Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 33 Germany (Official German Charts)[8] 7 Ireland (IRMA)[9] 4 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[5] 41 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[10] 1

Rammstein version
"Das Modell"

Single by Rammstein

B-side

"Kokain" · "Alter Mann"

Released 23 November 1997

Format

Enhanced CD · CD single

Recorded Temple Studios, Malta, 1997

Genre

Neue Deutsche Härte · industrial metal

Length 4:46

Label Motor Music

Producer(s)

Jacob Hellner · Rammstein

Rammstein singles chronology

"Du hast" (1997) "Das Modell" (1997) "Du riechst so gut '98" (1998)

German Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein covered the German version of "Das Model" in 1997 as "Das Modell". It was released as a non-album single.

"Das Modell" is introduced by a French phrase spoken by film editor Mathilde Bonnefoy:[11] "Mesdames et messieurs, nous avons l'honneur ce soir, de vous présenter la nouvelle collection de Rammstein" which translates to "Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight we have the honour of presenting you with Rammstein's new collection" – something that one would expect to hear about a clothing collection. The beginning sounds like a fashion catwalk. Someone belches then a bump and a scream is heard, followed by laughter and cameras clicking, apparently to sound as if the model stumbled and fell.

The single contains three non-album tracks taken from the Sehnsucht recording sessions. In the special version of "Alter Mann", Bobo (Christiane Hebold) sings alongside Till Lindemann in the chorus. Also included is the computer game "Asche zu Asche" for Microsoft Windows.

Live versions

Despite being a single, "Das Modell" has only been played live once, on 23 October 1998 in St. Louis, MO, USA, during the Family Values Tour.[12] It had a shortened intro and outro, making it one of the few Rammstein songs to be shortened instead of extended when played live. The second song Kokain was also played in concerts two or three times. Moreover Flake Lorenz stated it was a difficult song to put across live.[13]

Track listings Promo CDGermany: Motor Music / 569 029-2

No.

Title

Writer(s)

Length

1. "Das Modell"  Ralf Hütter, Karl Bartos, Emil Schult 4:46 2. "Kokain"  Rammstein 3:09 Enhanced CDGermany: Motor Music / 569 029-2

No.

Title

Writer(s)

Length

1. "Das Modell"  Hütter, Bartos, Schult 4:46 2. "Kokain"  Rammstein 3:09 3. "Alter Mann" (special version) (featuring Bobo) Rammstein 4:22 4. "Rammstein Computerspiel für Windows" (Rammstein computer game for Windows) n/a n/a "Das Modell" was re-released in 2010 as a digital download, but the video game is currently not available for download.

Chart performance

Chart (1997–98)

Peak position

Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14] 18 Germany (Official German Charts)[15] 5 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 41

Other cover versions
The song was first covered by Snakefinger on his debut LP Chewing Hides the Sound in 1979. Noise rock pioneers Big Black covered the song on their 1987 album Songs About Fucking. It has also been covered by Hannes Kröger, The Cardigans, The Members, Terrorvision (with Die Cheerleader), Carter USM, Canasta, The Divine Comedy, Warm Jets, Electric Six, Yat-Kha, Balanescu Quartet, Hikashu, Ride, Chris Whitley, Aviador Dro, Eläkeläiset and Zoot Woman, Scala & Kolacny Brothers, Russian experimental surf rock band Messer Chups, Demolition Group, Wunderkind, the Dutch band Treble Spankers, Fink, English folk band Tickled Pink, Sopor Æternus & the Ensemble of Shadows (sung in Latin, and released under the title 'Modela Est'), Supernaut (a Serbian punk-funk underground hard rock band), as well as a French version by Canadian electropop duo Lola Dutronic. Spizzenergi recorded their version in 2000 produced by Martyn Ware and features on the Cherry Red compilation The Very Best of Spizz. In 2001 Czech model Veronika Zemanová (a.k.a. Veronica Zemanova) released a version, in which the lyrics were changed into 'I'm a model' instead of the original 'She's a model'. Adrian Edmondson's folk band the Bad Shepherds covered the song on their debut album Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera! released in 2009. Japanese musician Tomoyasu Hotei covered it on his 2009 cover album Modern Times Rock'N'Roll. Brazilian singer Seu Jorge covered the song on his 2010 covers album "Seu Jorge and Almaz", and so did Tangerine Dream in their 2010 album Under Cover – Chapter One. Die Toten Hosen covered the song on their Ballast der Republik album in 2012.