Kowalski (song)

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"Kowalski"
Primal-scream-kowalski-creation.jpg
Single by Primal Scream
from the album Vanishing Point
B-side
  • "96 Tears"
  • "Know Your Rights"
Released5 May 1997 (1997-05-05)[1]
Length
  • 5:58 (album version)
  • 4:19 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Primal Scream singles chronology
"(I'm Gonna) Cry Myself Blind"
(1994) 		"Kowalski"
(1997) 		"Star"
(1997)

"Kowalski" is a song by Scottish rock band Primal Scream, released on 5 May 1997 as the lead single from their fifth studio album Vanishing Point. The song contains a drum sample from "Halleluhwah" by Can and an interpolation of the bassline from "Get Off Your Ass and Jam" by Funkadelic, and is named after the main character of the 1971 film Vanishing Point, played by Barry Newman; it also features various dialogue samples from said film.

The song peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart and became the band's highest-charting single in Scotland, reaching number two. In Australia, the song was a minor hit on the ARIA Singles Chart, peaking at number 79.

Music video[]

Irvine Welsh scripted the video for the album's first single, "Kowalski" and was directed by Steve Hanft. The video features a Dodge Challenger being stolen by Kate Moss and Devon Aoki who then track down and beat up the band. The band's lead singer, Bobby Gillespie described the video as "a cross between Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill! and The Sweeney."[2]

Track listings[]

7-inch single / Europe 2-track CD single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Kowalski"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield5:58
2."96 Tears" (? and the Mysterians cover)Rudy Martínez2:57
Europe 12-inch single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Kowalski"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield5:58
2."96 Tears" (? and the Mysterians cover)Rudy Martínez2:57
3."Kowalski (Automator Mix)"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield5:11
4."Know Your Rights" (The Clash cover)Joe Strummer, Mick Jones4:19
Promo 12" single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Kowalski"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield5:58
2."Kowalski (Automator Mix)"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield5:11
Europe / Australia CD single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Kowalski"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield5:58
2."96 Tears" (? and the Mysterians cover)Rudy Martínez2:57
3."Know Your Rights" (The Clash cover)Joe Strummer, Mick Jones4:19
4."Kowalski (Automator Mix)"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield5:11
US CD maxi-single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Kowalski (Radio Edit)"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield4:18
2."Kowalski"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield5:58
3."96 Tears" (? and the Mysterians cover)Rudy Martínez2:57
4."Know Your Rights" (The Clash cover)Joe Strummer, Mick Jones4:19
5."Kowalski (Adrian Sherwood Dub)"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield5:01
Japan CD maxi-single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Kowalski"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield5:58
2."Star"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield4:25
3."96 Tears" (? and the Mysterians cover)Rudy Martínez2:57
4."Kowalski (Radio Edit)"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield4:18
5."Kowalski (Automator Mix)"Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield5:11

Charts[]

Chart (1997) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[3] 79
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[4] 58
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[5] 16
Scotland (OCC)[6] 2
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[7] 20
UK Singles (OCC)[8] 8

References[]

  1. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 3 May 1997. p. 33. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  2. ^ Perry, Andrew (June 1997). "Freeze!". Select. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2007.
  3. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  4. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14 no. 21. 24 May 1997. p. 12. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Primal Scream: Kowalski" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Primal Scream – Kowalski". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  8. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
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