"Military Drums"
Single by Hubert Kah
Released	May 1987[1]
Length	3:38
Label	Curb RCA Blow Up
Songwriter(s)	Michael Cretu Susanne Müller-Pi
Producer(s)	Michael Cretu Armand Volker [de]
Hubert Kah singles chronology
"Love Is So Sensible" (1986) "Military Drums" (1987) "Welcome, Machine Gun" (1989)

"Military Drums" is a song by German synthpop band Hubert Kah, released in 1987 as a non-album single. The song was written by Michael Cretu (music) and Susanne Müller-Pi (lyrics), and produced by Cretu and Armand Volker [de].

In 1987, "Military Drums" was added as the opening track on a "special edition" Germany-only reissue of the band's 1986 album Tensongs. The song was also included on the US and Japanese editions of the band's 1989 album Sound of My Heart.^[2] In 2005, Hubert Kemmler re-recorded the song for the sixth Hubert Kah album, Seelentaucher.^[3]

Speaking of the song, Hirschburger recalled to James Arena in 2017: "[It was written] in about 10 minutes in Ibiza feeling very jet lagged. We added trumpets, recorded it in about five hours and launched it as a single."^[4] The song features Carol Kenyon on backing vocals.^[5]

"Military Drums" was the band's first single to enter the US Billboard Hot Dance Music Club Play chart, peaking at No. 8 in November 1987.^[6] It was also the band's last Top 40 hit in Germany, reaching No. 35.^[1]

The song's music video was directed by Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher of DoRo Productions. On its release, Rossacher described the video as "slightly avant-garde". The video makes the use of speed manipulation which was achieved by shooting the video on six frames per second.^[7] On German TV, the band performed the song on ZDF-Hitparade on 20 August 1987.^[8]

Upon its release, Billboard described the song as a "Euro-influenced techno number".^[9]

7" single

1. "Military Drums" - 3:41
2. "Explain the World in a Word" - 4:11

12" single (European release)

1. "Military Drums" (Extended Version) - 6:27
2. "Explain the World in a Word" - 4:11

12" single (US release)

1. "Military Drums" (Extended Version) - 6:27
2. "Military Drums" - 3:41
3. "Explain the World in a Word" - 4:11

12" single (US promo)

1. "Military Drums" (Extended Version) - 6:27
2. "Military Drums" (Edited Version) - 3:14
3. "Military Drums" - 3:41

12" single (US promo #2)

1. "Military Drums" (Crossover Radio Edit) - 3:50
2. "Military Drums" (Powermix) - 5:20
3. "Military Drums" (LP Edit Version) - 3:14
4. "Military Drums" (Dance Edit By Ali Lexa) - 6:50

CD single (German release)

1. "Military Drums" (Extended Version) - 6:27
2. "Explain the World in a Word" - 4:11
3. "Military Drums" (7" Version) - 3:41

CD single (German release #2)

1. "Military Drums" (Extended Version) - 6:27
2. "Explain the World in a Word" - 4:11
3. "Limousine" (Extended Version) - 5:40
4. "Something I Should Know" (Remix Version) - 3:27
5. "Military Drums" (Video Version) - 3:38

Hubert Kah

• Hubert Kemmler – vocals
• Markus Löhr – guitar, keyboards
• Klaus Hirschburger – bass
• Carol Kenyon – backing vocals

Production

• Michael Cretu, Armand Volker [de] – producers
• Boris Granich, Christer Modig – remixers on "Crossover Radio Edit" and "Powermix"
• Ali Lexa - remixer on "Dance Edit By Ali Lexa"

Other

• Mike Schmidt at Ink Studios – cover
• Dieter Eikelpoth – photography