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
Kamikaze Cappa
Falco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Ah)
(Ah)
(Ah)
(Ah)
(Ah)
(Ca-Ca-Ca-Cappa)
(Ah)
(Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Cappa)
(Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Cappa)
I'm going with Company "E" to the first wave
I moved to get a close up
The first soldier of the opposite party stopped midway and cried:
Are these the shots you're waiting for? (Waiting for?, waiting for?)
The shots of blood and pain are the ones you're waiting for
The United States Medal of Freedom will never bring back life to the Death I've seen
The goal of my life, I would like to be an
I would like to be an unemployed war reporter
Kamikaze Cappa, always on the road
Kamikaze Cappa, ein Bild für den Tod
Kamikaze Cappa, at the speed of life
Kamikaze driver, you're the sunset diver, yeah
You're the sunset diver
Pablo Picasso, Francois Gilot, Hemingway
Hitchcock, Ingrid Bergman, Henri Matisse
They all knew I'm a gambler, corresponding with death
They know life is white light, slightly out of focus
Kamikaze Cappa, always on the road
Kamikaze Cappa, ein Bild für den Tod
Kamikaze Cappa (hold it, hold it, at the speed of life (yeah)
Kamikaze driver (that's what I need from), you're the sunset diver
You're the sunset diver
You're the sunset diver, ah
Walking with a column of French soldiers
In Thai Ping, Indochina May 25th, 1954 at 2:55 pm, Robert Cappa
Born as Ernest Andre Friedmann 1913 in Hungary, stepped on a mine
The Vietnamese Lieutenant said "Le photograph est mort."
Kamikaze Cappa, always on the road
Kamikaze Cappa, ein Bild für den Tod
Kamikaze Cappa, at the speed of life
Kamikaze driver, you're the sunset diver, hey
You're the sunset diver
Kamikaze Cappa, always on the road
Kamikaze Cappa, ein Bild für den Tod
Kamikaze Cappa, at the speed of life
Kamikaze driver, you're the sunset diver, hey
You're the sunset diver
Kamikaze Cappa
Listen, man, if you're desperate
And there is no one to help you
There is just one way
Get into, get into, get into the wildlife (Ca-Ca-Ca-Cappa)
Rise up
Just get into our lives
The song "Kamikaze Cappa" by Austrian musician, Falco, explores the life of war photographer Robert Capa, who relentlessly captured some of the most iconic images of 20th-century warfare. In the opening lines, Falco mentions Capa accompanying "Company 'E'" to the first wave, suggesting he was covering the Normandy Invasion during World War II. Later, the lyrics describe Capa's fearlessness in capturing the reality of war, even at the cost of his own life, as he steps on a mine and tragically dies in Vietnam, as recorded in the song with precise details. Falco notes Capa's legacy by referencing Pablo Picasso, Francois Gilot, Hemingway, Hitchcock, Ingrid Bergman, and Henri Matisse, all legends in their fields, who recognized Capa's talents.
Through the course of the song, Falco paints a vivid portrait of Robert Capa as a kamikaze, diving directly into danger to document war's brutal, bloody reality. While the phrase "Kamikaze Cappa" may suggest that Capa was suicidal, the song portrays him as someone who fully understood the risks of his profession and accepted them willingly. While the lyrics may be cryptic at times, Falco's narration allows us to catch a glimpse of Capa's experiences while also drawing attention to the moral ambiguity that comes with depicting human suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
(Ah)
Soundscapes of breaths
(Ca-Ca-Ca-Cappa)
Pronouncing Kamikaze Cappa
(Ah)
Soundscapes of breaths
(Ca-Ca-Ca-Cappa)
Pronouncing Kamikaze Cappa
(Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Cappa)
Pronouncing Kamikaze Cappa multiple times
(Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Cappa)
Pronouncing Kamikaze Cappa multiple times
I'm going with Company "E" to the first wave
I'm moving ahead with Company "E" in the first line of attack
I moved to get a close up
I moved forward to get a closer look at the scene
The first soldier of the opposite party stopped midway and cried:
The first enemy soldier stopped halfway and shouted
Are these the shots you're waiting for? (Waiting for?, waiting for?)
Is this the picture you're trying to capture?
The shots of blood and pain are the ones you're waiting for
You're waiting to capture moments of suffering and violence
The United States Medal of Freedom will never bring back life to the Death I've seen
The reward of the United States Medal of Freedom will never bring back the lives of those I've seen die
The goal of my life, I would like to be an
My life goal is to be
I would like to be an unemployed war reporter
I'd like to be a jobless journalist who covers war
Kamikaze Cappa, always on the road
Kamikaze Cappa, constantly traveling
Kamikaze Cappa, ein Bild für den Tod
Kamikaze Cappa, an image of death
Kamikaze Cappa, at the speed of life
Kamikaze Cappa, moving at the pace of life itself
Kamikaze driver, you're the sunset diver, yeah
Kamikaze driver, you're the daredevil who plunges into the sunset
You're the sunset diver
You're the one taking risks and living life to the fullest
Pablo Picasso, Francois Gilot, Hemingway
Pablo Picasso, Francois Gilot, Hemingway - renowned artists and writers
Hitchcock, Ingrid Bergman, Henri Matisse
Hitchcock, Ingrid Bergman, Henri Matisse - famous film director, actress, and painter respectively
They all knew I'm a gambler, corresponding with death
They all knew that I take big risks while documenting dangerous situations
They know life is white light, slightly out of focus
They understand that life is fleeting and imperfect
Walking with a column of French soldiers
Moving forward with a group of French soldiers
In Thai Ping, Indochina May 25th, 1954 at 2:55 pm, Robert Cappa
In Thai Ping, Indochina on May 25th, 1954 at 2:55 pm, Robert Cappa, the artist's real name was Ernest Andre Friedmann, got killed
Born as Ernest Andre Friedmann 1913 in Hungary, stepped on a mine
Ernest Andre Friedmann, born in Hungary in 1913, lost his life stepping on a mine
The Vietnamese Lieutenant said "Le photograph est mort."
The Vietnamese Lieutenant declared, "The photographer is dead."
Listen, man, if you're desperate
Listen, man, if you're in dire straits
And there is no one to help you
And there's no one to assist you
There is just one way
There is one last resort
Get into, get into, get into the wildlife (Ca-Ca-Ca-Cappa)
Go wild and embrace life fully (Ca-Ca-Ca-Cappa)
Rise up
Seize the day and stand up
Just get into our lives
Join us in living life with abandon
Kamikaze driver, you're the sunset diver, hey
Kamikaze driver, you're the impetuous adventurer willing to take a risk
You're the sunset diver
You're the one living life without fear and facing danger head-on
Lyrics © Budde Music Publishing GmbH, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johann Hoelzel, Robert Bolland, Ferdinand Bolland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Libor Synthesizer
on Out of the Dark
super muzika ,nádhera