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
Geld
Falco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Und irgendwann dann
Kommt die eine oder andere
Tja, Null dran (Null dran, Null dran, Null dran, Null dran)
Der Millio-Millio-Millio-Millio-Millionär, der hat es schwer
Der Millio-Millio-Millio-Millio-Millionär
Hat er es nicht oder hat er es doch
Hat er es nicht oder hat er es doch
Vor den Leuten die es sammeln, kann man eigentlich nur warnen
Denn noch nicht 'mal Samt und Seide können ihre Pferdefüße tarnen
D'rum, wenn ich das große Los zieh' geb ich sicher alles aus
Für Eva, Maria, Natascha und Pia und das adequate Haus
Die Quintessenz von der Geschichte soll die Reichen jetzt erreichen
Vielleicht lässt der eine oder, der eine oder andere mal
Sich erweichen
Denn mein Bankdirektor hungert, meine Steuermänner weinen
Vielleicht schiebt der nette Millio-Millio-Millio-Millio-Millionär mir mal
Ein paar von seinen, ein paar von seinen Scheinen her
Denn
Geld - macht nicht glücklich
Geld - es beruhigt nur die Nerven
Geld - man muss es schon besitzen
Geld - um es zum Fenster rauszuwerfen
D'rum, wenn ich das große Los zieh und es geht nicht alles d'rauf
Mach in der nächsten Stadt ich mir doch glatt ein Spielcasino auf
Und man kann bekanntlich alles - auch die Liebe - dafür kaufen (tja)
Doch der beste Weg von allen, na, ist es einfach zu versaufen
Geld - macht nicht glücklich
Geld - beruhigt nur die Nerven
Geld - doch man muss es schon besitzen
Geld (Geld) - um es zum Fenster rauszuwerfen
Geld (Geld)- wovon spricht die junge Dame?
Geld (Geld)
Geld - wovon sprichst du denn?
Sog amal, sog amal, von was redst du eigentlich?
Kannst du mir erklären, bitte, worum es geht
Um Kohle, um Knete, um Zaster, um Asche?
Wie oder was oder wann oder wie oder was?
Geld
Geld
Geld
Geld
Geld?
Geld
Geld
The lyrics of Falco's "Geld" present a commentary on the relationship between money and happiness. The song begins with a characterization of the struggles faced by the "Millio-Millio-Millio-Millio-Millionär" or multi-multi-millionaire, suggesting that while he may appear to have it all, he too has his own set of issues to contend with. The chorus of the song presents the mantra that money doesn't bring happiness, but rather it merely soothes one's nerves. However, the verses suggest that while money may not bring happiness, it is still something that people desire and are willing to sacrifice for, as exemplified by the singer's desire to win the lottery and spend his money on love and material goods.
The song ultimately raises the question of whether money truly brings happiness or not, and whether there is a point at which money becomes detrimental to one's wellbeing. It suggests that while people may desire wealth, it may not necessarily fulfill their deepest needs and desires. Through its witty and playful lyrics, "Geld" ultimately serves as a critique of consumerism and the belief that money can bring ultimate satisfaction and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Als armer Schlucker fängst du an
You start off as a poor man
Und irgendwann dann
And eventually
Kommt die eine oder andere
You come across good fortune
Tja, Null dran (Null dran, Null dran, Null dran, Null dran)
But unfortunately, you get nothing
Der Millio-Millio-Millio-Millio-Millionär, der hat es schwer
Being a billionaire is not always easy
Hat er es nicht oder hat er es doch
You wonder if they have it all
Oder hat es nicht oder hat er nicht doch auch schwer?
Or maybe it's a struggle for them too?
Vor den Leuten die es sammeln, kann man eigentlich nur warnen
You should warn people who are obsessed with collecting it
Denn noch nicht 'mal Samt und Seide können ihre Pferdefüße tarnen
Even the finest clothing can't hide their flaws
D'rum, wenn ich das große Los zieh' geb ich sicher alles aus
If I ever hit the jackpot, I'll definitely spend it all
Für Eva, Maria, Natascha und Pia und das adequate Haus
On my loved ones and an adequate home
Die Quintessenz von der Geschichte soll die Reichen jetzt erreichen
The moral of the story should reach the wealthy
Vielleicht lässt der eine oder, der eine oder andere mal
Perhaps a few of them will be moved
Sich erweichen
To soften their hearts
Denn mein Bankdirektor hungert, meine Steuermänner weinen
Even wealthy people have problems, like my hungry banker and my weeping taxmen
Vielleicht schiebt der nette Millio-Millio-Millio-Millio-Millionär mir mal
Maybe a nice billionaire will give me some of their money
Ein paar von seinen, ein paar von seinen Scheinen her
A few of their bills, that is
Geld - macht nicht glücklich
Money doesn't buy happiness
Geld - es beruhigt nur die Nerven
Money only calms the nerves
Geld - man muss es schon besitzen
You have to possess money to spend it
Geld - um es zum Fenster rauszuwerfen
To throw it out the window
D'rum, wenn ich das große Los zieh und es geht nicht alles d'rauf
If I ever hit the jackpot and I don't spend it all
Mach in der nächsten Stadt ich mir doch glatt ein Spielcasino auf
I'll open a casino in the next town
Und man kann bekanntlich alles - auch die Liebe - dafür kaufen (tja)
You can buy anything with money, even love (well)
Doch der beste Weg von allen, na, ist es einfach zu versaufen
But the best way to spend it all is to just drink it away
Geld (Geld)- wovon spricht die junge Dame?
Money, what is the young lady really talking about?
Geld (Geld)
Money, money
Geld - wovon sprichst du denn?
Money, what are you really talking about?
Sog amal, sog amal, von was redst du eigentlich?
Tell me, tell me, what are you actually talking about?
Kannst du mir erklären, bitte, worum es geht
Can you explain to me, please, what it's all about
Um Kohle, um Knete, um Zaster, um Asche?
About money, cash, dough, coins?
Wie oder was oder wann oder wie oder was?
How or what or when or how or what?
Geld
Money
Geld
Money
Geld
Money
Geld
Money
Geld?
Money?
Geld
Money
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Robert Rayen, Peter Moebius
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Izzy Bürgermeister-Lippenstift
Tolle Coverversion! Falco hat's einfach drauf RIP
Devin Gademan
01:28
Lots of 90s records included these types of sampled drums.
Where can I find some of those samples in hardware as well as libraries?
Great song by Falco.
-Devin
android Tablet
This song is very great.
ViennaKaty
einfach geiL!!
Martan Yaige
...aber der beste weg damit umzugehn, ist einfach es zu verrauchen... GEld, geRld? gelD, geld? GELD
Ivan Huber
Der hoat es schwer der Millio-millionäääär cooool ahhahahahah ich liebe Falco !
Rosa Tenorio
great!!!!
punkisredjo
Jeder große deutschsingende Künstler covert Rio...wobei Falco machs wirklich gut und auch auch nen bisschen abeändert.
Canto
KING
Diana Christova
great