The Great Commandment (song)
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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 |
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| Label | Metronome | |||
| Songwriters |
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| Camouflage singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "The Great Commandment" on YouTube | ||||
"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.[citation needed]
The music video was directed by Rainer Thieding, and was filmed on a black and white film on 14 and 15 November 1987 at Butenholt-Studios in Kröppelshagen.
It 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
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Great Commandment" (7″ remix) | 3:15 |
| 2. | "Pompeji" | 3:28 |
| Total length: | 6:43 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 (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. | ||
