The Model

Album: The Best of Kraftwerk (1981)
Charted: 1
Play Video
  • Lyrics currently unavailable Writer/s: Emil Schult, Karl Bartos, Ralf Hütter
    Publisher: Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Comments: 10

  • Daltronix from Iowa, United StatesThis was also covered by The Members and David Byrne did a version on Sessions at West 54th Street TV show.
  • Chris from Germany When they released Man Machine in 1978 they had no idea that they wrote music history with this song. This song was ahead of their time and so I have looked what kind of music at that time was famous and nothing sounded nearly like this

    And so it was not a wonder when they re released it as a b side to Computer Love in the UK it was a hit. Not Computer Love but this was played by BBC the djs etc.
  • Drew T Jensen from West Covina, CaThe first cover of this song was by Phil "Snakefinger" Lithman, which was on the "Chewing Hides the Sound" album, and was the last single from that album.
  • Kent from Toronto, CanadaTo Matt from Pinetown: the counting of "eins, zwei, drei, vier" to establish timing is not a parody of English groups, as groups the world over count to set the time. (Russians count, "raz, dva, tri, chetirye", for example.) Ironic, however, might be that setting time would be irrelevant to a group whose beat comes from a machine....
  • Kent from Toronto, CanadaThe German spelling of "Modell" with double "L" is based on the older German term for (fashion) model, "Fotomodell", with the last syllable stressed. Today, a fashion model is generally called, "das Model", single "L", with the first syllable stressed as in English, while other types of models, objects, archtypes or paradigms, are still called "Modell". with the seceond syllable stressed. The English version is sung cool and deadpan throughout, while the German origin has the one word "korrekt!" sung uncharacteristically loud and with some force.
  • Matt from Pinetown, South AfricaIn concert, they count "eins zwei drei vier". This originally comes from the 1977 album release of Showroom Dummies (aka Schaufensterpuppen, aka Les Mannequins) and is a parody of the English-language rock groups shouting "One Two Three Four!".
  • Matt from Pinetown, South AfricaFor Kraftwerk, known for singing about machines and contraptions, this is the only song of theirs about a human being. And it became #1 in the UK.
  • Matt from Pinetown, South AfricaDuring a tester before a concert, Ralf Huetter sings the final line as "Now she's a big success I'd like to f*** her again". This is the only known time that Kraftwerk has cussed in public. This is available on bootleg but is rare.
  • Matt from Pinetown, South AfricaDas Modell was covered by Rammstein. They wanted to rename it "Die Hure" (the whore) but Kraftwerk stopped them, so it became a straight cover version.
  • Matt from Pinetown, South AfricaThis song was released in German countries as Das Modell.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Weezer

WeezerFact or Fiction

Did Rivers Cuomo grow up on a commune? Why did they name their albums after colors? See how well you know your Weezer in this Fact or Fiction.

Rock Stars of Horror

Rock Stars of HorrorMusic Quiz

Rock Stars - especially those in the metal realm - are often enlisted for horror movies. See if you know can match the rocker to the role.

Andy McClusky of OMD

Andy McClusky of OMDSongwriter Interviews

Known in America for the hit "If You Leave," OMD is a huge influence on modern electronic music.

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

What Musicians Are Related to Other Musicians?

What Musicians Are Related to Other Musicians?Song Writing

A big list of musical marriages and family relations ranging from the simple to the truly dysfunctional.

Evolution Of The Prince Symbol

Evolution Of The Prince SymbolSong Writing

The evolution of the symbol that was Prince's name from 1993-2000.