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
Vienna Calling
Falco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Hello, Vienna calling, hello)
(He-he-he-he-he-hello, Vienna calling)
Hello, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
Hello, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
Talkin' about
Männer fragen sie nach Feuer, nach dem andern sowieso
Sugar Chris dich sehr vermisst, dein Bein und dein Gesicht
Du kannst auf mich verzichten, nur auf Luxus nicht
Womit spielen kleine Mädchen heute, hier und dort und da
Ob in Tucson, Arizona, Toronto, Canada
Wien, nur Wien du kennst mich up, kennst mich down
Du kennst mich
Nur Wien, nur Wien, du nur allein
Wohin sind deine Frauen?
Ohoho, operator (so alone am I)
Ohoho, operator (need you to) come tonight
Hello, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
Hello, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
Two, one, zero, er Alarm ist rot
Wien in Not, cha, cha, cha
Vienna calling, ooh-oh, Vienna calling, ooh-oh
Und plötzlich heißt Maria Marilyn
Und Eva heißt Yvonne
Ein junger Bogart hängt dir an den Lippen
Kleines, und sagt komm
Die Lockenpracht wird abgemacht
Die Tänzer sind gestoppt
Es ist vier Uhr fünfundvierzig, nun wird Position geprobt
Womit spielen kleine Mädchen heute, hier und dort und da
Ob in Tucson, Arizona, ob Toronto, Canada
Wien, nur Wien du kennst mich up, kennst mich down
Du kennst mich
Nur Wien, nur Wien, du nur allein
Wohin sind deine Frauen?
Ohoho, operator (so alone am I)
Ohoho, operator (need you) tonight
Hello, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
Hello, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
Two, one, zero, der Alarm ist rot
Wien in Not, cha, cha, cha
Vienna calling, ooh-oh, Vienna calling, ooh-oh
Hello, Vienna calling (hallo)
He-he-hello (hallo)
Vienna calling
Wien in Not, bin so in Not
Two, one, zero, der Alarm ist rot
Wien in Not
Vienna calling, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
Hello, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
Hello, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
Hello, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
The song "Vienna Calling" by Falco begins with a repeated phrase of "Hello, Vienna calling" followed by an unusual sound, which seems to be a blend of laughter and a siren, creating an intriguing start to the song. The first verse talks about a woman named Stella who is found in Rio and Tokyo, and men approach her to ask for fire, and maybe something else, too. Sugar Chris is mentioned in the same verse, who is missing a leg and his face, yet he is not missed by the singer, as the singer states they can do without him as long as there is luxury. The verses conclude by asking what girls are playing with nowadays, whether in Tucson, Arizona, or Toronto, Canada.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the theme of loneliness, with the singer calling out "Vienna calling" repeatedly, as if searching for someone to connect with. The second verse starts by taking up another name, Maria Marilyn, and changing the name of the iconic actress Eva Gardner to Yvonne. The singer is addressed as "little one" by a young Bogart, and the curling hair is talked about being short. The dancers have stopped, and it is time to rehearse positions, all the while wondering about women in Vienna. The chorus is repeated again, emphasizing the loneliness, and the song closes with the repeated phrases of Vienna being in trouble and the singer being so alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
Falco greets the listener and acknowledges Vienna's call to him.
Talkin' about Stella sitzt in Rio, Stella liegt in Tokyo
Talking about how Stella is in different parts of the world, and men are constantly talking to her.
Männer fragen sie nach Feuer, nach dem andern sowieso
Men are asking her for a lighter, and other things.
Sugar Chris dich sehr vermisst, dein Bein und dein Gesicht
Sugar Chris misses Stella, especially her legs and face.
Du kannst auf mich verzichten, nur auf Luxus nicht
Stella might not need Falco, but she does need luxury.
Womit spielen kleine Mädchen heute, hier und dort und da
Young girls play with different things across the world.
Ob in Tucson, Arizona, Toronto, Canada
Whether it's Tucson, Arizona, or Toronto, Canada.
Wien, nur Wien du kennst mich up, kennst mich down
Vienna is the only city that truly understands Falco.
Du kennst mich
Vienna knows him well.
Nur Wien, nur Wien, du nur allein
Only Vienna is the one for him.
Wohin sind deine Frauen?
Falco is wondering where all of Vienna's women are.
Ohoho, operator (so alone am I)
Falco feels lonely and needs to talk to the operator.
Ohoho, operator (need you to) come tonight
Falco wants the operator to come to him tonight.
Two, one, zero, er Alarm ist rot
The alarm is sounding, and it's an emergency.
Wien in Not, cha, cha, cha
Vienna is in trouble.
Vienna calling, ooh-oh, Vienna calling, ooh-oh
Vienna is calling out for help.
Und plötzlich heißt Maria Marilyn
Maria is now called Marilyn all of a sudden.
Und Eva heißt Yvonne
Eva is called Yvonne now.
Ein junger Bogart hängt dir an den Lippen
A young Bogart is listening intently to her.
Kleines, und sagt komm
He calls her 'little one' and asks her to come with him.
Die Lockenpracht wird abgemacht
The curly hair is being undone.
Die Tänzer sind gestoppt
The dancers have stopped.
Es ist vier Uhr fünfundvierzig, nun wird Position geprobt
It's 4:45, and time to rehearse positions.
Ohoho, operator (so alone am I)
Falco is still lonely and needs to talk to the operator.
Ohoho, operator (need you) tonight
He still wants the operator to come to him tonight.
Hello, Vienna calling (hallo)
Vienna is still trying to get in touch with Falco.
He-he-hello (hallo)
Falco responds hesitantly.
Wien in Not, bin so in Not
Vienna is in trouble, and Falco is in trouble himself.
Hello, ooh-oh, Vienna calling
Vienna is still trying to get in touch with Falco.
Lyrics © Budde Music Publishing GmbH, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Unison Rights S.L., Iricom US Ltd, Cloud9, 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