Amadeus, Amadeus – Collaboration & Radio Play
Oh, oh, oh Amadeus
Today we want to share a little story with you about the history of our dad as a studio owner and producer, long before “MonaLisa Twins” or even Mona and Lisa ever existed. The MLT Club seems like the perfect place to reveal a bit more about that!As some of you might know, our dad (or “Papa Rudi” as we like to refer to him here) used to run a very successful recording studio in Austria in the 80’s and 90’s. He recorded and produced a host of national and international artists but the best known Austrian one is Falco.
Many of you will know his biggest hit “Rock Me Amadeus” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1986 and made him the most internationally successful Austrian singer to this day and a legend to most Austrians …
Falco is often considered “the first white rapper” and was revolutionary in many ways. Love or hate his style of music, he certainly was a one of a kind character, and he certainly left an important mark through his music but also through his image and “persona”.He had a way of criticizing the Viennese upper-class decadence by portraying a quite unlikeable and douchy character, by which he touched on a lot of social issues in his music. Personally, we think he played an extremely important role in Austrian culture, and his lyrics hold up to this day.”Rock Me Amadeus” wasn’t recorded at our dad’s studio but in 1991 the Bingoboys (another one of the few internationally successful Austrian acts) produced three remixes with Falco of some of his other big hits at our house: Wiener Blut, Junge Römer and Der Kommissar.
Because the original tapes got lost or at least were untraceable at that time Falco had to record all three songs again.Going by our dad’s anecdotes and those of other people who knew him, Falco was a very different person in day-to-day life than the over-the-top character he portrayed on stage, in his music and videos. He was kind, funny and laid back. However, he also seemed to have a very troubled personal life, struggled with the traps of success, wrong “friends” and consequently drugs & alcohol. Unfortunately, he passed away way too early in 1998, in a car crash after which they found high amounts of various substances in his blood.He had an enormous fan following in Austria by this point and left behind a huge legacy. So it was quite funny to us when we were driving home from one show in London last year when we suddenly heard this on the radio …
LISTEN: “The World Cup Of 1 Hit Wonders” – BBC Radio 2 with OJ Borg
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In the clip above you can hear a segment on BBC Radio 2 – “The World Cup Of One Hit Wonders” – and “Rock Me Amadeus” was nominated (and won)! Funny how an artist can be a “one hit wonder” in one country and a cultural legend in another!We decided to send a text message to DJ Borg during his show, which he read out on air. We were thoroughly entertained by the whole show, which made the 4 hour trip infinitely more fun and go by much quicker!Here is a question to you – Have you heard of Falco before? If so, do you know any other songs by him?Those of you who own a copy of the album MonaLisa & Band Live in Concert 2007 will have heard our 13-year old selves sing a version of the Falco song “Der Kommissar” for which our dad produced the backing track from scratch.
We kind of forgot about the video for it until we wrote this post. When we re-watched it we found ourselves laughing so hard that we weren’t sure whether to include it here. Michaela convinced us that it is mainly “cute” and that it’s fun seeing us perform such a song at that age. Talk about a blast from the past and teenage awkwardness. But hey, we were trying to channel our inner Falco 😉 Coool man!Here it is …
Now, as some of you probably know, personally we’re not big fans of the Eighties sound in general. All in all, it is probably even our least favourite decade of the 20st century, and even Papa Rudi wasn’t really into the type of music and the remixes he was doing back in the day.
But for us, the appeal of Falco has less to do with his music and is more strongly tied to the social impact he had in Austria, as well as his lyrics. He was someone who didn’t easily put up with nonsense and through his wit and music addressed very unpopular issues like corruption, child abuse, and hypocrisy.
So, we totally get how someone, who didn’t grow up in Vienna and doesn’t understand the meaning behind the lyrics or the type of dialect he’s putting on, could listen to him and label the music as rather cheesy 80’s pop.
What’s your impression?
Soon dad and Michaela will go back on a short home visit to Austria, and they will look for some old slides from dad’s studio days. Maybe we can dig some of Falco’s visit out to show you.
Unfortunately, the whole thing of dad recording Falco happened 3 years before we were born, so we never got to meet him, not even as toddlers. Still, it makes for a good story 🙂
We hope you’re all doing well and enjoyed this little blast from the past,
Mona & Lisa
Good to get some history on Papa Rudi’s career, that’s interesting. Thanks.
Falco’s name is vaguely familiar. If my German were a little better, it would still be nonexistent, but looking at those song titles, even I can see Falco was doing some social commentary, Viennese Blood, Young Roman, The Commissioner. I have no recollection of Rock Me Amadeus.
Der Kommissar, I don’t remember the rap part. But there’s actually a melody in the chorus, and I definitely remember that hook – from somewhere. Not sure if I remember it from Falco or a rapper with a sampler who pinched it later.
Your video was great. Predictably. I listened to Falco doing it, and I like your version much better. You were into it.
Lisa’s jacket! OMG. Fantastic.
Your version of “Der Kommisar” is very cute, as Michaela said. Most of the lyrics I have understood as a German, but sometimes it is a bit difficulty to understand the Austrian dialect. But it is a great performance of you both at that age, and one can see, that you are no “One Hit Wonder”! Falco was very popular in Germany at that time and all his albums have reached the charts in very high positions.
Thank you for the little story behind the scenes!
Go on and stay groovy! Frank
Love the story, not thrilled with the music. I’m wondering…I remember reading somewhere that your father won a Grammy? I’m not very tech literate and can’t find it. I’m sure it would be from his studio days. Stayin’ groovy, since I can’t be cool. (32C)
Falco is definitely not my jam. In the mid ‘70s I tuned out of pop music entirely and still cannot relate to any of the genres that have evolved since then. I do enjoy new music in the folk, blues, soul, Americana, rock and Broadway styles including , of course, everything you two come up with. Once a child of the’60s, always a child of the’60s. Stay groovy, Twins!
Michaela was right! Very cute! Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely I’ve heard of Falco. His music was one of my favorites at the time!
I was listening to your “MonaLisa Band” CD earlier this week. And I always get a kick from “Der Commissar.” I was hoping to see a Vid of you two doing it. Thanks for fulfilling my wish. I am not familiar with Falco, but it is a “how bout that” moment that P-Rudi produced him. I recently heard “Der Commissar” on a classic rock station, but only knew it as the song the Twins did. BTW you guys are so cute doing it – like a couple of dolls. Ya’ll got the moves. Peace be
You guys were so cute!!! I try to keep an open mind about Music, however, after having said, the Gansta Rap that has been put out is nothing but pure ____. So with the 80’s, 90’s up until now I have had to be careful of what my kids were listening to and myself.
I am just a Rock n Roll guy, 60’s were the best but the 50’s had the King come out and Johnnie B. Goode. The 70’s brought out the Eagles, one of my favorite bands, however
I really don’t like their stance on You Tube and who can put out a song on video like Hotel California that their not even getting paid for and they have 100’s of millions. Sorry but
it just irritates me when I see that. Get hip to the fact that The Times They are a Changing! Walt Music
I ❤ love your 13 year old selves performance of Der Kommissar! ????❤
I remember hearing Rock Me Amadeus, but did not remember the artist. I was not into 80’s music either. Had no idea the artist was from Austria. Very interesting.
OMG !! what a riot that was to watch…I loved it…just yesterday I was playing that album as I drove around my paper route in the middle of the night…the more I listen to that album the better I like it because you can hear and watch the videos of the talent that was waiting to bust out…like many of the other Clubbers I had never heard of Falco and I definitely am not a “rap” lover…..but…I gotta rewatch this Der Kommissar video…love you girls ❤️????
I never heard of Falco until now. Not my kind of music. I was thinking of writing into the Q&A about learning a little more about your parents backgrounds as well as your own. It’s always enjoyable to hear the about peoples backgrounds. I enjoyed watching all the 2007 concert. You’ve come a long way and given your fans a lot of pleasure on the journey. I’ve always loved all the video footage of the whole MLT Family endeavor. The behind the scenes footage of making the videos and music is so much fun to watch. Keep up the good work all of you.
This was a very interesting posting. I actually had heard of (and liked) Falco and the few hit songs that were played in the US. I have your MonaLisa and Band Live in Concert CDs. I really enjoyed your cover of “Der Kommissar” on those discs and have played it several times. Seeing the video of the performance was a great treat. What stage presence for 13 year olds! Thanks for sharing.
Whoopie !!!! great sound – magical video – the 80’s is an era you either love or hate – i grew up in UK to “Buggles – Killed A Radio Star” prob the first massive “TOTP” video – was doing mobile DJing at weddings – birthdays etc – Falco would have been on playlist and if you girls had released this at that time it would have got a massive following – as your dad was influential in the production and subsequent sound vibe he should have more credit than he has been given – i would put him alongside Trevor Horn as a innovative artistically important milestone in music history, thanks for sharing – PS would love to know what the English version of the lyrics are ??
Ya Falco was big here in the states! He was on heavy rotation on MTV back when they played music videos. Love the teen attitudes during your performance!
I want to say this is the best, but choosing a favorite MLT performance is like choosing a favorite twin – impossible.
But this is precious. You totally nailed this song. Jackie is right. It got a lot of airplay, and was a staple of every DJ. We heard it so much, it was everywhere. It was in the car, roll down the windows and you hear it from the car next to you. They even played it on MTV a couple gazillion times.
Thanks for sharing this.
JP
Agree, they did wonders with this song. From the 2007 concert CD this one along with Back to Life, Stand By Me, and Aufsteh’n seem to be along the same vein in performance and all go together so well for me. Love them. If there were a video of these 3 from that concert, it would be awesome to see.
Glad to come across this little gem again of your performance of Der Kommisar. Check it out Joe!
A really nice job filling in this bit of history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TITHVtgJ_9w
This is the version of Rock Me Amadeus I remember was playing on every pop rock station in 1985. I like this one the best. It appeared on the B side of the US 45 version that hit #1. One of the best songs out of the 80’s in my opinion.
Loved the story. Never was a Falco fan though. Really wasn’t into his type of music.
Mona and Lisa did an excellent job on “Der Commissar”! I don’t really think I would like to hear it from anyone else! I have to admit here that ’80’s music wasn’t my cup of tea either. In the ’80’s I was still playing music from the previous decades. I do appreciate the opportunity to look back into the past a bit though. MLT is the best!
Thank You for this post! This is a golden nugget. Falco was very big in Argentina. I spent my teenage years in the eighties, and even though I was always the “Beatles Nut”. Amadeus and Der Kommissar were staples at any club at that time. I new it was about social critique, but didn’t know the words or much less the nuances.
This helps me see Falco in a different light, a different dimension, thank you.
It is also very cool that it was done, if partially, at your home under the watchful eye of “Papa Rudi”.
About the MLT Der Commissar video… Thank You Michaela for pushing to post, because while it’s certainly cute, it also shows your musical diversity -and dexterity (to avoid using the word “talent”)- at 13 no less!
Congrats -yet again- and thank you.
When I was young I hated disco and the 80s music, because, for me, it was so different from the kind of music I still live from 60s and part of 70s. Today I can listen to some (few) bands of that time and see some quality and, sometimes, sing that kind of music at a karaoke.
Falcon was a hit here in Brazil, it’s good to know he had some connections with your family.
It’s nice to see you singing a different kind of music, it shows your skills and talents, but I’m glad you choose other style, or, I think, I wouldn’t be here. KKKK
PS: I’m writing and there’s a picture at the left side that it’s not mine. It looks like Stan Laurel.
All interesting news to me. It reflects in the solid foundation of MLT going into the world wide music universe.
Thank you so much, Michaela, for overruling the twins, it is mainly “cute” and it is fun seeing Mona and Lisa perform such a song, so well at the tender age of 13. I had made a couple of requests late last year, through this club, for this song and other videos from the 2007 concert to be released. Nothing to be embarrassed about as it was an amazing performance, especially with Papa Rudi’s excellent production work on the backing track. Can we please have more releases from this concert?
As for Falco, I remember the name well but am not as familiar with his work. He sounds like a very interesting person. It’s a pity he had personal issues and that he died in a car crash. Personally, I could have done without the eighties as I spent them listening to music from the sixties and seventies.
Please, more unreleased video of songs from this concert would be very much appreciated.
Wow ladies, I absolutely loved this blast from the past, especially your “Der Kommisar” video performance. You both just nailed it at 13, and just goes to show whatever genre you both do, you are so natural at them! So musically multi-talented, whatever genre you do, you knock them out of the park! “Der Kommisar” and “Aufstehn” are both my wife and my favorites songs on that 2007 Concert Album, and you don’t know how many times we listened to that song in the car, rocking to your beat, just like teenagers the both of us, and to finally see your live performance video of this just blows me away!!! Thank you very, very much for posting it, and I also adore Aufstehn, Back to Life and Stand By Me as well, if you are ever considering posting them one day 🙂
I remember in the 80’s Falco was huge in Canada, and the two songs “Der Kommisar” and “Rock Me Amadeus” were their two big hit songs I know of. When Rock Me Amadeus first came out (mid 80s), I recall kids playing it super loud while cruising in their cars downtown with the bass just vibrating the doors off their cars (was an insanely cool song then), and the dance version of that song (played on the radio broadcast here) was super popular in the night clubs. There were a few early 80’s bands and sounds I liked, and I think all the novelty and rage with music videos that started in the early 80’s had something to do with it too. Some that come to mind for me in addition to Falco were The Police, Cars, Tears for Fears, Bananarama, and Duran Duran, before I got consumed by AC/DC which is another story. I agree music started to get pretty cheesy later through the 80’s and 90’s (anyone remember Twisted Sister?). That is why I abandoned rock/pop after that and went classical until now.
I loved it. I agree with Michaela, it’s a really cute video. You both have gone from adorable toddlers, cute young teens, beautiful mature teenagers, to gorgeous young ladies! I remember when that song came out. Loved it then and still love it, but your version is my second favorite. Falco’s version is still my favorite. But (for me) your version is a very, very, very close second! ☺ ????????
Great story! Thank you for writing it down for us 🙂
What a Special Treat! Thank you all do much for posting this. I’ve always wanted to see you both sing a complete song in your native song.
I remember this song from your album.
Did you all know that my copy is signed? Don’t know how it came to be, but each one of you signed it including “Papa Rudi” and Michaela????.
I so thankful for Michaela’s insight. It is “cute”, bit also shows and artistic side that not many have gotten to see.
I am so grateful to be able to do so. And you both can DANCE (not like Walruses either haha)
As for Falco…. I don’t know anything about him other than what you both have shared. I listened to the song Rock Me Amadeus. I have never heard it before.
What a thrill it must be to know your dad worked with Falco, and to know that he became big.
Thank you both again for being so very kind to include all of us in a special memory of yours.
Please remain extra groovy
Rick
Funny, I too can not stand the 80’s for music and just about everything else for that matter. I remember that song unfortunately, not a fan of it. I liked maybe a handful of 80’s songs at the most. Never cared for the 90’s and so far the 2000’s either! Except for MLT of coarse! Yes that video of you 2 singing “Der Kommissar” is very cute but the song itself I can do without. Of coarse I do have your “MonaLisa & Band Live in Concert 2007” download! Must get the CD one of these days too.
I admit… Was not a fan of Falco and his Rock Me Amadeus song back then.. LOL…Yes he stands out for me … The 80s were my teenage years… The local radio stns here in the day overplayed that song… Probably main reason why I don’t care for it… I’ve enjoyed this wee gem though… And I feel badly that his personal. Life ended as it had… If he were still around today I’m sure he’d still have as much lyrical impact on things as he had back at that time. Thankyou for sharing this story… Oh… I ‘ m definitely getting a smile and chuckle with your take on DE Komissinar song… You both did far better than I would have ever thought I could if I had attempted to tackle it.
Yes… Hoping both Papa Rudi and Michaela can be lucky and come across some more MLTBuzzWorthy MLT Club Gems of CoolFab… ????????✌️????????????????☮️????????????❤️????????????????????️????????????????????????????????????