Rock Me Amadeus

"Rock Me Amadeus" is a song recorded by Austrian musician Falco for his third studio album, Falco 3 (1985). The single was made available for physical sale in 1985 in German-speaking Europe, through A&M. "Rock Me Amadeus" was written by Falco along with Dutch music producers Bolland & Bolland. To date, the single is the only German language song to peak at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, which it did on 29 March 1986.^[5]

"Rock Me Amadeus"
Single by Falco
from the album Falco 3
Language	German
B-side	"Urban Tropical" "Vienna Calling"
Released	May 1985
Genre	Neue Deutsche Welle[1] synth-pop[2] dance-pop[3] hip hop[4]
Length	3:22
Label	A&M
Songwriter(s)	Falco Rob Bolland Ferdi Bolland
Producer(s)	Bolland & Bolland
Falco singles chronology
"Kann es Liebe sein?" (1984) "Rock Me Amadeus" (1985) "Vienna Calling" (1985)
Music video
"Rock Me Amadeus" on YouTube

It topped the singles charts on both sides of the Atlantic. It was Falco's only number one hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom, despite the artist's popularity in his native Austria and much of Europe.

Background and production

Graffiti by the artist Lush Sux [de], at the Falco Staircase next to the Kettenbrückengasse subway station [de] in the Austrian capital Vienna, depicting Falco in a Mozart outfit

Originally recorded in German, the song is about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, his popularity and his debts. A longer version (eight minutes), named the "Salieri Mix", appeared on the initial US release of the album Falco 3. The song was inspired by the movie Amadeus. The US release did not include an English translation, instead remixing the song with an English background voice-over^[5] performed by Wie is de Mol? producer Rick McCullough, and presenting the following facts:

1756: Salzburg, January 27th, Wolfgang Amadeus is born.

1761: At the age of five Amadeus begins composing.

1773: He writes his first piano concerto.

1782: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart marries Constanze Weber.

1784: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart becomes a Freemason.

1791: Mozart composes The Magic Flute.

On December 5th of that same year, Mozart dies. (Requiem)

1985: Austrian rock singer Falco records... "Rock Me Amadeus"!

Official versions and remixes

The song was released in Europe in 1985 in its original, German-language version. For the international markets (United States, UK, Japan, etc.), several different single and extended mixes were produced by Rob Bolland; none of them were solely an English-language version, but the international single versions reduced the German lyrics. However, the video, which featured the original European version, was used worldwide.

1. Original Version (a.k.a. The Gold Mix) (3:21)
2. Extended Version (7:07)
3. Salieri Version (8:21) (on the international versions of Falco 3 this mix is denoted wrongly as "Solieri Version")
4. Short Salieri Version (4:50)
5. Special Salieri Version (3:59)
6. American Edit (3:10)
7. Canadian Edit (4:02)
8. Canadian/American Edit (3:59)
9. Extended American Edit (5:50)
10. Club Mix 1991 (6:47)
11. Radio Remix 1991 (4:30)
12. Instrumental Remix 1991 (1:29)
13. Live Version 1985 (from the album Opus & Friends) (4:20)
14. Live Version 1986 (from the album Live Forever) (6:04)
15. Symphonic Remix 2008 (from the album Symphonic) (4:52)
16. Live Symphonic Version 1994 (from the DVD Symphonic) (4:12)
17. Falco Biography Mix 2010 (from the 25th Anniversary Edition of Falco 3) (download only) (8:48)
18. Ogris Debris Wiener Mischung 2017 (from the Falco remix series JNG RMR) (4:50)
19. Motsa's Dub Revibe 2017 (from the Falco remix series JNG RMR) (3:10)
20. Wolfram Mix 2019 (from the album "Amadeus" by Wolfram) (4:36)
21. Extended Canadian/American 2022 Re-Edit (from the best of album "The Sound Of Musik") (5:25)

Music video

The song's music video mixes elements of Mozart's time with 1980s contemporary society. Falco is shown in a 20th-century-style 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 attire. At the end, the two crowds mix.

The video for the 1991 remix is a much more sexualized version, starting with the refrain 'sugar sweet', with extra footage spliced throughout, including a similar black carriage riding at night with the driver covered in lights, escorted by police motorcycles, scantily clad girls; in black leather riding outside it, and bright neon fashions inside, resembling earlier-century formal wear. A different crowd in a more Mozart-era formal attire was excessively fraternizing at a party. This version also contains red line art of Falco, guitar riff clips, and a long car scene driving away at the end, to a saxophone solo over the added refrain.

Commercial performance

With "Rock Me Amadeus", Falco became the first German-speaking artist to be credited with a number-one single on both mainstream US pop singles chart, the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 Singles. Prior to Falco, "99 Luftballons" by Nena got to number one on Cash Box, but peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. The single hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on 29 March 1986.^[6]

In the United Kingdom, where his "Der Kommissar" failed to make the charts, the song hit number one on 10 May 1986, becoming the first single by an Austrian act to achieve this distinction. "Vienna Calling" hit number 10 and three subsequent singles briefly charted.

In Canada, the song reached number one on 1 February 1986. (There, "Der Kommissar" had reached number 11 in January 1983, and "Vienna Calling" would hit number 8 in April 1986.)

"Rock Me Amadeus" would later be ranked number 87 in VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s and number 44 in VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders.

The Simpsons parody

In the seventh season episode of The Simpsons entitled "A Fish Called Selma", Troy McClure (and other cast members) stars in a Planet of the Apes musical theatre adaptation Stop the Planet of the Apes, I Want to Get Off!, featuring a musical-style parody of "Rock Me Amadeus", "Dr. Zaius".^[7]

Charts

Weekly charts Original version Chart (1985–1986) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 15 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] 2 Canada (The Record)[11] 2 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12] 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[13] 10 France (IFOP)[14] 79 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 1 Italy (Musica e dischi)[16] 2 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 46 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[19] 6 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[20] 1 Spain (AFYVE)[21] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] 2 UK Singles (OCC)[24] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[25] 1 US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard)[25] 4 US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)[25] 6 US Cash Box Top 100[26] 1 West Germany (GfK)[27] 1 Canadian/American '86 mix Chart (1986) Peak position Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[28] 3 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[29] 2 Sun Diego Remix Chart (2018) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[30] 71 Germany (GfK)[31] 63

Year-end charts Original version Chart (1985) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] 5 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 5 Chart (1986) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[34] 69 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[35] 26 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[36] 22 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[37] 3 US Billboard Hot 100[38] 28 US Cash Box[39] 19 Canadian/American '86 mix Chart (1986) Position Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[40] 45 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[41] 38 All-time charts Chart (1958–2018) Position US Billboard Hot 100[42] 472

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[43]	Gold	35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[44]	Platinum	100,000^
Germany (BVMI)[45]	Gold	500,000^
Japan	—	50,000[46]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[47]	Gold	10,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[48]	Gold	500,000^
United States (RIAA)[49]	Platinum	2,000,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1986
• List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1986
• Lists of number-one singles (Austria)
• List of number-one singles of 1986 (Canada)
• List of number-one hits of 1985 (Germany)
• List of number-one singles from the 1980s (New Zealand)
• List of number-one singles of 1986 (Ireland)
• List of number-one singles and albums in Sweden
• List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1980s

References

1. "Neue Deutsche Welle NDW". Musik Himmel (in German). 19 August 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
2. Breihan, Tom (30 November 2020). "The Number Ones: Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus". Stereogum. Retrieved 22 September 2023. If anything, "Rock Me Amadeus" sounds like the kind of leftfield synthpop jam that couldnt've broken through a few years earlier.
3. Breihan, Tom (15 November 2022). "BTS - "Dynamite"". The Number Ones: Twenty Chart-Topping Hits That Reveal the History of Pop Music. New York: Hachette Book Group. p. 294.
4. Petridis, Alexis (28 March 2024). "Sex, Mozart and chanting monks … the 20 best Euro-pop UK hits – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
5. Sailer, Niklas (31 March 2016). "Falcos Welthit: Oh-oh-oh Amadeus" [Falcos worldhit: Oh-oh-oh Amadeus]. Spiegel Online (in German). Retrieved 25 June 2018.
6. "March 29, 1986 – The Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
7. Fox, Jesse David (13 July 2017). "An Oral History of The Simpsons' Classic Planet of the Apes Musical". Vulture Magazine. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 107. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
9. "Falco – Rock Me Amadeus" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
10. "Falco – Rock Me Amadeus" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
11. Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Mississauga, Ont.: Music Data Canada.
12. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0628." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
13. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Falco". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 78. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
14. "InfoDisc : Tous les Titres par Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Select "Falco" from the artist drop-down menu. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rock Me Amadeus". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
16. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 6 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Falco".
17. "Falco – Rock Me Amadeus" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
18. "Falco – Rock Me Amadeus". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
19. "Falco – Rock Me Amadeus". VG-lista. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
20. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (F)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
21. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
22. "Falco – Rock Me Amadeus". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
23. "Falco – Rock Me Amadeus". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
24. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
25. "Falco 3 – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
26. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MARCH 29, 1986". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012.
27. "Offiziellecharts.de – Falco – Rock Me Amadeus" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
28. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
29. "Dutchcharts.nl – Falco – Rock me Amadeus (Canadian/American '86 Mix)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
30. "Sun Diego x Falco – Rock Me Amadeus" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
31. "Sun Diego and Falco – Rock Me Amadeus" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
32. "Jahreshitparade 1985" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
33. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1985" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
34. "National Top 100 Singles for 1986". Kent Music Report. 29 December 1986. Retrieved 10 December 2019 – via Imgur.
35. "Jaaroverzichten 1986" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
36. "Top 100 Singles of '86". RPM. Vol. 45, no. 14. Library and Archives Canada. 27 December 1986. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
37. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1986". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
38. "Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 52. 27 December 1986. p. Y-21. ISSN 0006-2510.
39. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1986". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012.
40. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
41. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
42. "Hot 100 Turns 60". Billboard. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
43. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mount Martha, Melbourne, Victoria: Moonlight Publishing.
44. "Canadian single certifications – Falco – Rock Me Amadeus". Music Canada. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
45. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Falco; 'Rock Me Amadeus')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
46. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
47. "New Zealand single certifications – Falco – Rock Me Amadeus". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
48. "British single certifications – Falco – Rock Me Amadeus". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
49. "Falco: Male Artist of the Year – Singles (Teldec/Sire)" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 51/52. 27 December 1986. p. 14. Retrieved 9 August 2020.

External links

• Song review at AllMusic