Kowalski (song)

"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.

"Kowalski"
Single by Primal Scream
from the album Vanishing Point
B-side	"96 Tears" "Know Your Rights"
Released	5 May 1997
Genre	Electronic rock
Length	5:58 (album version) 4:19 (radio edit)
Label	Creation Reprise
Songwriter(s)	Martin Duffy Bobby Gillespie Andrew Innes Robert Young Gary Mounfield
Producer(s)	Brendan Lynch Primal Scream
Primal Scream singles chronology
"(I'm Gonna) Cry Myself Blind" (1994) "Kowalski" (1997) "Star" (1997)

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."[1]

Track listing

7-inch single / Europe 2-track CD single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Kowalski"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	5:58
2.	"96 Tears" (? and the Mysterians cover)	Rudy Martínez	2:57

Europe 12-inch single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Kowalski"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	5:58
2.	"96 Tears" (? and the Mysterians cover)	Rudy Martínez	2:57
3.	"Kowalski (Automator Mix)"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	5:11
4.	"Know Your Rights" (The Clash cover)	Joe Strummer, Mick Jones	4:19

Promo 12" single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Kowalski"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	5:58
2.	"Kowalski (Automator Mix)"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	5:11

Europe / Australia CD single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Kowalski"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	5:58
2.	"96 Tears" (? and the Mysterians cover)	Rudy Martínez	2:57
3.	"Know Your Rights" (The Clash cover)	Joe Strummer, Mick Jones	4:19
4.	"Kowalski (Automator Mix)"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	5:11

US CD maxi-single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Kowalski (Radio Edit)"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	4:18
2.	"Kowalski"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	5:58
3.	"96 Tears" (? and the Mysterians cover)	Rudy Martínez	2:57
4.	"Know Your Rights" (The Clash cover)	Joe Strummer, Mick Jones	4:19
5.	"Kowalski (Adrian Sherwood Dub)"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	5:01

Japan CD maxi-single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Kowalski"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	5:58
2.	"Star"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	4:25
3.	"96 Tears" (? and the Mysterians cover)	Rudy Martínez	2:57
4.	"Kowalski (Radio Edit)"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	4:18
5.	"Kowalski (Automator Mix)"	Gillespie, Innes, Young, Duffy, Mounfield	5:11

Charts

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

References

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