The Great Commandment (song)

"The Great Commandment 2.0"
"The Great Commandment 2.0"
Single by Camouflage
Released	9 April 2001
Recorded	2001
Genre	Synth-pop
Length	3:55 (radio edit)
Label	Polydor
Songwriter(s)	Heiko Maile; Marcus Meyn; Oliver Kreyssig;
Camouflage singles chronology

"The Great Commandment"
"The Great Commandment"
Single by Camouflage
from the album Voices & Images
B-side	"Pompeji"
Released	September 1987
Genre	Synth-pop
Length	4:17 (album version); 3:12 (7″ remix);
Label	Metronome
Songwriter(s)	Heiko Maile; Marcus Meyn; Oliver Kreyssig;
Camouflage singles chronology

"The Great Commandment" is a song by German synth-pop trio Camouflage. Originally recorded in 1983, the song was re-recorded in 1987 and released as their debut single in 1987. It was included on their 1988 debut album, Voices & Images.

The single gave Camouflage their only number one dance hit. "The Great Commandment" stayed at the top spot for three non-consecutive weeks.^[1] The single became popular on independent stations and crossed over to the mainstream American pop charts, peaking at number 59 in February 1989.^[2] In their native Germany, "The Great Commandment" went to number 14, and reached the top ten in more than twenty countries.

Music video

The music video depicts the band members amongst a crowd of children in a factory, who appear to be protesting against a spokesperson of some kind. One of the children discovers a control panel underneath the stage, and proves that the spokesperson is in fact a robot controlled by the mechanism. This causes the spokesperson to malfunction and fall over, after which the band and children leave.

Track listing

7″ single (Germany, 1987)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Great Commandment" (7″ remix)	3:15
2.	"Pompeji"	3:28
Total length:		6:43

12″ single (Germany, 1987)/CD single (Germany, 1988)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Great Commandment" (extended dance mix)	5:58
2.	"The Great Commandment" (extended radio mix)	5:37
3.	"Pompeji" (extended version)	5:23
Total length:		16:18

12″ single (US, 1988)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Great Commandment" (12″ version)	6:10
2.	"The Great Commandment" (dub mix)	7:52
3.	"The Great Commandment" (extended dance mix)	5:58
4.	"Pompeji" (extended version)	5:23
Total length:		24:43

12″ single (UK, 1988)
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Great Commandment" (Justin Strauss remix)	7:22
2.	"The Great Commandment" (Acid Commandment vocal)	6:32
3.	"The Great Commandment" (Great Commandment Luongo mix 12″)	6:16
Total length:		20:10

Charts

Chart performance for "The Great Commandment"
Chart (1987–1989)	Peak position
France (SNEP)^[3]	45
Germany (GfK)^[4]	14
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)^[5]	3
US Billboard Hot 100^[2]	59
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)^[5]	1

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)^[6]	Gold	250,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

The Great Commandment 2.0

In 2001, Camouflage re-recorded their debut single "The Great Commandment" and released it that year as a comeback attempt at their label's suggestion. Vocals were also re-recorded. The single was produced by London trio "Toy" and drums were provided by Christian Eigner, former tourmate of Depeche Mode. It reached number 85 on the charts.^{[citation needed]}

Track listing

CD single
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Great Commandment 2.0" (radio edit)	3:55
2.	"The Great Commandment 2.0" (Very. mix)	5:23
3.	"The Great Commandment 2.0" (Johannes Heil remix)	5:09
4.	"The Great Commandment 2.0" (instrumental)	5:28
Total length:		19:15

12″ single
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Great Commandment 2.0" (Johannes Heil remix)	5:08
2.	"The Great Commandment 2.0" (Toy mix)	5:26
3.	"The Great Commandment 2.0" (Very remix)	4:53
Total length:		15:37

Charts

Chart performance for "The Great Commandment 2.0"
Chart (2001)	Peak position
Germany (GfK)^[7]	85

References

^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 49.
^ ^a ^b "The Hot 100". Billboard.
^ "Camouflage – The Great Commandment" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
^ "Camouflage – The Great Commandment" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
^ ^a ^b redsox (4 October 2005). "History Of The US Charts- Part III (c)". UKMIX Forums. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Camouflage; 'The Great Commandment')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
^ "Camouflage – The Great Commandment 2.0" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 July 2024.

External links

"The Great Commandment" at Discogs (list of releases)

[1] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 49.

[:0-2] "The Hot 100". Billboard.

[sc_France_Camouflage-3] "Camouflage – The Great Commandment" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 4 July 2024.

[sc_Germany_Camouflage-4] "Camouflage – The Great Commandment" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 July 2024.

[:1-5] redsox (4 October 2005). "History Of The US Charts- Part III (c)". UKMIX Forums. Retrieved 4 July 2024.

[GermanyCamouflageThe_Great_CommandmentsingleCertRef-6] "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Camouflage; 'The Great Commandment')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 4 July 2024.

[:2-7] "Camouflage – The Great Commandment 2.0" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 July 2024.

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v t e Camouflage
Heiko Maile Marcus Meyn Oliver Kreyssig Martin Kähling
Studio albums	Voices & Images Methods of Silence Meanwhile Bodega Bohemia Spice Crackers Sensor Relocated Greyscale
Compilation albums	Best of Camouflage: We Stroke the Flames Rewind – Best of 85–97 The Singles
Singles	"The Great Commandment" "Strangers' Thoughts" "Neighbours" "Love Is a Shield" "Close (We Stroke the Flames)" "X-Ray" "Thief" "Me and You" "I Can't Feel You" "The Pleasure Remains" "Shine"