They do their best, they do what they can
They get them ready for Viet Nam
From old Hanoi to East Berlin
Commando - involved again
First rule is: The laws of Germany
Second rule is: Be nice to mommy
Third rule is: Don't talk to commies
Fourth rule is: Eat kosher salamis
They get them ready for Viet Nam
From old Hanoi to East Berlin
Commando - involved again
First rule is: The laws of Germany
Second rule is: Be nice to mommy
Third rule is: Don't talk to commies
Fourth rule is: Eat kosher salamis
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
every morning the NAZI principal makes us say the mission statement. I always say "First rule is: The laws of Germany. Second rule is: Be nice to mommy. Third rule is: Don't talk to commies. Fourth rule is: Eat kosher salamis!" and the people around me are like, "what the fuck?" and i'm like, "look it up, kids." i love this song.
I love you for that!
I love you for that!
@gabbagabbaheygirl
@gabbagabbaheygirl
Just gotta love a girl who loves a
Just gotta love a girl who loves a
I tend to agree with PeteyRamone's assessment. The song was written by Dee Dee Ramone, so it makes sense to align with his life growing up in Germany with a military father.
But in an interview with Your Flesh Magazine on his book The Heebie-Jeebies at CBGBS: A Secret History of Jewish Punk, Steven Lee Beeber gives this point of view: "it combines tongue in cheek fascism, digs at Nazis, silliness and shout outs to New York Jews in one nice package, namely, the chorus, which lists the rules for mercenaries."
@TdyYrLove I think you nailed it.
@TdyYrLove I think you nailed it.
If you want another good view of Dee Dee's early life and troubles, study the lyrics of "Poison Heart." I think this song and that one, along with "53rd and 3rd," "Chinese Rock," and any of the songs about bad relationships tell much of his story.
i always thought it was "fourth rule is- eat cookies, a lot of 'em!"
i'm sad i was wrong.
@awk777 Not wrong, you just wrote an alternate line is all! LoL
@awk777 Not wrong, you just wrote an alternate line is all! LoL
"Commando" was written by Dee Dee about commandos in Vietnam and Germany, probably from his love of war movies. Vietnam was still in the news back then.
I've always believed it was about Dee Dee's father, a Vietnam veteran who was stationed in Berlin where Dee Dee grew up. His father, allegedly an alcoholic who was very tough to deal with, would probably be recognized in the four rules, which Dee Dee was told to live by: (obey) the laws of Germany, be nice to Mommy, Don't talk to commies (East Berlin residents), and the eat kosher salami part I don't quite get. I think the "Commando" title refers to Mr. Colvin. The other locations mentioned in the song may be places he was formerly stationed.
@PeteyRamone Good point, those would be rules Dee Dee was taught to live by, it fits. It's also funny as hell and so offbeat for a rock lyric in 1977, when everyone else was singing about shakin your booty!
@PeteyRamone Good point, those would be rules Dee Dee was taught to live by, it fits. It's also funny as hell and so offbeat for a rock lyric in 1977, when everyone else was singing about shakin your booty!
most likely just about commandos involved in secret operations, but like many other ramone's songs, it could be making fun of Johnny Ramone's strict, almost authoritarian leadership of the band.
@patrick1750 That could be it too. A totally different point of view - Joey's. It's fascinating how one song could mean more than one thing?
@patrick1750 That could be it too. A totally different point of view - Joey's. It's fascinating how one song could mean more than one thing?
tool performed a cover of this song during their recent tour on their stop at radio city music hall in new york. tool, like everyone else should, appreciates the impact that the ramones have had on music
It was a great cover too...search for it with your file sharing program.
SECOND RULE IS BE NICE TO NAZIS, BECAUSE REMEBER ITS GERAMNY FIGHTING