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
Männer des Westens
Falco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Es ist Tatbestand, dass dieses Abendland
Die Geschichte immer hat bestimmt
Es ist angesagt auch immer mehr gefragt
Wer die Männer dieses Westens sind
Dass die guten Kräfte dieser Welt sich sammeln
Ich habe nachgedacht, die Nacht damit verbracht
It's gettin' more and more, it's gettin' weird
You got the Holy Land (Holy Land)
Got tomorrow land (tomorrow land)
You got a madhouse land (madhouse land)
You got any, any, any kind of land
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so sind so, sind so
Intercool
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so sind so, sind so
Restlos intercool
Rock on neo rockers, rock on
Rock on neo rockers, rock on (rock on)
You got Rockefeller, got Kennedy
You got James Bond, got the Muhammad Ali
You got Frank Sinatra, got Classic Coke
Andy Warhol, you gotta any kind of dope
You got Oppenheimer and you got John Wayne
Mac Ronald's Circus's drivin' us insane
You got Bob Beamon got the Jumpin' Jack Flash
Beverly Cops, they got a brand new crash
You got the Holy Land (Holy Land)
Got tomorrow land (tomorrow land)
You got a madhouse land (madhouse land)
You got any, any, any kind of land
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so sind so, sind so
Intercool
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so sind so, sind so
Intercool
Rock on neo rockers, rock on
Rock on neo rockers, rock on
Männer
Westens
Rock on
Männer
Intercool
Rock on, rock on (rock on)
Westens (rock on)
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so sind so, sind so
Intercool
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so sind so, sind so
Restlos intercool
Rock on neo rockers, rock on
Rock on neo rockers, rock on
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so sind so, sind so
Intercool
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so
Männer des Westens sind so sind so, sind so
Restlos intercool
Rock on neo rockers, rock on
Rock on neo rockers, rock on
Rock on neo rockers, rock on
Rock on neo rockers, rock on
The song 'Männer des Westens' by Falco is about the identity of men from the West. The first verse talks about how the history of the Western world has always defined it and that people are increasingly interested in finding out who these men are. Falco believes that the good forces of the world are gathering and those who still believe otherwise are mistaken. The second verse talks about various people and things associated with the West including Rockefeller, Kennedy, James Bond, Muhammad Ali, Frank Sinatra, Classic Coke, Andy Warhol, Oppenheimer, John Wayne, Mac Ronald’s Circus, Bob Beamon and finally Beverly Cops. The chorus repeats the phrase 'Männer des Westens sind so intercool' which roughly translates to 'men from the West are so cool.'
The song highlights Falco's love for the Western culture and his admiration for Western men. He talks about people who have contributed to the Western world in their own unique way. The song also highlights the feeling of pride in being from the West and the belief that the Western world has always had a strong identity. The use of words like ‘madhouse land’ and ‘any kind of land’ conveys a sense of freedom and diversity associated with the West.
Line by Line Meaning
Es ist Tatbestand, dass dieses Abendland
It is a fact that this civilization of the West
Die Geschichte immer hat bestimmt
Has always determined its own history
Es ist angesagt auch immer mehr gefragt
It is increasingly necessary and trendy
Wer die Männer dieses Westens sind
To know who the men of the West are
Dass die guten Kräfte dieser Welt sich sammeln
That the good forces of the world are gathering
Jener, der daran noch glaubt, der irrt
Those who still believe in the opposite are mistaken
Ich habe nachgedacht, die Nacht damit verbracht
I have thought about it and spent the night doing so
It's gettin' more and more, it's gettin' weird
It is becoming stranger and more complicated
You got the Holy Land (Holy Land)
You have the land that is considered holy
Got tomorrow land (tomorrow land)
You have the futuristic land of tomorrow
You got a madhouse land (madhouse land)
You have a land that is crazy and chaotic
You got any, any, any kind of land
You have any kind of land you can think of
Männer des Westens sind so
Men of the West are like
Intercool
Very cool
Restlos intercool
Completely and utterly cool
Rock on neo rockers, rock on
Continue rocking, new generation rockers
You got Rockefeller, got Kennedy
You have the famous powerful people such as Rockefeller and Kennedy
You got James Bond, got the Muhammad Ali
You have the famous fictional agent James Bond and the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali
You got Frank Sinatra, got Classic Coke
You have the classic musician Frank Sinatra and the iconic soda Classic Coke
Andy Warhol, you gotta any kind of dope
You have the famous artist Andy Warhol and any kind of drugs you can think of
You got Oppenheimer and you got John Wayne
You have the famous scientist Oppenheimer and the famous actor John Wayne
Mac Ronald's Circus's drivin' us insane
The madness of McDonald's and its circus-like atmosphere
You got Bob Beamon got the Jumpin' Jack Flash
You have the legendary long-jumper Bob Beamon and refer to the Rolling Stones' song 'Jumpin' Jack Flash'
Beverly Cops, they got a brand new crash
The police in Beverly Hills had a new problem or scandal
Männer
Men
Westens
Of the West
Männer des Westens sind so
Men of the West are like
Männer des Westens sind so sind so, sind so
Men of the West are like, very much so
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
olympus2OM
Falco - Männer des Westens - lyrics in english
It's a fact that this occident has always been controlling history
It's topical and increasingly interesting who the men of this West are
Anyone who still believes that the powers of good in this world are assembling is wrong
I've been spending the night contemplating
It's gettin' more and more, it's gettin' weird
It's a holy land, got tomorrow land
You got a madhouse land, you got any, any, any kind of land
Men of the West are so1
Men of the West are so
Men of the West are so, are so, are so inter-cool
Men of the West are so
Men of the West are so
Men of the West are so, are so, are so totally inter-cool
Rock on Neo Rockers - Rock on
Come on rock it, do it
Rock on Neo Rockers - Rock on
You got Rockefeller, got Kennedy
You got James Bond, gotta Muhammad Ali
You got Frank Sinatra, got Classsic Coke
Andy Warhol, you got any kind of dope
You got Oppenheimer and you got John Wayne
Mac Ronald's Circus drivin' us insane
You got Bob Beamon, got the jumpin' Jack Flash
Beverly Cops, they got a brandnew crash
It's a holy land ...
Men of the West ...
https://lyricstranslate.com
Hammern28
When ya listen to all his songs, you cannot help bu think, this man had some serious talent.
Böhm
Das beste Lied Falcos...Man muss aber sagen, dass Falco ein großes Talent gehabt hat!
Jonas Richter Voice Acting
Falco hat echt einen gewissen Zaubertrick drauf gehabt. Egal was sein Text sagt oder ob man im Österreichischen Dialekt klar versteht, was genau er singt - es hat Energie, zeitlosen Sound und es klingt verdammt (inter-)cool mit seiner Betonung. Außerdem finde ich es urig, wenn Musik den englischen Raum beeinflusst, obwohl die Texte für den Großteil nicht zugänglich sind. Noch dazu kann man sich als Rap-Interpret von heute noch was davon abschneiden. Es ist Sprechgesang dabei, aber trotzdem melodisch und nie monoton. Das war glaub ich der erste Falco Song, den ich kennen gelernt habe. Was für ein heftiger Ohrwurm!
Wat denn los
Der Mann war seiner Zeit vorraus. Hat schon in den 80ern die "Art" von Musik produziert die heute in den Charts läuft. Rap elemente mit Pop Musik und ner menge anglizismen(zu einer Zeit in der kaum jemand english konnte), einfach Legende!
Der 2 Sohn Gottes
Och ich erinnere mich, Ich war 16 und hatte schreckliche Zahnschmerzen.
Mein Vater ist mit mir dann zur Zahnklinik gefahren und um mich aufzuheitern erstmal das Lied voll aufgedreht auffer Landstraße 0
Danke Falco das du uns so eine Musik Geschenkt hast
R.I.P
Doc Holliday1
gibts ja nicht als ich mal irre Zahnschmerzen hatte.....spielte ich das brandneue AMADEUS rauf und runte (Casettenrecorder)....hat mir auch geholfen es zu überstehen bis am nächsten Morgen^^
olympus2OM
Falco - Männer des Westens - lyrics in english
It's a fact that this occident has always been controlling history
It's topical and increasingly interesting who the men of this West are
Anyone who still believes that the powers of good in this world are assembling is wrong
I've been spending the night contemplating
It's gettin' more and more, it's gettin' weird
It's a holy land, got tomorrow land
You got a madhouse land, you got any, any, any kind of land
Men of the West are so1
Men of the West are so
Men of the West are so, are so, are so inter-cool
Men of the West are so
Men of the West are so
Men of the West are so, are so, are so totally inter-cool
Rock on Neo Rockers - Rock on
Come on rock it, do it
Rock on Neo Rockers - Rock on
You got Rockefeller, got Kennedy
You got James Bond, gotta Muhammad Ali
You got Frank Sinatra, got Classsic Coke
Andy Warhol, you got any kind of dope
You got Oppenheimer and you got John Wayne
Mac Ronald's Circus drivin' us insane
You got Bob Beamon, got the jumpin' Jack Flash
Beverly Cops, they got a brandnew crash
It's a holy land ...
Men of the West ...
https://lyricstranslate.com
FR DI
Das Lied ballert übels 😎
Jackwulf
Don’t understand a word of this, but it is beautiful nonetheless
Darcy Brummett
Jackwulf Falco was cool!