Sie sagt: “Baby, you know, I miss my funky friends"

Today is the 15th anniversary of Falco's death.

Johann Hölzel, known as "Hans" to his friends and family and as "Falco" to his adoring fans was the greatest Austrian singer/rapper of the 80's. I would contend that Falco is still the most well-known Austrian musician ever in the United States. If your money is on Mozart, I would bet that more Americans could correctly name the title and artist for Der Kommissar and Rock Me Amadeus than could for Rondo Alla Turca or Eine kleine Nachtmusik--and when I say more, I mean more by a factor of, like, 100.

While Der Kommissar and Rock Me Amadeus were Falco's biggest hits; his masterpiece is clearly Jeanny. No mere pop song, Jeanny is a mini-opera, and the video is a cinematic treasure.

As many artists do, Falco tried to recapture the magic of Jeanny with Coming Home (Jeanny Part II). While the song is amazing--although I may be biased because I have a weakness for songs with parentheses in their titles--like many sequels, it fails to live up to the original.

Falco died in a car crash on Ferbruary 6, 1998--just two weeks before his 41st birthday. While Coming Home (Jeanny Part II) is not his greatest song, some of the lyrics seem prophetic on this sad anniversary.

Denkst Du noch an mich?
Liebst Du mich noch?
Wo bist Du?
Kommst Du wieder?

I know I speak for all of us when I say:  

Ja, wir erinnern uns Falco.
Ja, wir lieben dich sehr.
Wir sind immer noch hier.
Wir dich nie verlassen.