Der Kommissar

[Sonny Burnett]

Which version of the song 'Der Kommissar' do you like better? The English version by After The Fire or in German by Falco?

I'll take Falco and I feel the same way about '99 Luft Ballons' by Nena.

[Trixter]

Good question!

I much prefer Falco's version of "Der Kommissar" than After the Fire's! It just sounds cool in German!

[Iluvthe80s]

Falco's is good, but I prefer to listen to After The Fire's version.

[scott28883]

I perfer AFTER THE FIRES version alot better than Falcos. Interesting video also for after the fire.

[Chasey]

I preferred After The Fire's version, but I also liked Falco and I'm a big fan of him anyway.

[Recker]

I went for "After the Fire's" version for the same reason I went for Nena's "99 Red Balloons" over "Luft Balloons". Because I like to have some idea about what they're singing about!

Great song!

[80sTrivia]

I liked After The Fire's version better. I was never a big fan of Falco, for some reason...

[Jazzmyn]

I went with After The Fire. Like to be able to sing along. lol Both versions are really good though.

[wavemaster]

Can you guess which version I´m preferring?

IMHO, the original is outrunning the copy by lightyears...besides, I can understand the lyrics.

But okay...here are the original lyrics:

Falco "Der Kommissar"

Two, three, four, eins, zwei, drei
Es is nichts dabei / There´s nothing much about it
Wenn ich euch erzaehle die Geschichte / When I´m telling you the story
Nichts desto trotz, ich bin es schon gewohnt / Nonetheless, I´m used to it
Im tv-funk da laeuft es nicht, jah / You won´t see it on TV, jah
Sie war so jung, das Herz so rein und weiss / She was so young, her heart pure and white
Und jede Nacht hat ihren Preis / And every night has it´s price
Sie sagt: "Sugar sweet, jah'got me rapp'in to the heat!" / She says: "Sugar sweet, jah'got me rapp'in to the heat!"
Ich verstehe, sie ist heiss / I understand, she´s hot
Sie sagt: "Babe you know, I miss my Funky friends" / She says "Babe you know, I miss my funky friends"
Sie meint, Jack und Jill und Joe / She meant Jack and Jill and Joe
Mein Funk Verstaendnis reicht zur Not / My understanding of funk is barely sufficient
Ich ueberreiss' was sie jetzt will / I´m calculating her wants
Ich ueberlege bei mir, ihre Nase spricht dafuer / I´m thinking for myself, her nose is telling the story
Waehrend dessen ich noch rauche / While I´m still smoking
Die "special places" sind ihr wohlbekannt / She knows all the "special places" well
Ich meine, sie faehrt ja U-bahn auch dort singen's: / I mean, she´s also using the subways, they´re sing there:

Dreh dich nicht um - oh, oh, oh / Don´t turn around
Der Kommissar geht um - oh, oh, oh / The Commissioner walks around
Er wird dich anschauen, und du weisst warum / He will look at you, and you know why
Die Lebenslust bringt dich um / The lust for life is killing you

Alles klar Herr Kommissar? / Everythings okay, Mr. Commissioner?

(Hey man, wanna buy some stuff man?
Did you ever rap that thing Jack, so rap it to the beat)

Wir treffen Jill und Joe und dessen Bruder Hip, / We are meeting Jill and Joe and his brother Hip
Und auch den Rest der koolen gang / and the rest of the cool gang, too
Sie rappen hin, sie rappen her / They´re rappin' to, they're rappin fro
Dazwischen kratzen's ab die Waend' / scraping off the walls in the meanwhile
Dieser Fall ist klar lieber Herr Kommissar / this case is clear, dear Mr. Commissioner
Auch wenn sie anderer Meinung sind / Even if you have another opinion
Den Schnee auf dem wir alle talwaerts fahren / The snow on which we all are going down
Kennt heute jedes Kind / Is known by any child today
Jetzt das Kinderlied / Now the childrens tune

Dreh dich nicht um - oh, oh, oh / Don´t turn around
Der Kommissar geht um - oh, oh, oh / The Commissioner walks around
Er hat die Kraft und wir sind klein und dumm / He have the force and we are small and stupid
Und dieser Frust macht uns stumm / And this frustation makes us mute
La, la, la, la, la
Dreh dich nicht um - oh, oh, oh / Don´t turn around
Der Kommissar geht um - oh, oh, oh / The Commissioner walks around
Wenn er dich anspricht und du weisst warum / When he directs the speech at you and you know why
Sag' ihm dein Leben bringt dich um / Tell him that your life is killing you
La, la, la, la, la
Dreh dich nicht um - oh, oh, oh / Don´t turn around
Der Kommissar geht um - oh, oh, oh / The Commissioner walks around

A bit of trivia at the end...
"Der Kommissar" appeared in an episode of the Austrian crime-comedy series 'Kottan ermittelt' ('Kottan investigates') aired by the ORF in Austria, Germany and Switzerland in the 80s.
The person who was meant in this song is the chief of Inspector Kottan, a choleric and unable character (one running gag of this series was the coffee vending machine...to my knowledge, the chief never got a cup of coffee, not even after unloading his .38 revolver into it).

[Sonny Burnett]

Thank you, wavemaster, for going to all that trouble. Very interesting.

[abcmcd]

I like both, but I think it sounds cooler in German.

[80sTrivia]

Wow, thanks Wavey, for posting an English translation to Falco's version of Der Kommisar! Very interesting to know what he was actually singing!!!

['80s Aztec]

Ich finde der englicsche Versoin viel besser as even after two years of college German it's just so bloody hard to keep up.

[Flix]

I like the Falco version better. It was original and different at the time. Falco was very innovative and his music was always worth a listen to me. His greatest hits is a great album

[pessimystica]

I knew there was a German version of "Der Kommissar", but I didn't know that After the Fire didn't do it.... I didn't even know Falco did it until just now, which is how I stumbled in here. So, since I heard the After the Fire version way beforehand, I'll have to stick with that one... but I do like the Falco version. I will also say I like Nena's "99 Luftballoons" German version better than the English one. And yah, thanks for posting the German lyrics!!

[djdaffy1227]

I like Falco's version better. I also like the cheesey video for his better too

[DJ Midas]

I've always preferred ATF's version.

[BlitzKid]

Of course Falco! For one reason because he did the original of the song and also because he is our national hero.