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
Solid Booze
Falco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will never mean we should stop to have big fun time
Oh oh oh
Should it be for the very first of all to pray
and to report it to your next in an effective way
But whatever our ideals turn to be
We must be willing to break it through
We must be willing to make amends where we
She is my she's my all
She is my all surrounding solid booze you know
She is my all surrounding solid booze you know
She is my all surrounding solid booze you know
And we are growing along the spiritual lines
Would never mean we should believe in all those
Different kinds
Oh oh oh
Could it be the very first of all to recognize
Its the better sense to take it once and give it twice
But whatever our ideals turn out to be
We should be willing to break it through
We should be willing to realize
That attitudes have got us too
She is my
She's my all
The lyrics of Falco's song "Solid Booze" have a deep spiritual meaning. It talks about how even though one is growing along spiritual lines, it doesn't mean they should stop having fun. The first stanza talks about how one should pray first and report it to the next in an effective way. It means that before one indulges in anything, they should first take time to reflect on their actions and report the same to the next person in an efficient manner. The stanza ends with the message that no matter what ideals we have, we must be willing to make amends and break through, even if it means putting harm on someone.
The second stanza talks about recognizing things first, and then it's essential to give and take in a better sense. It means that before one acts, they should recognize what they are doing, and then when it is time to act, make sure to give and take in a better sense. The same message is repeated in this stanza: that no matter what our ideals turn out to be, we should be willing to break through and realize that attitudes have created the problem. The chorus repeats the line: "She is my all surrounding solid booze you know." It indicates that amidst all the chaos and spiritual growth in one's life, one thing that remains constant is a person who is like solid booze.
In summary, these lyrics paint a picture of someone who is growing spiritually and reflecting on their actions while still having fun. The message is about being true to oneself and recognizing that while growth is essential, one should never forget to live life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
And we are growing along spiritual lines
Despite our spiritual growth, it's important to remember to have fun
Will never mean we should stop to have big fun time
Just because we are growing spiritually doesn't mean we should stop enjoying life
Should it be for the very first of all to pray
Prayer should always come first and foremost
and to report it to your next in an effective way
It's important to communicate our spiritual experiences effectively with others
But whatever our ideals turn to be
No matter what we believe, we must be willing to follow through with our ideals
We must be willing to break it through
We must persevere and overcome obstacles to truly follow our ideals
We must be willing to make amends where we
If we ever harm someone in pursuit of our ideals, we must make amends
Ever have to put some harm on too
If we harm someone in pursuit of our ideals, we must make it right
She is my she's my all
This woman is everything to him
She is my all surrounding solid booze you know
She is the comforting force that helps him escape reality, like alcohol
And we are growing along the spiritual lines
Again, spiritual growth is important
Would never mean we should believe in all those
Just because we are growing spiritually doesn't mean we should believe in everything we hear
Different kinds
Different beliefs and ideas
Oh oh oh
A vocalization interlude
Could it be the very first of all to recognize
The first step is to recognize the truth
Its the better sense to take it once and give it twice
It's better to take the truth and share it generously
That attitudes have got us too
Our attitudes and beliefs can both benefit and hurt us
She is my
Reiteration of his affection for this woman
She's my all
She means everything to him
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FALCO, GUNTHER MENDE, ALEXANDER C. DEROUGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Libor Synthesizer
on Out of the Dark
super muzika ,nádhera