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
The Way It Is
Falco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We Together we drinking bacardi
She Suck my dick when she's telling me Sorry
Date night we eating calamari Play fight atari
She's attracted to me And me only
Distracted because She's my girl
And My homie smoke My weed bag the Coke out for me
Hit that melody From her stomach
Tan in the sun for Hours breakfast in bed bouquet of Flowers
Drunk off the d,usse Previous Night was ours
Didn't take Long for You to rip off my trousers
Got you In the bathroom floor Saying you Want It
Capricorn I have you warm Here To wither the storm
Without me you live in out of the Norm this is that good
Lovin that Always kept you calm always keep It real with you
Never do you Wrong and weeks have you on a Island dancing in your thong
Is it me you love or yeezys or the Hugs
She wanna cuddle with a Thug fly am aladdin with the rug
Is it me you love or yeezys or the Hugs
She wanna cuddle with a thug Fly am aladdin with the rug
The lyrics of Falco's song "The Way It Is" depict a romantic relationship between the singer (Falco) and a woman referred to as a "hot tamale." The first few lines portray a carefree and fun-loving atmosphere, with the couple enjoying themselves while drinking Bacardi and engaging in intimate acts. The mention of eating calamari and playing Atari games adds a nostalgic element, indicating their shared interests and shared moments of playfulness.
The lyrics emphasize the singer's belief that the woman is solely attracted to him, and he feels a sense of distraction and ownership over her. The mention of his friend smoking his weed and bagging the cocaine could suggest a more reckless and rebellious lifestyle. However, the singer remains confident and unbothered, as the woman's undeniable attraction to him reassures him.
The following lines depict a vacation-like scenario, with the couple enjoying time in the sun, having breakfast in bed, and receiving a bouquet of flowers. The reference to being "drunk off the D'usse" suggests a state of intoxication, possibly from alcohol consumed the previous night. Despite this, the lyrics imply a strong bond and sexual connection, as the woman quickly seduces the singer, leading to passionate moments on the bathroom floor.
The final lines mention the woman's affection and the potential reasons behind it. The singer wonders if she loves him for his personality ("is it me you love") or if material possessions like Yeezys (Kanye West's brand of sneakers) or tangible gestures like hugs hold more significance to her. The references to being a thug and flying like Aladdin with a rug might indicate the singer's perception of himself as a charismatic and adventurous individual. The lyrics suggest that, regardless of the reasons for her love, the singer remains devoted and committed to her, as weeks turn into dancing together on an island.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and this hot tamale
I am together with this attractive woman
We Together we drinking bacardi
We are enjoying drinks together
She Suck my dick when she's telling me Sorry
She pleases me sexually as a way of apologizing
Date night we eating calamari Play fight atari
On our date night, we enjoy a meal of calamari and play-fight Atari games
She's attracted to me And me only
She is only attracted to me
Distracted because She's my girl
I am constantly preoccupied because she is my girlfriend
And My homie smoke My weed bag the Coke out for me
My friend helps me prepare and consume drugs
Hit that melody From her stomach
She produces a pleasurable sound from her body
Never jealous cause we probably Already done it
I am not jealous because we have most likely already been intimate
Tan in the sun for Hours breakfast in bed bouquet of Flowers
We spend hours tanning in the sun, I bring her breakfast in bed, and surprise her with a bouquet of flowers
Drunk off the d,usse Previous Night was ours
We had a great time the previous night, getting drunk off D'usse
Didn't take Long for You to rip off my trousers
It didn't take you long to undress me
Got you In the bathroom floor Saying you Want It
I have you on the bathroom floor, expressing your desire for intimacy
Capricorn I have you warm Here To wither the storm
I, being a Capricorn, can provide you warmth and support during difficult times
Without me you live in out of the Norm this is that good
Without me, your life becomes abnormal, but with me, it becomes fulfilling
Lovin that Always kept you calm always keep It real with you
My love has always brought you peace and I always stay true to you
Never do you Wrong and weeks have you on a Island dancing in your thong
I never mistreat you and I spend weeks with you on an island, dancing and enjoying ourselves
Is it me you love or yeezys or the Hugs
Are you in love with me or just attracted to material possessions and physical affection
She wanna cuddle with a Thug fly am aladdin with the rug
She desires to cuddle with someone who portrays a tough image, while I portray a stylish and confident persona
Is it me you love or yeezys or the Hugs
Are you in love with me or just attracted to material possessions and physical affection
She wanna cuddle with a thug Fly am aladdin with the rug
She desires to cuddle with someone who portrays a tough image, while I portray a stylish and confident persona
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Sandjay Mundle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ts8160
Krassester Künstler, der einzige der es mit deutschen Texten sogar in Amerika bis an die Spitze geschafft hat
@Lemmi7810
99 Luftballons gab's auch noch 😉
@greenfamily3000
@Lemmi7810 schlechter Zeitpunkt aber Rammstein ist auch echt beliebt 😅
@hanswurst3731
@@greenfamily3000Warum schlecht ?
Die LügenHuxx hat fertig.
@DrLuke49
His final interview was from the Dominican Republic just before he died. R.I.P. FALCO 🪦🙏🏼❤️
@riccardodeidda5165
Ich bin Italiener. Seit 9 Jahre in Deutschland. Habe leider erst vor ein paar Jahren Falco gehört. Ich glaube er war eine echte genius für seine Zeiten. Schade er so Junge gestorben ist.
@ilgiglio1624
Ich bin Sudtirol e sono in linea con le tue parole, ascoltando le sue canzoni oggi , sono più che recenti, alcuni artisti hanno la capacità di anticipare il tempo musicale. Grazie e ciao 🖐
@LuciferTsumibito
@@ilgiglio1624wir wollen südtirol zurück :(
@heikebohne8864
Er war ein Typ.... Rest in Peace Falco.💙💙
@shadowban481
Escuchando tu música hoy, Falco inolvidable 🇵🇷.