The other Austrian superstar of The '80s.
New Wave singer Johann "Falco" Hölzel (19 February 1957 – 6 February 1998) became a One and a Half Hit Wonder with "Der Kommisar" (After The Fire's English-language cover was more popular), followed by the worldwide hit "Rock Me Amadeus." - in the US at least, for, while he was more consistently popular in German-speaking countries, follow-up songs (e.g. "Vienna Calling") were, at best, modest hits in the US.
Along with Nena's "99 Luftballons," he introduced (mostly) German-language songs to an English-speaking audience; the difference was that Nena sang, while Falco rapped. He passed away in 1998 at the age of just forty after his SUV was in a serious collision with a bus on a mountain road in the Dominican Republic.
This musician provides examples of:
- All Bikers are Hells Angels: The bike gang who show up in the middle of the "Rock Me Amadeus" video.
- Awesome Anachronistic Apparel: The "Rock Me Amadeus" video cuts between Falco performing in a Baroque concert hall to an audience in mock-18th-century clothing, while dressed in modern black tie, and Falco performing in a modern biker bar while dressed in mock-18th-century clothing.
- Gratuitous English: Most of his songs were sung in German with the odd English word or phrase wedged in (which Todd in the Shadows referred to as "Deushlish").
- Harsh Vocals: Austrian German isn't the smoothest language to rap in...
- Mind Screw:
- The music video for "Wiener Blut". Just watch.
- "Mutter, der Mann mit dem Koks ist da" is also big one. It plays full on two meanings of word "Koks" (cocaine and, well, coke made of coal).
- The music video for "Wiener Blut". Just watch.
- Murder Ballad: "Jeanny", the followup to "Amadeus" and "Vienna Calling", raised moral hackles when it was accused of glorifying rape (and possibly murder). Falco himself insisted it was the musings of a stalker. Complete with a NOOOOOOO!! of the singer when radio broadcasts Jeanny's disappearance. note
- Obsession Song: "Jeanny"
- Oh, Crap!: The narrator of "Jeanny" has this reaction in the form of a Big "NO!" in response to a radio broadcast of Jeanny's disappearance.
- One-Man Song: "Rock Me Amadeus" about Mozart.
- Rock Star Song: "Rock Me Amadeus", which is all about how Mozart was the original rock star, having wild parties, hooking up with lots of ladies and being worshiped for his musical skill.
- Rock Me, Amadeus!: Trope Namer, though the song is actually not an example.
- Sequel Song: Falco followed up "Jeanny" with "Coming Home (Jeanny Part II)." In 2009, a posthumously released song, "The Spirit Never Dies," was marketed as the "final" part of the "Jeanny" trilogy, but whether that was Falco's intent is unclear.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: Both played straight (the tux) and averted (the brocade, knee breeches, and fright wig) in "Rock Me Amadeus."
- Shout-Out: Both "The Sound of Muzik" and "Body Next To Body" lift the hook from The Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight."
