The Great Commandment (song)

1987 song by Camouflage

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"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"
(1987)  | "Strangers' Thoughts"
(1988)

|
|

"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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Germany (BVMI)[6] | Gold  | 250,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## The Great Commandment 2.0

[edit]

"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
| "Thief"
(1999)  | "The Great Commandment 2.0"
(2001)  | "Me and You"
(2003)

|
|

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

[edit]

CD singleNo.| 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″ singleNo.| 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

[edit]

Chart performance for "The Great Commandment 2.0"  Chart (2001)  | Peak
position

|

Germany (GfK)[7] | 85

## References

[edit]

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

## External links

[edit]

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

* 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"
* "Shine"

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work
* MusicBrainz release group

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