He is the only artist to score a #1 Hit in the U.S. with a German language song, and his albums and singles have sold about 60 million copies worldwide.
Early Years
Born in Vienna, studying at the Vienna Music Conservatory in 1977 which he left after one semester to pursue a career in music, he lived for a short time in West Berlin while singing in a jazz-rock band. When he returned to Vienna he was calling himself "Falco," reportedly in tribute to the East German ski jumper Falko Weißpflog, and playing in the Austrian bands Spinning Wheel and Hallucination Company. En route to becoming an international rock star in his own right, he was bass player in the Austrian hard rock-punk rock band Drahdiwaberl (from 1978 until 1983). With Drahdiwaberl he wrote and performed the song "Ganz Wien" which he would also include on his debut solo album Einzelhaft.
Individual success
Falco's first hit was "Der Kommissar" from the 1982 album Einzelhaft. A German language song about drug consumption that combines rap verses with a sung chorus, Falco's record was a number-one success in many countries but failed to break big in the U.S. The song, however, would prove to have a life of its own in two English-language versions. British Rock band After the Fire recorded an English cover version, loosely based on Falco's lyrics and also called "Der Kommissar" (with "uh-oh" and "alles klar Herr Kommissar" the only other lyrics held over from the original). This time, the song shot to number three in the United States (their only major hit there) in 1983, though it failed to crack the UK Top 40. The band - who had been together more than a decade - broke up almost immediately thereafter. That same year, American singer Laura Branigan recorded a version of the song with new English lyrics, under the title "Deep in the Dark" on her album Branigan 2.
After a second album, Junge Roemer, failed to provide a repeat to his debut single's success (outside of Austria and Germany, where the album topped the charts), Falco began to experiment with English lyrics in an effort to broaden his appeal, and chose a new production team. The result would be the most popular album and single of his career.
Falco recorded "Rock Me Amadeus" inspired in part by the Oscar-winning film Amadeus, and the song became a worldwide hit in 1986. This time, his record reached #1 in the U.S. and UK, bringing him the success that had eluded him in that major market a few years earlier. The song remained in the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and his album, Falco 3, fittingly peaked at the number three position on the Billboard album charts. Unheard of at the time for a white performer, much less a European one, the Austrian rapper's single climbed to the upper reaches of the Billboard Top R&B Singles Chart (only a few years earlier called the "Black Singles" chart), peaking at number 6. Falco 3 peaked at number 18 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Ultimately, "Rock Me Amadeus" went to the #1 spot in over a dozen countries including the Soviet Union and Japan. Follow-up single "Vienna Calling" was another international pop hit, peaking at #18 of the Billboard Charts and #17 on the U.S. Cash Box Charts in 1986. A double A-side 12" single featuring remixes of those two hits peaked at #4 on the U.S. Dance/Disco charts.
"Jeanny" the third release from the album Falco 3, brought the performer back to the top of the charts across Europe. Highly controversial when it was released in Germany and the Netherlands, the story of "Jeanny" was told from the point of view of a rapist and possible murderer. Several DJs and radio stations refused to play the ballad, which was ignored in the U.S., although it became a huge hit in many European countries, and inspired two sequels on later albums.
In 1986, the album Emotional was released, produced by Rob and Ferdi Bolland (Bolland & Bolland). On the Album were "Coming Home (Jeanny Part 2, Ein Jahr danach)" and the song "Kamikaze Cappa" which was written as a tribute to the late photojournalist Robert Capa. "The Sound of Musik" was another international success, and a Top 20 U.S. Dance hit, though he failed to make the U.S. pop charts. He also went on "Emotional-Tour" which was a world tour where he ended up in Japan at 1987. In 1987, he sang a duet with Brigitte Nielsen "Body Next to Body" and the single was a Top 10 hit in the Germanic countries. The Album Wiener Blut was released in 1988 but it did not get much publicity outside Germany and Austria.
After "Jeanny," there were a number of European hits, but Falco was rarely heard in the U.S. and the UK. His 1992 U.S. comeback attempt, the album Nachtflug with the song "Titanic" won a number of awards, but failed to chart in America.
Death
Falco died of severe injuries received from a collision with a bus in his Mitsubishi Pajero near the city of Puerto Plata, in the Dominican Republic on 6 February 1998, just two weeks before his 41st birthday. While it was initially reported that the autopsy showed high blood levels of alcohol and cocaine, this was disputed. At the time of his death, he was working on a comeback into the music world.
He was buried in the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) in Vienna, Austria.
Years active: 1974 -1998
Der Kommissar
Falco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two, three, four
Eins, zwei drei
Na, es is' nix dabei
Na, wenn ich eich erzähl' die G'schicht'
Nichts desto trotz
Ich bin es schon gewohnt
Ja, sie war jung
Das Herz so rein und weiß
Und jede Nacht hat ihren Preis
Sie sagt: „Sugar Sweet
You got me rappin' to the heat!“
Ich verstehe, sie ist heiß
Sie sagt: „Babe, you know
I miss my funky friends“
Sie meint Jack und Joe und Jill
Mein Funkverständnis
Ja, das reicht zur Not
Ich überreiß, was sie jetzt will
Ich überleg' bei mir
Ihr Nas'n spricht dafür
Währenddessen ich noch rauch'
Die Special Places sind ihr wohlbekannt
Ich mein', sie fährt ja U-Bahn auch
Dort singen's
„Drah' di net um, oh oh oh
Schau, schau, der Kommissar geht um, oh oh oh
Er wird di anschauen
Und du weißt warum
Die Lebenslust bringt dich um“
Alles klar, Herr Kommissar?
Hey wanna buy some stuff, man?
How did you ever rap that thing, Jack?
So rap it to the beat
Wir treffen Jill and Joe
Und dessen Bruder Hip
Und auch den Rest der coolen Gang
Sie rappen hin, sie rappen her
Dazwischen kratzen's ab die Wänd'
Dieser Fall ist klar
Lieber Herr Kommissar
Auch wenn sie and'rer Meinung sind
Den Schnee auf dem wir alle talwärts fahren
Kennt heute jedes Kind
Jetzt das Kinderlied
„Drah di net um, oh oh oh
Schau, schau, der Kommissar geht um, oh oh oh
Er hat die Kraft und wir san klein und dumm
Und dieser Frust macht uns stumm“
„Drah di net um, oh oh oh
Schau, schau, der Kommissar geht um, oh oh oh“
Wenn er di anspricht
Und du weißt warum
Sag eahm
Dein Leben bringt di um
Alles klar, Herr Kommissar?
„Drah di net um, oh oh oh
Schau, schau, der Kommissar geht um, oh oh oh
Er hat die Kraft und wir san klein und dumm
Und dieser Frust macht uns stumm“
„Drah di net um, oh oh oh
Schau, schau, der Kommissar geht um, oh oh oh“
Wenn er di anspricht
Und du weißt warum
Sag eahm
Dein Leben bringt dich um
La la la la la la
„Drah di net um, oh oh oh
Schau, schau, der Kommissar geht um, oh oh oh“
„Drah di net um, oh oh oh
Schau, schau, der Kommissar geht um, oh oh oh“
„Drah di net um, oh oh oh
Schau, schau, der Kommissar geht um, oh oh oh“
The lyrics of Falco's song "Der Kommissar" tell a story of a young woman who is involved in dangerous and illegal activities. The singer, who seems to be aware of her situation, receives a message from her, saying that she misses her friends Jack and Joe and Jill. The singer meets them and other members of their gang, and they start rapping together while scratching the walls. The lyrics mention the Kommissar, a police officer, who is watching over them and has the power to bring them down. The chorus contains a children's song warning to not turn around as the Kommissar is watching.
One interpretation of the song is that it portrays the tension and conflict between the youth in the 1980s and the police authority. Falco himself once said that the song was inspired by his encounter with a police officer who questioned him while he was with his friends. The lyrics may also reflect the youth's yearning for freedom and the desire to rebel against the establishment.
Line by Line Meaning
Two, three, four
The song is starting; the count in the beginning signifies the beginning of the musical performance.
Eins, zwei drei
The song is starting in German, and the artist is trying to mix up the lyrics and styles to bring something unique to the audience's table.
Na, es is' nix dabei
The artist is reassuring the audience that there's nothing wrong or to worry about this song with these German lyrics and the different style of music they might not be used to.
Na, wenn ich eich erzähl' die G'schicht'
The artist is introducing his song to the audience and telling them a story in his unique style.
Nichts desto trotz
Nevertheless, the artist continues his story and promises an exciting journey through this song.
Ich bin es schon gewohnt
The artist believes that he is experienced enough to handle the given situation, and he shows his confidence and authority in his art by performing it with determination.
Im TV-Funk da läuft es nicht
The artist is stating that his type of music doesn't get much play time on TV, which adds to the uniqueness of his style and makes him stand out.
Ja, sie war jung
The artist goes on to tell the story of a young girl who is innocent and pure at heart.
Das Herz so rein und weiß
The artist admires the girl for her kind and innocent nature, which is the polar opposite of the crime and corruption he is about to describe in the song.
Und jede Nacht hat ihren Preis
The artist goes on to describe how the girl leads a life that isn't as simple or easy as the world outside assumes, and every time she earns her bread, she has to pay a price.
Sie sagt: „Sugar Sweet
The artist portrays the girl as a sweet and innocent person, who is in trouble and is seeking help from someone she trusts.
You got me rappin' to the heat!“
The girl is being forced into circumstances beyond her control, and she is seeking help to get out of the chaos surrounding her.
Ich verstehe, sie ist heiß
The artist understands that the girl is distressed and desperately needs help, which he is willing to provide as her friend and well-wisher.
Sie sagt: „Babe, you know
The girl goes on to tell the artist that she misses her lovely friends, who understood her the most and were always there for her.
I miss my funky friends“
The girl wants to see her close friends again, who bring joy into her life and make her feel happy and alive.
Sie meint Jack und Joe und Jill
The artist familiarizes the audience with the girl's friends, who the artist is about to meet in the story and are essential in the song's storytelling.
Mein Funkverständnis
The artist acknowledges that he has an understanding of the funk style of music, which is essential in the rest of the song's storytelling.
Ja, das reicht zur Not
The artist goes on to reflect that he can handle the situation at hand with his basic knowledge of music and artistry.
Ich überreiß, was sie jetzt will
The artist understands what the girl wants and is willing to help her achieve it.
Ich überleg' bei mir
The artist is now contemplating how to help the girl, who needs it most, while he indulges in his problematic thoughts.
Ihr Nas'n spricht dafür
The artist believes that the girl's behaviour and telling mannerisms suggest that she is in distress and needs his help.
Währenddessen ich noch rauch'
The artist describes his relaxed and multi-tasking attitude while helping the girl as he takes a smoke break.
Die Special Places sind ihr wohlbekannt
The artist goes on to describe the type of places the girl frequents and the environment she belongs to.
Ich mein', sie fährt ja U-Bahn auch
The artist watches the girl closely and sees that she commutes using the underground metro, which means that she might be a vulnerable target for abuse.
Dort singen's
The artist goes on to describe a chorus of the people, singing in a specific underground place—the place where the girl frequents.
„Drah' di net um, oh oh oh
The chorus of people is singing a song that warns the girl to beware of someone or something that can harm her.
Schau, schau, der Kommissar geht um, oh oh oh
The people in the chorus sing about the arrival of a federal officer who is coming to investigate a case or arrest criminals who may have committed heinous crimes.
Er wird di anschauen
The people in the chorus sing that the officer will look at the girl closely, probably to ensure that she isn't in trouble or to look for suspects.
Und du weißt warum
The officer is coming to check everyone because there must be problems and issues in that location the authorities want to control.
Die Lebenslust bringt dich um“
The people in the chorus warn the girl of a harmful lifestyle that can lead to many problems and issues in life, causing eternal misery.
Alles klar, Herr Kommissar?
The artist repeats the chorus's last line and wonders why the character of the police officer is so important to the story.
Hey wanna buy some stuff, man?
The artist introduces the character of Jack to the story, who is trying to sell the artist illegal drugs.
How did you ever rap that thing, Jack?
The artist admires Jack's musical and rapping skills, which are not easy for everyone to pull off.
So rap it to the beat
The artist encourges Jack to rap along to the beat to show off his skills, adding more musical depth to the storytelling of the song.
Wir treffen Jill and Joe
The artist meets with the other protagonists of the story, Jill and Joe, to proceed with the plot development.
Und dessen Bruder Hip
The artist introduces Joe's younger brother Hip, who plays a crucial role in the story's conlusion.
Und auch den Rest der coolen Gang
The artist describes the rest of the people from the girl's underworld who are all a part of this one big criminal conspiracy.
Sie rappen hin, sie rappen her
The artist tells how each character in the group has his/her unique style, and they are all showing off their rapping skills while walking around the criminal hotspots.
Dazwischen kratzen's ab die Wänd'
The group members graffiti the walls of the city in different spots of criminal activity to mark their territory and to signal their existence.
Dieser Fall ist klar
The artist's voice turns grave at this point because he's discussing the central plot that Jack is mixed up in, and he's putting himself in grave danger.
Lieber Herr Kommissar
The artist is aware that the police force is aware of their criminal activities and is addressing the officer personally to make sure that their activities don't get exposed.
Auch wenn sie and'rer Meinung sind
The artist recognizes the fact that the police force has substantial pieces of evidence to prove their crimes but still wants to cover them up and continue with their activities.
Den Schnee auf dem wir alle talwärts fahren
The artist compares the group's activities to snowballing down the mountains, which eventually becomes so big and massive that it's hard to control or stop.
Kennt heute jedes Kind
The artist believes that their criminal activities are well known and the knowledge is passed down from generation to generation to establish their place in the criminal underworld.
Jetzt das Kinderlied
The artist transcends back to the chorus, which is now referred to as the 'children's song' due to the chanting and repetitive nature of the lyrics used.
Wenn er di anspricht
The chorus sings about the arrival of the officer, who will interrogate the girl and others in the group to find incriminating evidence.
Und du weißt warum
The people in the chorus sing the same line again to remind the characters in the story that the police force is investigating them because they are part of a criminal group.
Sag eahm
The people in the chorus instruct the characters in the story to confess their crimes to the officer before it's too late.
Dein Leben bringt dich um
The people in the chorus warn the characters in the story that hiding their crimes and activities from the police force ultimately affects their own lives and brings them far more misery than they ever imagined.
La la la la la la
The song's chorus repeats to punctuate the central message of the song of how criminal activities can lead to eternal misery and suffering.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robert Ponger, Johann Hoelzel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Whyte Duke
Pretty awesome! 😎