"p:Machinery" is a song by the German synth-pop band Propaganda, released as the third single from their 1985 debut album A Secret Wish. The song reached the top 10 in various countries across Europe, including France and Italy, but was most successful in Spain, where it peaked at number one in 1986. In the United States, the song reached the top 10 on the dance chart. The opening line for the track was written by David Sylvian, who was approached to produce for the band but ultimately did not.
Background David Sylvian's contribution as given by Sylvian himself was the following:
Track listings 12", "p: Machinery (Polish)", ZTT (UK)/ Island (Europe) "p: Machinery (Polish)" – 9:25 "p: Machinery (Passive)" – 3:44 "Frozen Faces" – 5:31
7", Island "p: Machinery" – 3:50 "Frozen Faces" – 4:22
12", "p: Machinery (Reactivate)", ZTT (UK)/ Island (Spain) "(The Beta Wrap Around Of) p:Machinery" – 10:47 "(The Echo Of) Frozen Faces" – 10:22
7", "p: Machinery (Reactivate)", ZTT (UK)/ Island (Spain) "(The Beta Wrap Around Of) p: Machinery" – 4:16 "Frozen Faces" – 5:30
12", "p: Machinery (βeta)", ZTT (UK)/ Island (Australia) "p:Machinery (Beta)" – 9:30 "Extracts from the Cassette Complete Machinery Including p:Machinery (Passive) and Frozen Faces" – 10:57
Cassette, ZTT Incidental Series, Action Series (UK) "Introduction" – 0:25 "p:Machinery (Connected)" – 12:40 "Separation" – 0:20 "Frozen Faces" – 5:32 "Introduction" – 0:25 "p:Machinery (Connected)" – 12:40 "Separation" – 0:20 "Frozen Faces" – 5:32
CD, "P:Machinery (T-Empo Remix) "P:Machinery (Adventurous Edit)" – 3:45 "P:Machinery (Passive - Original 7" Mix)" – 3:43 "P:Machinery (The Adventure Continues)" – 12:03 "P:Machinery (Polish - Original 12" Mix)" – 9:20
Digital download, "P: Machinery (αlpha)", ZTT "P: Machinery" – 3:52 "Frozen Faces (αlpha)" – 4:23 "P: Machinery (Polish)" – 9:23 "P:Machinery (Zbigniew Rybczyński Video Mix)" – 4:36 "Frozen Faces (βeta)" – 5:29 "P:Machinery (Voiceless)" – 3:48 "P:Machinery (αlpha)" – 1:58
"P:Machinery (βeta)", ZTT, The Beast of Propaganda – Chapter Three "Introduction" – 0:26 "P:Machinery (Connected)" – 12:41 "Separation" – 0:20 "Frozen Faces (A Secret Sense of Rhythm)" – 5:08 "Frozen Faces (A Secret Sense of Sin)" – 5:29 "P:Machinery (Passive)" – 3:44 "P:Machinery (βeta)" – 9:32
"P: Machinery (Reactivated)", ZTT "P:Machinery (The Beta Wraparound)" – 10:45 "Frozen Faces (The Echo Of...)" – 10:20 "P:Machinery (The Beta Wraparound Edit)" – 4:11 "Frozen Faces (Βeta)" – 5:29 "Disturbdance Seven" – 3:14 "P:Machinery (The Voiceless Βeta Wraparound Edit)" – 4:23 "Disturbdance One" – 0:11
Chart performance
Weekly charts Chart (1985–1986)PeakpositionEuropean Top 100 Singles (Eurotipsheet)36Spain (AFYVE)1US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play10US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales20
Year-end charts Chart (1985)PositionEurope (European Hot 100)82Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)86Netherlands (Single Top 100)81
See also List of number-one singles of 1986 (Spain)
References