The success of the single in both its 7" and 12" versions led EMI to offer the band a 1 million DEM advance, should they break their contract with Teldec.

Unusually for a hit record it is instrumental (as was Silver Cloud) and over seven minutes long in the full 12" version.

The band were forced to go on tour in support of the single, an enterprise made difficult by the heavily overdubbed nature of their music, and of "Rheinita" in particular.

They played a free concert for television, recordings of which are widely available on the internet, in which the band members mimed their parts and danced enthusiastically on stage.

The B-side – "Viva" – is vocal, unlike "Rheinita", and features lyrics in English, German, French and Italian.