What a complicated tale there is to Kraftwerk’s ‘Tour de France’ single. So many versions! This post takes a brief dip into the story to focus on only one release, the rather novel cassette single edition that came out in the UK for the single’s original release in 1983. The mixes of the song featured on this cassingle mirror those to be found on the original 1983 UK 12” single, these being;
Side One:
- Tour De France (Long Version) (6’30”)
Side Two:
- Tour De France (3’00”) (NB: This was the same mix as on the A side of the 1983 UK 7” single too.)
- Tour De France 2è Étape (2’40”)
Now then, it’s important to point out from the off that the first two tracks on this release are the French language versions. The third track – ‘Tour de France 2è Étape’ – is listed as ‘Tour de France’ (Version) on the 12” record label and cassette shell instead, for some odd reason. This 2è Étape mix is NOT the same as the mix that was on the B side of the 1983 7” UK single, despite having a similar duration of 2’40”. The 7” B side is a genuine, shorter instrumental mix whereas ‘Tour de France 2è Étape’ doesn’t really feature the music and is more of an electronic percussion and effects workout.
So, the cassingle features three of the four mixes issued in 1983 in the UK. The only one of these to have ever been issued on CD/digitally is the short 3’00” version. (On the 1999 CD single it is re-titled ‘Radio Mix’). Meanwhile, in the then West Germany of 1983, there were more mixes to be had – the short 7” and longer 12” ‘Version Allemande’ German vocal mixes which were featured on the 7” and 12” A sides there in preference to the French language mixes. Neither of these German language mixes have been released on CD/digitally, as far as I know.
By later on in 1983 – and as detailed in Karl Bartos’s recent autobiography – dissatisfied with the first mixes, Kraftwerk remixed the song and issued the new version in West Germany and France late 1983 on 12” single. There is some confusion about this, but that 12” single had the new mix that was called ‘New York Club Mix’ on the 12” version as released in France and would later on be known as ‘Kling Klang Analog Mix’ on the 1999 CD single version. This remix comes in both French language – ‘Version Française’ (which was included on the 1999 CD single) – and German language – ‘Version Allemande’ (which I don’t think has been released on CD/digitally) – versions.
So, by the end of 1983 there were eight mixes of the song – so far…
By summer 1984 and the ‘Breakdance’ movie (which featured the song), another new mix and release would appear – this time it was the mighty Francois Kevorkian remix – originally released in the summer of 1984 (this mix was known by the name of ‘Remix Francois K’ on the 1999 CD single). Ah, but… if only it were that simple – but it’s not – as there are differences – the US 12” Francois Kevorkian remix has some differences compared to the European releases and the US 7” has unique edits of that remix and the ‘Version Allemande’ remix.
So, by 1984 there were something like thirteen mixes of the song out there. Since then, come 2003 Kraftwerk released the ‘Tour De France Soundtracks’ album which included a completely new recording of the song and since then there has also been the ‘3-D The Catalogue / Der Katalog’ re-recording too for good measure. Phew!