New Wave Month Double Shot Song of the Day - Der Kommissar

Way back in the early 1980's there was an Austrian singer named Falco who recorded a song that would soon take on a life of its own.  Der Kommissar, first recorded in 1981, became an international hit for the singer, though it barely cracked the pop charts here in the U.S., perhaps because the song was sung in German.  Check it out...

Falco - Der Kommissar by Dan_of_the_Land

Just a year later, though, British new wave band After the Fire recorded the song in English and it ultimately caught on, reaching #5 on the Billboard pop charts in 1983.  80's pop star Laura Branigan also recorded a version of the tune under the pseudonym Deep in the Dark, but that one floundered as both the original German version and the English version by After the Fire caught on once again.

The song is still one of my favorites from that era...still love the bass-y music track, and the rhythmic chords played in the chanting bridge towards the end.  Great song and very new wave!  Check out the English version:

After The Fire - Der Kommissar by jpdc11

On a side note, Falco did hit the big time here in the U.S. with the #1 smash Rock Me Amadeus in 1985 and Vienna Calling, its #18 follow-up.  Sadly, the singer passed away in an automobile accident in the Dominican Republic in February 1998, just days before his 41st birthday.

And just for fun, check out a snippet of Laura Branigan's version, which I never heard until just now.  Not bad!