Weird Alternate Versions To Hit Songs That You Never Knew Existed

In the early ’80s, the phrase “German-language rap song” was not one that immediately translated to “massive stateside hit.” But in 1981, budding Austrian superstar Falco released “Der Kommissar,” which became an international club smash thanks largely to its vaguely badass, sinister vibe and its maddeningly catchy guitar riff, and American record executives quickly began trying to figure out how to cash in. We all know how that eventually worked out; British outfit After the Fire’s 1982 English-language cover, with lyrics roughly translated from the original, became a No. 5 U.S. hit thanks to its ubiquitous video and truly brilliant production. That, however, was not the only attempt to bring the tune to the U.S. market.

In March 1983 — the month before After the Fire’s version peaked on the charts — the song appeared in a radically reworked form as “Deep in the Dark,” a cut on the sophomore effort from operatic-voiced songstress Laura Branigan. This version failed to make an impression, probably because everything about it was all wrong — from songwriter Bill Bowersock’s completely different, super-clunky lyrics, to the watered down, muted production, to the sheer ridiculousness of making such a powerful singer as Branigan perform a silly rap. The song, however, featured the exact same arrangement, chorus melody, immediately recognizable riff, and verse-preceding exhortation to “Check it out, Joe” — but Joe had already checked out the Falco and After the Fire versions, and found them to be quite sufficient.