The single was released in different languages (English, French, German and Japanese). Dentaku, the japanese version, was the B-side of the English-language single, and a remixed version appeared in Kraftwerk's 1991 album The Mix, segueing in from Pocket calculator itself.
Pocket Calculator
Kraftwerk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the operator with my pocket calculator
I am adding
And subtracting
I'm controlling
And composing
I'm the operator with my pocket calculator
I am adding
And subtracting
I'm controlling
And composing
By pressing down a special key
It plays a little melody
By pressing down a special key
It plays a little melody
I'm the operator with my pocket calculator
I'm the operator with my pocket calculator
Kraftwerk's Pocket Calculator is a song that explores the use of technology, specifically a pocket calculator, as an instrument in music production. The lyrics suggest that the singer is in control of the creative process, using the calculator to add, subtract, compose, and ultimately control the outcome. The repetition of the refrain "I'm the operator with my pocket calculator" highlights the singer's mastery of the technology and their position as the director of the musical creation. In the second verse, the singer notes that, by pressing a special key, the calculator can even play a melody, further emphasizing the range of creative possibilities that technology offers.
One interpretation of the song is that it comments on the rise of technology and its impact on music production, as well as broader societal implications. The use of the pocket calculator as an instrument suggests that technology has the potential to transform even the most mundane objects into tools of creativity. Additionally, the lyrics may suggest a potential danger in becoming too reliant on technology, as the repeated use of the phrase "I'm the operator with my pocket calculator" could be read as a mechanized assertion of power, calling into question the role of human intervention and creativity in an increasingly automated world.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the operator with my pocket calculator
I am in control and using my calculator to perform operations
I am adding
I am performing addition
And subtracting
I am performing subtraction
I'm controlling
I am controlling the calculator
And composing
I am using the calculator to compose music
By pressing down a special key
I am using a specific function on the calculator
It plays a little melody
This function produces a musical sound
I'm the operator with my pocket calculator
I am still in control and using my calculator to perform operations
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Karl Bartos, Ralf Huetter, Emil Schult
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@squarehypotenuse
Mr. Krabs: "Play that song again, the one that goes beep boop boop bop"
@Feedbach
Mr Krabs?
@markfalkner7422
crinklycracks hahahahaha yes!!!!
@fivesquaredyt2521
crinklycracks 169 likes
@BBC600
Md Ariffin It’s a reference to an animated television program called SpongeBob Squarepants...
@jeshkam
Sounds like Miles Davis to me lol
@axelvetter
I saw Kraftwerk playing in Düsseldorf, their home city, in 1991. When a new song started they played just the rhythm track and handed out self-made boxes on cables to the audience. My friend went "These are the pocket calculators!". From far they looked like them, yes, and pressing a key played a sample or a short melody. People in the audience jammed for a minute or so and then passed them on the next guy. "Everyone can make music" said one of the Kraftwerk musicians. The audience proved he was right.
@TylerTheBuilder
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS that is me right there right now, Im jamming with this song on my synthesizer right now. And its a headbanger xD
@jameshollingworth1607
Wish I could of been there!, I've seen loads of live Kraftwerk live concerts but wish I'd of gone to one when I was in my teens!, but still thank "The Lord" we can see & here them at the touch of a button! Jim York UK.
@NormAppleton
When you you press a special key it plays a litle mellody. Ain't that grand.