Taking Sides: Falco Vs. Taco

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The obvious answer, of course, is Falco- he was the dean of the Austrian Hip-Hop scene, after all, and his tragic James Dean style death only makes songs like "Rock Me Amadeus" even more poignant.

But on the other hand, one would be a fool to underestimate the power of "Puttin' On The Ritz". Discuss.

― Daniel_Rf, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

is this another cleverly disguised Wilco thread?!

― lawrence kansas, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Junge Roemer, Der Kommissar, Jeanny, Rock Me Amadeus, Mutter Der Mann Mit Dem Koks Ist Da, Vienna Calling, Helden Von Heute, Maschine Brennt...

― Siegbran Hetteson, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Falco. Unless someone can provide heretofore unseen evidence that Taco was a brilliant lyricist who had a string of hits and revolutionized his country's music scene.

Now, if you make it Falco vs. Wolfgang Ambros, that'd be a close one.

― Colin Meeder, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

But on the other hand, one would be a fool to underestimate the power of "Puttin' On The Ritz". Discuss.
It would also be unwise to overestimate its power. Its a creepy cover of a creepy song. Besides, nobody -- and I mean Nobody -- will ever top Peter Boyles version. Nobody.

― Lord Custos III, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Colin: Wolfgang, easy. He translated Dylan and got away with it, after all.

I dunno about the brilliant lyricist thing, but Taco prophesised the late 90's/early 00's upsurge in covering Vocal Pop (Joni Mitchell, Bryan Ferry, Robbie Williams, George Michael), didn't he?

― Daniel_Rf, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

one year passes...

taco: what happened to him? where is he now? surely putting on the ritz is due a rerelease.

― Bob Shaw (Bob Shaw), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 13:49 (twenty years ago) link

Taco had one brilliant hit, with "Putting On The Ritz" and then nothing more. Falco had a couple great ones - "Jeanny", "Der Kommisar", "Coming Home", but also a lot of shit. Hard to choose, really, but I think I go for Falco for the fact that he managed to get himself a somewhat lengthy career while Taco was just a one-hit-wonder.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 18:49 (twenty years ago) link

http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/catzmusic/f7d15/amgmusics_d15554c1yc5.jpg?cm_____Dp..V66gE

― Priscilla Beaulieu Magnatech (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 19:04 (twenty years ago) link

Falco was a two-hit wonder who made a pair of interesting, innovative (and in one case, educational) pop 'choons that are kitsch classics.
Taco was a one-hit wonder with an chilly, listless, irritating cover of an even more chilly, listless, irritating lounge song.
You do the math.
(Besides no-one, and I mean NO-ONE will ever top the duet version of "Puttin' on the Ritz" that Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle did. No-One.)

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 19:08 (twenty years ago) link

"Thank you, Taco, for that loving tribute to Falco."

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 19:11 (twenty years ago) link

Shit! I already answered this one a year ago and completely forgot.
(Well. The second answer removes any ambiguity left in the first version.)

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 19:21 (twenty years ago) link

TS: Toto vs. Poco

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 20:06 (twenty years ago) link

Loco!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 20:17 (twenty years ago) link

forget taco -- check out TAOC

― brains (cerybut), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 20:23 (twenty years ago) link

FALCO!!!!

― geeta (geeta), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 20:44 (twenty years ago) link

How much difference, really, is there between Taco, Taco the Wonder Dog, and Commander Taco? And are we sure they aren't all the same guy?
Huh?
HUNH!?
Prove it!

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 23:58 (twenty years ago) link

The revenge of the Taco hataz. Dum-di-dum.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Thursday, 30 October 2003 00:00 (twenty years ago) link

five months pass...

i can't believe i'm downloading a taco best-of. have i really sunk this low?

― stockholm cindy (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 9 April 2004 05:16 (twenty years ago) link

Normally I'm fascinated by non-single album tracks from "one-hit wonders" (you never know when you're going to stumble across buried treasure etc etc etc) but I'm pretty confident that in Taco's case the public was right for once: This guy shot his conceptual/creative wad with the one hit.

― stockholm cindy (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 9 April 2004 17:54 (twenty years ago) link

I can't believe I didn't post to this thread.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 9 April 2004 18:02 (twenty years ago) link

what are the details of this purported "James Dean style death" of Falco's?

― Shakey Mo Collier, Friday, 9 April 2004 18:26 (twenty years ago) link

one year passes...

AMADEUSAMADEUS! A-A-MA-DEUS!!! AMADEUS AMADEUS!

ROCK ME AMADEUS!

"ROCK ME AMADEUS!"

― Mayor of Dutchtown (nordicskilla), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:51 (eighteen years ago) link

"Vienna Calling" was even better.

It amazes me that the album on which you'll find VC and "Amadeus" (Falco 3, is it?) hit the Top 3.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:25 (eighteen years ago) link

Tav Falco!

― Soukesian, Friday, 9 December 2005 21:38 (eighteen years ago) link

Taco by far. Especially if you count the video.

MOVE...

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Friday, 9 December 2005 22:11 (eighteen years ago) link

Keep waiting for the day when Stone Phillips signs off a Dateline episode with "Alles klar eh Komissar?"

― Joe (Joe), Saturday, 10 December 2005 15:22 (eighteen years ago) link

two years pass...

i'm astounded "puttin' on the ritz" hasn't been reissued or even re-edited yet! the last three minutes of this track demand a todd terje re-make!!!

― r1o natsume, Thursday, 11 September 2008 11:31 (fifteen years ago) link

Oh God, a todd terje remake of putting on the ritz MUST happen.

― Cars That Go Boom (mehlt), Thursday, 11 September 2008 19:20 (fifteen years ago) link

I actually remember Taco's follow-up: a similarly styled retro revival called "Let's Face the Music and Dance." Meh at best.

And Falco was actually kinda hot.

― Joseph McCombs, Friday, 12 September 2008 05:37 (fifteen years ago) link

Falco is my pick because he was somewhat more consistent and actually managed to build a lengthy career in various styles rather than just doing one gimmick.

But he never made anything as great as Taco's version of "Puttin' On The Ritz". :9

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 12 September 2008 08:47 (fifteen years ago) link

Falco for not doing the worst version of "Puttin' On the Ritz"

― peace, love, and ban deeznuts (The Reverend), Friday, 12 September 2008 09:14 (fifteen years ago) link

five months pass...

Oh God, a todd terje remake of putting on the ritz MUST happen.

― Cars That Go Boom (mehlt), Thursday, September 11, 2008 2:20 PM (5 months ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Good lord, loop those 4 bars of tapdancing, but some bass and a kick on that, you got a stew going.

― mehlt, Friday, 27 February 2009 03:53 (fifteen years ago) link

eight years pass...

https://80sradio.iheart.com/content/2017-10-09-taco-is-baaaack/

― Marcus Hiles Remains Steadfast About Planting Trees.jpg (DJP), Monday, 9 October 2017 20:42 (six years ago) link

http://blog-imgs-48.fc2.com/b/o/b/bobykent/761px-2761Taco_Ockerse.jpg

― brimstead, Monday, 9 October 2017 23:46 (six years ago) link

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