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Das Boot (song)

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"Das Boot"
Standard European artwork
Single by U96
from the album Das Boot
ReleasedDecember 1991
Genre
Length3:25
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)Klaus Doldinger
Producer(s)Matiz, AC 16
U96 singles chronology
"Das Boot"
(1991) 		"I Wanna Be a Kennedy"
(1992)
Music video
"Das Boot" on YouTube
Alternative cover
UK artwork
Alternative cover
"Das Boot" / "Kennedy" artwork

"Das Boot" (English: "The Boat") is the title theme to the film and TV series Das Boot, composed and produced by Klaus Doldinger, and released as a single in 1981. In 1991, the song was covered by German DJ and producer Alex Christensen and his dance music project U96. This techno version was U96's debut single, released by Polydor from the album of the same name (1992).

On the German Singles Chart, "Das Boot" spent 13 weeks at number one in early 1992, doing so with minimal airplay support. It also became a number-one hit in Austria, Norway and Switzerland and entered the top 10 in Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands and Sweden. In the UK, it peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was the subject of many remixes throughout the years.

Critical reception

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Ian Gittins from Melody Maker complimented the song as a "portentous novelty house hit", "complete with marine sound effects, submarine noises and the legendary lyric Techno, techno". He concluded, "Compelling and absurdly addictive."[1] Pan-European magazine Music & Media remarked, "With no significant airplay, this techno version of the theme to the movie Das Boot is number one for the second consecutive week in Germany. It's like Kraftwerk on acid, or plain Front 242."[3] James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update wrote, "This Hamburg based DJ's vocoder produced and Asdic pinged techno treatment of Klaus Doldinger's original theme is in basic chugging 0-122.9bpm Techno (with beat losing edits midway), far fiercer smoothly thrumming electro 0-127.1bpm Strings 127, Accordian, Echo Mix, 127 BPM and — fiercest of all — 0-130.9bpm 131 BPM versions. Dive! Dive! Dive!"[2]

Chart performance

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"Das Boot" peaked at number one in Germany, Norway and Switzerland. In Germany, it spent 13 weeks atop the Media Control singles chart despite being largely ignored by German radio.[4][5] It was also the first single to top the chart on only one format: a 12-inch single.[5] "Das Boot" also entered the top 10 in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands and Sweden, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it reached number three in May 1992, after 17 weeks on the chart.[6] Additionally, "Das Boot" peaked within the top 20 in Ireland and the United Kingdom. In the latter country, it debuted at number 37 and peaked at number 18 during its third week on the UK Singles Chart, on 6 September 1992.[7] "Das Boot" was awarded with a gold record in Austria, with a sale of 25,000 copies.

Music video

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The accompanying music video for "Das Boot" was directed by Peter Claridge.[8] It used footage from the 1981 German submarine film Das Boot, directed by Wolfgang Petersen. When the song peaked at number one in Germany, the video had not yet been produced.[9]

Track listings

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Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[36] Gold 25,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Germany December 1991 — Polydor
United Kingdom 17 August 1992
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
[37]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Gittins, Ian (4 June 1994). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 33. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b Hamilton, James (8 February 1992). "DJ Directory: Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 6. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  3. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 15 February 1992. p. 12. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  4. ^ a b "U 96 – Das Boot" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  5. ^ a b Weinert, Ellie (15 February 1992). "'Das Boot' Surfaces to Number 1 with No Airplay Backing". Music & Media. p. 6.
  6. ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. 2 May 1992. p. 37. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  8. ^ "U96 - Das Boot (viva tv 1993) HD Audio". YouTube. 18 July 2015. Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  9. ^ Spahr, Wolfgang; Pride, Dominic (4 December 1993). "After three decades, German dance music still floors the world". Billboard. Vol. 105. Issue 49.
  10. ^ "U 96 – Das Boot" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  11. ^ "U 96 – Das Boot" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  12. ^ "Top 10 Singles in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 19. 9 May 1992. p. 29. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 20 September 2021 – via World Radio History.
  13. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. 23 May 1992. p. 36. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  14. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 9789511210535.
  15. ^ "U 96 – Das Boot . Kennedy" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  16. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Das Boot". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 19, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  18. ^ "U 96 – Das Boot" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  19. ^ "U 96 – Das Boot". VG-lista. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  20. ^ "U 96 – Das Boot". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  21. ^ "U 96 – Das Boot". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  22. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 29 August 1992. p. 18. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  23. ^ "U 96: Boot II" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  24. ^ "U 96 – Boot II". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  25. ^ "U 96 – Das Boot 2001" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  26. ^ "U 96 – Das Boot 2001" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  27. ^ "U 96 – Das Boot 2001". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  28. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1992" (in German). Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  29. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1992" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  30. ^ "1992 Year-End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 51/52. 19 December 1992. p. 17. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 17 September 2021 – via World Radio History.
  31. ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1992" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  32. ^ "Single top 100 over 1992" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  33. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1992" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  34. ^ "Årstopplistan 1992, Singlar" (in Swedish). Grammotex. Archived from the original on 25 February 2001. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  35. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1992" (in German). Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  36. ^ "Austrian single certifications – U96 – Das Boot" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  37. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 15 August 1992. p. 21.
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