Talk:Der Kommissar (song)

message: The picture sleeves for the 7" single as released in the various countries clearly show that "Der Kommissar" is being promoted as the A-side.  Many singles' b-sides are mentioned on the cover of those singles' picture sleeves, even when they are not being promoted (or ultimately played) as a double A-side.  Yet these "Der Kommissar" picture sleeves don't even mention the disc's b-side title.  The Aussie 12" could by a stretch be considered an exception, as it mentions the titles of three songs, but then wouldn't that be considered a triple A-side, or an EP...or simply a single A-side whose accompanying songs get second and third billing?  What is the standard for a single to be considered a double A-side?  Isn't it that both of the two titles are actively promoted by the record company, and both titles receive significant enough airplay to chart separately, yet it is the same pressing which is sold for either?  I would consider Falco's later 12" release in the U.S. to be a double A-side, as it contained both "Rock Me Amadeus" and "Vienna Calling", each of which had club play (as well as music videos and pop chart success).  But I am doubtful as to whether the story (which I can certainly believe, as artists often get overruled by their record companies) of Falco's desire to release "Helden Von Heute" actually resulted in the record company releasing and promoting a double A-side.  That is at least clearly not the case in the countries whose releases are depicted in the photos.  If, for example, the German-speaking territories' releases of this single was a bona-fide double A-side, the sleeve(s) that would corroborate this should be the primary photo(s) for the article, and the point should be made that the record company acquiesced to Falco's desire in the initial release (which would speak well to his influence), but when "DK" clearly emerged as the public's favorite, it was a single A-side release in the subsequent countries (which would speak well to his handlers' savvy of what would best introduce him to non-Germanic markets).  Abrazame 21:14, 19 September 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: No response in half a year to the query as to whether this was a double A-side single...could anybody upload a front cover that shows both titles in the same size font, or give a link to (or an upload of) a chart showing the B-side charting anywhere?  Some time ago, when the article featured more than a half-dozen international covers, many did not list the B-side on the cover at all and those that did did not do so in font equal to the A-side. Abrazame (talk) 07:52, 28 March 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Discogs shows photos of the Austrian single with it on the "Y"-side, and Helden as the X-side, whilst the German single released at the same time has it clearly as a side 1, and Helden as a side 2. Austrian: https://www.discogs.com/de/release/291506-Falco-Der-Kommissar-Helden-Von-Heute, German: https://www.discogs.com/de/release/563752-Falco-Der-Kommissar-Helden-Von-Heute. So I've changed the entry to read Y- vs. X-side for the Austrian (which would actually sort of seem to prefer Helden), but A-side for Germany. Ulphix (talk) 22:59, 27 February 2023 (UTC)
thread_title:  Double A-side? (Y-vs-X Side) 

message: The current text states:
"First it reached number one in many German-speaking countries."
How many German-speaking countries are there, realistically?  By my count, West Germany (the German Federal Republic), Austria, Liechtenstein, a substantial part of Switzerland, and a tiny sliver of Tyrolean Italy.  
The record presumably did not play in then East Germany (the German Democratic Republic).  Liechtenstein is too small to keep its own record charts, and the German-speaking minority in Italy is too small to have had an impact on the Italian charts.
So realistically, we're talking about West Germany, Austria, and maybe Switzerland.  Does this really qualify as "many German-speaking countries?"  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jggraubart (talk • contribs) 03:26, 22 January 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Minor edit made (I wasn't the one who wrote the passage in question).  Abrazame (talk) 07:52, 28 March 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Since it only reached no. 2 in Switzerland I agree that would leave only Germany and Austria, so I've corrected that bit. Ulphix (talk) 23:01, 27 February 2023 (UTC)

text: I welcome a cite of the Andrews version charting someplace, I'd be happy to add it to the article if you're not sure how.  Abrazame (talk) 10:38, 15 June 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  German-speaking countries 

message: "In the United States and the United Kingdom, Falco's hit didn't fare as well". I never thought it was even released in the UK, it was certainly quite popular at the time, but no-one could buy it! I suspect the record company wanted to concentrate UK and US record purchases with the After the Fire version and attempt to give it a higher charting..... 91.85.184.35 (talk) 22:41, 14 June 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: You're wrong about the U.S., where it was actually released twice, once in 1982 prior to, and once in late winter 1983 because of, the ATF and Laura Branigan versions.  In the UK, Discogs has detailed photos of the 7" release (standard, not promo) it says was released on October 5, 1982, and shows the cover sleeve of a 12" it says was released there.  Releasing a German-language rap song in 1982 and getting stores to carry it or radio to play it, however, was three different things.  Your recollection could be based on its availability at the time of its charting elsewhere in Europe prior to its UK release?  I do know the record company held off on issuing it in solely English-speaking countries until after it was a hit throughout Europe.  Abrazame (talk) 10:37, 15 June 2011 (UTC)
thread_title: Released in UK?

message: Hey, I have the Epic release of the ATF version, and it has Nobody Else But You as the B-Side instead of Dancing In The Shadows.
The weird thing is that Nobody Else But You was never included on any albums aside from The CBS Recordings and doesn't seem to be acknowledged/catalogued by anything official (Spotify, ATF's YouTube Channel, etc.) Does anyone know why this is the case? Was Nobody Else But You supposed to be an unreleased single that, for whatever reason, got included in pressings of Der Kommissar, or is there some kind of legal thing that prevents it from being released nowadays? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.119.31.209 (talk) 16:01, 4 May 2021 (UTC)
thread_title:  ATF version with Nobody Else But You as the B-Side? 

message: EOM  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.162.108.50 (talk) 05:11, 23 July 2022 (UTC)
thread_title:  Wasn't the ATF version the subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Falco in the UK? 

message: The reputable German site songlexikon goes into detail and analysis about the hook sounding like Rick James' "Super Freak".
On https://songlexikon.de/songs/falcoderkommissar/ it says that Robert Ponger (composer of the instrumental of Falco’s song) borrowed the main hook (with the words "Drah di ned um") from James and Alonzo Miller (composers of Super Freak).
Falco’s single came out on Dec 12th 1981 (songlexikon), Super Freak had already been written Dec 1980 to Jan 1981 (wikipedia).
Falco was reserved about the song and had to be convinced to put Der Kommissar on the A-side, because it had clear echoes of Super Freak („deutliche Anklänge“) and didn’t seem original („originell“) enough (songlexikon).
The songlexikon-text is written by ex-professor of musicology Prof. Dr. Peter Wicke and cites 3 references, of which I assume the first, the book by Falco's A&R manager Bork, is the one that contains the last information, since it was Bork that convinced Falco.
Not sure if this is important enough to put on the webpage?
The analysis and info would seem to be the best on the web, but probably more fitting on the German webpage? Ulphix (talk) 22:08, 27 February 2023 (UTC)
thread_title:  The main hook ("Drah di ned um") was borrowed from Super Freak