Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus” Celebrates 40 Years at the Top of the US Charts
Forty years ago, Austrian musician Falco achieved a landmark feat by reaching the top of the US Billboard charts with his hit song “Rock Me Amadeus.” This accomplishment remains significant as the only German-language song to ever achieve the number one position in America. A new book by Rudi Dolezal commemorates this milestone, and was recently presented with a special gift in Fürstenfeld, Styria.
The Making of a Hit
“Rock Me Amadeus” made music history, and the accompanying music video was directed by Rudi Dolezal. The video’s production faced a slight delay when Falco arrived late to the set, reportedly due to his dog oversleeping. According to Dolezal, Falco arrived at 1 p.m. For a scheduled 10 a.m. Shoot, offering a humorous explanation for his tardiness. [Source: steiermark.ORF.at]
A Momentous Call
On March 28, 1986, Dolezal received the news that “Rock Me Amadeus” had reached number one on the Billboard charts. He shared the news with Wolfgang Ambros, who reportedly reacted with disbelief. [Source: steiermark.ORF.at]
“Falco, the Whole Truth”
Dolezal has documented his experiences with Falco in a new book titled “Falco, the whole truth.” He describes two distinct sides to the artist: a reliable friend he affectionately called Hans, and a more troubled persona who struggled with substance abuse. [Source: steiermark.ORF.at]
A Piece of History at the Austropop Museum
The book was presented for the first time in Styria at the Austropop Museum in Fürstenfeld. Dolezal also brought a special item with him: the hat worn by the inspector in the “Rock Me Amadeus” music video, originally belonging to Falco. [Source: steiermark.ORF.at] Friedrich Ohnewein of the “Austropop Time Travel” museum confirmed that the hat will be displayed prominently among the museum’s collection of iconic items. [Source: steiermark.ORF.at]
About “Rock Me Amadeus”
Released in 1985 as the lead single from Falco’s third studio album, Falco 3, “Rock Me Amadeus” was inspired by Miloš Forman’s 1984 film Amadeus. [Source: grokipedia.com] The song reimagines Mozart as a rock star, blending synth-pop, new wave, and rap elements with German lyrics and English choruses. [Source: grokipedia.com]
Produced by Ferdi and Rob Bolland, “Rock Me Amadeus” topped charts in multiple countries and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 29, 1986, remaining there for three weeks. [Source: grokipedia.com] It also reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in May 1986. [Source: grokipedia.com]
The Music Video
The music video for “Rock Me Amadeus” was directed by Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher of DoRo Productions. [Source: IMDb] The video juxtaposes 18th-century Rococo aesthetics with 1980s punk and new wave styles, portraying Falco as a modern incarnation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. [Source: grokipedia.com]
This article accompanies the program “Steiermark Today”, ORF2, March 24, 2026
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