The 80s One HIT WONDER that BROKE UP Before They Had THEIR 1 HIT! | Professor of Rock

Coming up, it’s the story of the 1983 Hit Der Kommissar that had two very different lives. First released by a German-speaking 80s star, named Falco, the song went Top 5 in at least 10 different countries. But It crashed and burned in America… Although Falco would have his revenge with a different hit called Rock Me Amadeus a few years later….But then an American ‘prog-rock band gone new wave pop called After the Fire’ got their hands on this song. They translated most of it into English except for a few mysterious lines and released it as a single that same year. And it Crashed and Burned Again!… Deeply in debt, burned out, and at odds with their record company, they decided to break up the band. Then out of nowhere, this track made a run for the top of the US charts just two months later. Was the song’s sudden success enough to get the band back together? Also, what did the mysterious chorus mean when translated into English? Find out next on Professor of Rock.
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Hey music junkies, Professor of Rock, always here to celebrate the greatest artists and the greatest songs of all time. If you remember trying to draw your masterpiece on an etch a sketch as a kid you’ll want to subscribe to this channel right now. Nostalgia all the time. Remember to click the bell so you are notified when our latest interviews and videos drop. Hop in the time machine every day with us…We’re also putting up full interviews and other content on our Patreon. Your support there helps us keep this a daily channel. And you can even become an honorary producer to help us curate this music history.
It’s time for another edition of our series Bottled Lightning where we celebrate a song or album that was king for a day. Here we honor artists and bands that rocketed up the charts… but for reasons unknown weren’t able to sustain that success. Called by some ‘one-hit wonders’, we celebrate them as lightning in a bottle. On previous episodes we have covered Too Shy by Kajagoogoo, I Melt With You by Modern English, and 99 Luftbalons by German sensation Nena.
Today, we’re featuring another German-language song that was actually a hit twice in the 80s… by two different acts. The first time it didn’t take in America, though its writer would have a huge smash later on in America…. It’s a crazy story… I’m talking about the international smash Der Kommissar, first made famous overseas by Falco and then later here in the US by prog rockers gone pop… After the Fire. So let’s get into it.
One of the most successful pop artists ever to come out of Austria, Johann Hozel, aka Falco, was a musical prodigy. As a child, he received formal classical training. Later he joined the punk band Drahdiwaberl in 1978. But where he really made his mark was as a solo artist. Like in Hinted to earlier, he is best known to American audiences for his 1986 #1 hit Rock Me Amadeus.
But before Amadeus, there was Der Kommissar… which in English translates to “The Commissioner.” Written with the help of songwriter Robert Ponger, Falco actually wasn’t all that confident about the song’s commercial appeal. He thought it would best serve as a b-side for another track he thought was much stronger… ‘Helden von heute’ or ‘Heroes of Today’.

[@ProfessorofRock]

Poll: What is your pick for the greatest bottled lightning classic of the 80s? The best one hit wonder?

[@catsinpajamas]

Falco said something really cool once: "If Mozart were alive, he'd be a punk rocker."

[@scottburton9701]

Can't believe "Der Kommissar" is forty years old-Still sounds great!

[@Geezer-yf8hv]

A great song that was an ‘80s classic! Still love it!!

[@hbofbyu1]

After The Fire really did the song justice. Both versions are great.

[@Porrohman72]

Of course you have to cover Rock Me Amadeus! Pure 80s magic!

[@DC8091]

Falco ruled in 85! I’d never heard anything like those two albums. Certainly established my taste for German Industrial (KMFDM, Rammstien, Eisbreher etc) in my youth!!! And HELL YA COVER ROCK ME AMADEUS!!!

[@dranet47]

At the record store I worked at in the 80s, I'd get people coming in and asking for this song. I'd have to ask them, "The English version or German?" because they rarely knew who sang either. There was a resurgence of the Falco version after his Amadeus and Jeanny hits, and the German 99 Luftballons still fresh in everyone's minds. In the area of town where my record store was, the clientele seemed to prefer Falco.

[@fivestring65ify]

ATFs version is pure 80s pop magic. I heard it before Falcos version. I can listen to this one over and over. Yet another example of the great music of this decade.

[@tammylewis2408]

A similar thing happened to the British band The Zombies. They recorded the album Odyssey and Oracle, which flopped. The band broke up not long after that. Then a DJ began playing a track from the album, which was Time of the Season. Listeners called in to request the song, and the song became a huge hit. The Zombies eventually reunited years later and were inducted into the RRHOF in 2019.

[@JasonMAlexander]

YES COVER ROCK ME AMADEUS!!! That was my jam in 6th grade!!

[@inerlogic]

"I had a punk rock aunt"

[@williamsanders2439]

Falco, Peter Schilling and Nena are definitely some of the most underrated European rock stars only known for their sole American hit.

[@cmnelson2923]

I was in the car with my Mom when this came on. And, just like with Amadeus, I turned to her & said, "Ok, what does this one say?" (Her grandparents came from Germany & she was also a German teacher.)

[@Steve_MFr]

I'm a friggen German/American! I grew up with both versions of the song and never realized it wasn't 2x Falco... Thanks for the lesson, Prof.

[@bicyclist2]

I was/am a big fan of Falco. I had several of his albums on cassette tape. I prefer his version of the song. Great content as usual. Thank you.

[@cpth0wdy13]

Thank you. One of my favorite 80s tunes. I love the mysterious ones. "Don't Pay The Ferryman" also comes to mind. 80's metal and new wave are my loves.

[@robertbyrd5290]

I can remember hearing After the Fire's Der Kommissar nearly every morning on the radio while getting ready for the final months of my senior year in high school. It seemed to be on the radio all the time around then.

[@chicharito229]

Hey Adam, I only discovered this channel last week, just want to say how much I'm enjoying your videos. I hooked and have been binge watching all your old ones, really love it and already introduced me to new bands.

[@66Bunn]

I had a buddy I worked with years ago (late 90s) and he was the biggest Falco fan I've ever met...in fact, the only Falco fan I've ever met. He had Falco cassette tapes (a whole collection), yet he never played them when we were all hanging out. I guess, he was tired of us goofing on him. I can't ever hear the name "Falco" without thinking of my good buddy, Murph.