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.
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

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."

Track listing

Charts

In popular culture

The song is featured in Olivier Assayas's 2014 film Clouds of Sils Maria.