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
Verdammt Wir Leben Noch
Falco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Denn so still steht die Zeit
Auf a Art
Es bleibt für immer dabei
Gehen's Fräulein, drei mal Hirn mit Ei
Na klar für uns
Für wen denn sonst
Wir drei Apostel laden in den Tempel euch ein
Wer sich zu sauber ist lasst es bleiben
Lässt es sein
Denn wer's net kapiert hat
Wird's nie verstehen
Dass für uns die Uhren anders gehen
Dass wir im Fallen und im Liegen
Erst so wirklich leben
Verdammt wir leben noch, na immer noch
Wenig hat sich verändert
Denn so still steht die Zeit
Auf a Art
Es bleibt für immer dabei
Wir drei Apostel laden in den Tempel euch ein
Spitzenwäsche, Zyniker und Süchtige rein
Denn wer's net kapiert hat
Wird's nie verstehen
Dass für uns die Uhren anders gehen
Dass wir im Fallen und im Liegen
Erst so wirklich leben
Und keine Zeit ist für unser Problem
Wer's jetzt ned kapiert hat
Wird's nie verstehen
Dass die Stern' für uns anders stehen
Dass wir im Fallen und im Liegen
Erst so wirklich leben
Erst so wirklich leben
Verdammt wir leben noch
Na immer noch!
Free! So!
Denn wer's net kapiert hat
Wird's nie verstehen
Dass für uns die Uhren anders gehen
Dass wir im Fallen und im Liegen
Erst so wirklich leben
Und keine Zeit ist für unser Problem
Wer's jetzt ned kapiert hat
Wird's nie verstehen
Dass die Stern' für uns anders stehen
Dass wir im Fallen und im Liegen
Erst so wirklich leben
Erst so wirklich leben
Verdammt wir leben noch
Denn wer's net kapiert hat
Wird's nie verstehen
Verdammt, wir leben noch
Dass wir im Fallen und im Liegen
Erst so wirklich leben
Verdammt, wir leben noch!
Wer's jetzt net kapiert hat
Wird's nie verstehen
Verdammt, wir leben noch
Dass wir im Fallen und im Liegen
Erst so wirklich leben
Erst so wirklich leben
Verdammt, wir leben noch
Na immer noch
The song "Verdammt wir leben noch" by Falco is a powerful and upbeat anthem about living life to the fullest, even in the face of adversity. The lyrics speak to the idea that time may pass, but certain things remain timeless and unchanging. The opening lines of "Wenig hat sich verändert, Denn so still steht die Zeit / Auf a Art Es bleibt für immer dabei" convey this message, suggesting that life may move forward, but certain things remain constant.
The rest of the song speaks to the idea that those who truly understand and appreciate life are those who live it on their own terms, taking risks and embracing their own unique journey. The lyrics mention "Spitzenwäsche, Zyniker und Süchtige rein", suggesting that those who may be viewed as different or outsiders are welcome in their world. The message is clear: embrace yourself, be true to who you are, and live your life to the fullest - because "Verdammt wir leben noch" - "Dammit, we're still alive".
Line by Line Meaning
Wenig hat sich verändert,
Not much has changed,
Denn so still steht die Zeit
Because time stands still
Auf a Art
In a way
Es bleibt für immer dabei
It remains forever
Gehen's Fräulein, drei mal Hirn mit Ei
Go for it, ladies, three eggs with brains
Na klar für uns
Of course, for us
Für wen denn sonst
For who else
Wir drei Apostel laden in den Tempel euch ein
We three apostles invite you to the temple
Spitzenwäsche, Zyniker und Süchtige rein
Elegant clothing, cynics, and addicts allowed
Wer sich zu sauber ist lasst es bleiben
If you're too clean, stay away
Lässt es sein
Take a pass on it
Denn wer's net kapiert hat
Because those who don't get it
Wird's nie verstehen
Will never understand
Dass für uns die Uhren anders gehen
That for us, time moves differently
Dass wir im Fallen und im Liegen
That we truly live when we're falling and lying
Erst so wirklich leben
That's when we truly live
Verdammt wir leben noch, na immer noch
Damn, we're still alive, still alive
Und keine Zeit ist für unser Problem
And there's no time for our problems
Dass die Stern' für uns anders stehen
That the stars are aligned differently for us
Free! So!
Free! Like that!
Denn wer's net kapiert hat
Because those who don't get it
Verdammt, wir leben noch
Damn, we're still alive
Dass wir im Fallen und im Liegen
That we truly live when we're falling and lying
Erst so wirklich leben
That's when we truly live
Wer's jetzt net kapiert hat
If you still don't get it now
Erst so wirklich leben
That's when we truly live
Verdammt, wir leben noch
Damn, we're still alive
Na immer noch!
Still alive!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHANN HOELZEL, THOMAS ALEXANDER LANG, THOMAS RABITSCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sicksadworld765
Falcos Musik ist einfach so gut gealtert
@FghjkhhhjjDfg
Ohne viele Worte!
Falco war und ist eine LEGENDE!!!!!!!
@sudwien1234
Zerissen zwischen Heimat und Heimat
@tiramisumandeln
Ich bin Schweizer, doch ich muss zugeben in der Kategorie Musik seit ihr uns um Meilen voraus. Hut ab, falco ist der beste :)
@herlindehorvath56
Nur wer vergessen wird ist tot,aber du lieber Falco bleibst UNVERGESSEN for ever ♥️
@diplmarius
Wundervolles Lied! Auch beim 99. Mal hören!
@yggdrasil1645
Valhalla für außergewöhnliche Künstler. RIP
@manonglaasker5434
Der Song passt zu 100% ,verdammt wir leben noch , ich liebe diesen Song , Hans 💘 I Love you forever
@1996Bergi
LEGENDEN sterben nie!!! Falco lebt noch...in unseren Herzen
@rolandfeyrer5428
Falco war der beste oestereiche