I will show you how many meanings can be find in just 16 lines of text, plus a few of chorus. I will be also glad for your comments and suggestions, from Europe and other fans who like The Final Countdown.

It is something like an assignment done on English literature classes – analysis and interpretation of a poem or a book.

Today I begin with the first line of The Final Countdown.

What can be left and in what circumstances ‘together’?

We can leave our country, or town, moving to a place which is regarded as better to live. We can leave our parents as a couple, moving to our own house. We are also leaving this world, dying, even if many are trying to ignore this truth. Today we have a good example – Senator Ted Kennedy is leaving us.

I would like to promote positive spirit of this song thus even if the lyrics of The Final Countdown can be seen both in positive and negative ways I will focus on the positive ones. There is too much negativism around us.

Each, and there are not all possible meanings mentioned, of them can be found in may particular situations every day in every country.

You probably know someone who is emigrating or that something is said about this issue on the radio or shown on TV. Everywhere there are people who ‘leave together’ their places in positive spirit. In most cases we can see the opposite, that we are forced to leave something and the future is not necessary better.

However, as we will see further, ‘leaving together’ means the beginning of something better.

Each, and there are not all possible meanings mentioned, of them can be found in may particular situations every day in every country.

You probably know someone who is emigrating or that something is said about this issue yet today Ted Kennedy’s death is one of most important topics  on the radio or shown on TV.

Let He save Your voice – so You can rejoice us, coming to Europe’s  or Your solo gigs;

so we still will be listening to The Final Countdown and all other Your great songs.

Let Your lyrics and the wisdom comprised there be always appreciated and inspire many generations

Let Your son be Your successor in any way and Your wife the best support and treasure to the end of Your days.

Let all your dreams what you are still having, come true.

Thank You Joey for being my idol, inspiration and the author of both Your and Europe’s songs.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

While I was listening to the interview on TV after the gig in “Spodek” Joey said, more or less ” I have written the lyrics in my parents’ kitchen when I visited them one day”. From Wikipedia we can also learn that the leader of Europe was inspired by David Bowie’s song “Space Oddity“.

Yet this blog is aimed to find other inspirations and interpretations. I myself have and had in the past at least 3, they were changing as my life was changing.

The Final Countdown is about movement to something better and progress, just get into the ship as the final countdown has started. That is the example of one outlined interpretation.

The song was based on an old keyboard riff that vocalist Joey Tempest wrote as early as 1981–82^, on a Korg Polysix keyboard he borrowed from keyboardist Mic Michaeli. Later the lyrics were added. That is the official truth, known from Wikipedia of other available sources.

However, as we can read further The Final Countdown had difficult way to be No1 track on Europe’s third album and to be a  single- and it was Joey Tempest who was fighting to release it. Previous Europe stuff was in hard rock climate and The Final Countdown sounded oddly – like from a different planet.

Later the world experienced the birth of new galaxy – Europe. Some stars within it died, other are still in the main sequence or white dwarfs. Soon we will see new stars. Yet The Final Countdown is the center and even if long after being on charts, still shining its own light. For those, born 10, 15 years after this explosion I can only tell you that it was comparable to this what happens with Michael Jackson’s hits after his death now. And even if Europe is not regarded as the largest and the brightest galaxy on the music market – The Final Countdown is shining with its own power not because of commerce but because of its own charisma.

He is the author of lyrics, music and of course – he sings The Final countdown with Europe. Which of these three contributions put by Joey Tempest to the outstanding success of The Final Countdown – are the most important? What is your opinion?

Some people regard music as most important, others cannot see a good song without its wise lyrics. Yet the charisma of the performing band or singer- especially those who also composed, wrote the text – is tremendous.

The question is which of those three aspects – music, lyrics or performance – have and which are still having -biggest impact on The Final Countdown’s recognition and its place within Europe’s songs.

As you remember this explosive ‘enterance’ after some chores of so famous “da-da-da-da” part. I have found four other ways on Twitter There is a second important moment – phamfares – and again this ‘thrilling enterence’.

Of course, lets not forget about the rest of the song – without Ian’s drums The Final Countdown would not exist at all – compare piano or any other versions available on youtube.

Happy Birthday Ian – all who visit my blog today are asked to leave their comment as a remark of birthday wishes for Ian. Thanks.

So Happy Birthday, Ian

As all fans of Europe know, two members of the band have birthday very soon… Joey Tempest on the 19th and Ian Haughland on the 13th.

It is a blog about the Final Countdown or based on anything connected with this song – so Europe appears instantly.

I will be glad to meet all the people who love The Final Countdown for many reasons, to share ideas and create something great together.

Remember that Final Countdown is not only music or lyrics but hundreds of interpretations and experiences people have while listening to this classic, every time you make ‘countdown’ or there is New Year’s Eve – this song reappears itself, without playing.