Rock Me Amadeus

"Rock Me Amadeus"
Song

"Rock Me Amadeus" is a 1986 song by the Austrian pop musician Falco from his album Falco 3. It topped the singles charts on both sides of the Atlantic. It was Falco's only major hit in the United States and one of only two singles to make the Top Ten in the United Kingdom, despite his popularity in Germany, his native Austria, and much of Europe. The song was written by Dutch music producers Bolland & Bolland.

History

"Rock Me Amadeus" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on 29 March 1986. Falco is often considered a one-hit wonder in the United States because of the low ranking of his follow-up singles to "Rock Me Amadeus". However, Falco had already had a minor US hit in 1982 with "Der Kommissar" (later covered by After the Fire), and his follow-up single from Falco 3, "Vienna Calling", reached #18 on the Hot 100. "Rock Me Amadeus" is ranked #44 in VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders and #87 in VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s.

In the United Kingdom, the song hit number one on 10 May 1986, becoming the first single by an Austrian act to achieve this distinction. In the UK, Falco is also often regarded as a one-hit wonder, although his "Vienna Calling" hit number ten.

In Canada, the song reached #2 in March 1986, after "Der Komissar" had reached #11 in January 1983, and followed up by "Vienna Calling" which hit #8 in April 1986.

Falco also became the first German speaking artist to achieve #1 in all mainstream US charts (the Billboard Hot 100, ARC Top 40 and Cashbox charts).

Production

The song, recorded in German and about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, talks about his popularity and his debts. A longer version (eight minutes), named the "Salieri Mix", appeared on the initial U.S. release of the album Falco 3. The song was inspired by the movie Amadeus. For the U.S. release, the song was remixed with an English background overlay by L.A. DJ Chris Modig. There was never a full English version.

Music video

The song's music video mixed elements of Mozart's time with modern times; early on, Falco is shown in a modern dinner jacket walking past people in eighteenth-century formal wear. Later, he is shown dressed as Mozart, with wild colored hair, being held on the shoulders of men dressed in modern motorcycle-riding gear. At the end, the two crowds mix together.

Cover versions

• The song was covered in 1998 by German industrial metal rock band Megaherz. They released "Rock Me Amadeus" as their 1998 single from their album Kopfschuss. Megaherz infused the song with heavy metal riffs and industrial-trip rock beats in their version.
• The song is parodied by Mississipian rock singers Matthew Beall and Petch Lucas, "Jabba on the Dais," referring to Jabba the Hutt's throne he sits on in Return of the Jedi. The song goes on to recap the crime boss' role in the Star Wars Trilogy.
• German hard rock/gothic rock band Umbra et Imago released a cover of the song on their 2000 album Mea Culpa.
• The Order of the Fly covered this song in 2005 on his EP Breathing Liquid.
• Norwegian experimental black/thrash metal band, Sturmgeist released a cover of the song on their 2006 album, Über. This version features lyrics sung in a harsh style in German over heavy metal style music and symphonic keyboards.
• Italian rapper Metal Carter also plagiarised the main tune of this song in his 2006 song "Pagliaccio di Ghiaccio".
• Indie artists Malente featuring Knixx recorded an electronica cover of the song in 2008.

Live cover performances

• The folk-rock group Girlyman does the song live fairly regularly, with Nate doing the German parts and the other band members and audience supplying the ohs.
• German band Muenchener Freiheit performed the song at the 2007 Muenster Eurocityfest.
• Cantopop artist Anthony Wong covered the song with Chinese lyrics written by Albert Leung

Sampling

• Rapper Tech N9ne made a song titled "I'm A Playa" set to the same tune, except with a more Dirty South/crunk style beat.
• The Bloodhound Gang samples "Rock Me Amadeus" throughout the song "Mope" on the 1999 album, Hooray for Boobies
• Radio station WSKZ in Chattanooga, TN played a version on that station's morning zoo called "Rock Me Donny Osmond" which sampled music from the original by Falco.
• The British Italo Disco act Bruce and Bongo borrows the tune of the song for their 1986 song Geil where they repeat "Everybody Geil, Everybody Geil" as a chorus.

Parodies and References

The song has been lampooned and paid tribute to by many:

• "Weird Al" Yankovic included it in his medley "Polka Party!" on the album of that name.
• A parody version of this song titled "Amateur" was released in 2004 by Mexican hip-hop/rock band Molotov. In their version the song starts with a melody of Udo Jürgens (Aber bitte mit Sahne), who is a famous Austrian singer. "Amateur" can be found on Molotov's 2004 cover album, "Con Todo Respeto."
• The song is featured in two Simpsons episodes, "A Fish Called Selma" and "Behind the Laughter." In "A Fish Called Selma" Troy McClure performs the part of the human in a musical adaptation of Planet of the Apes where the chorus becomes "Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius". In "Behind the Laughter" Taco plays a tribute to "Rock Me Amadeus" before the Simpsons are called on to present the award for "Most Violent Rap Group" in the New Awareness Awards.
• An episode of the Muppet Babies animated series featured a parody titled Rock Me Amadogus, performed by Baby Rowlf as Wolfgang Amadogus Mozart.
• The TV series Comedy Inc. included a sketch making fun of William Shatner's musical career. In the sketch, William Shatner releases a new album consisting of 1980s memorabilia songs, one of which is "Rock Me Amadeus".
• DJ Mozart's "Moz Up" from Jamster (Jamba) used references from the song. (ex. He said Come on, Rock Me Amadeus which was from the original).
• Jewish parody band Shlock Rock parodied the song as "Achashverosh".
• Robbie Williams exclaims "Rock me Amadeus!" before the instrumental break of his song "It's Only Us".
• In an episode of King of the Hill where Peggy brings a sand timer to a prison inmate (unknowingly carrying cocaine inside), the inmate exclaims "Rock Me Amadeus!"
• The opening track on Beck's album Stereopathetic Soulmanure is titled "Pink Noise (Rock Me Amadeus)".
• Kool G Rap references this song in Fast Life, a collaboration with Nas.
• Mary Cherry from WB's show Popular (TV series) sang this as her audition for teen tarts.
• On the September 11 and September 13, 2007, and April 9, 2008, episodes of The Daily Show, the song was parodied using the lyrics, "Iraq Me Dave Petraeus!" in reference to General David Petraeus' Iraq war progress report. Jon Stewart then quipped, "It's the way Falco wanted", and "If only Falco were alive to see that, he'd be so sad." In June 2008, the Daily Show also created a segment on Barack Obama called, "Barack me, Obamadeus".
• In a 2004 episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by Lindsay Lohan, a skit featured Amy Poehler's and Lohan's characters reciting the chorus, followed by Poehler asking Horatio Sanz, "Who sings that song, Rick? What artist or group, Rick?" to which a perturbed (yet amused) Sanz replies, "Falco!"
• In the Family Guy episode "Petarded", Brian asks Lois if Peter's stupidity bothers her to which Lois responds that she just represses the thought. The camera then zooms into her brain and shows a tumor with the face of Peter singing, "I'm a tumor; I'm a tumor" to the tune of "Rock Me Amadeus".
• The song is featured heavily in Adventureland, a coming-of-age comedy set in the late '80s. The main character (portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg) feels the song is overplayed on the radio and at one point jokingly says he will stab himself in the ear if hears it one more time.
• In Bedtime Stories, when Skeeter gets a shot, he sings "Rock Me Amadeus" in his truck.
• In the 2008 movie "The Rocker" Drummer fish slaps himself a few times to perk himself up and yells out "Rock Me Amadeus!"
• The website Jinx.com has a shirt in the Dungen and Dragon section that reads "Rock Me Amadeus!"
• Momus's 2001 album Folktronic contains a song entitled "Folk Me Amadeus".
• In one of the Etrade baby commercials his cellphone rings playing Rock Me Amadeus.
• The TV show House, M.D. featured an 80's party in season 6, episode 6 "Known Unknowns," with the main character dressed in 1780's fashion. This is a double reference to "Rock Me Amadeus" as well as Hugh Laurie's role in Blackadder.

External links

• "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco Song Facts at www.songfacts.com.
• (in German) on YouTube