The Final Countdown (Lied)
| "The Final Countdown" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Datei:The Final Countdown single.jpg | ||
| Single by Europe | ||
| From the album The Final Countdown | ||
| Released | February 1986 | |
| Format | CD single 7" Single 12" Single | |
| Genre | Hard Rock | |
| Length | 5:10 | |
| Label | Epic | |
| Writer | Joey Tempest | |
| Producer | Kevin Elson | |
| Video director | Nick Morris | |
| Chart positions | #8 (USA) #1 (UK) | |
"The Final Countdown" is a 1986 hit single released by the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was the first single released from the album The Final Countdown, and was number 1 in 26 countries, selling more than 8 million copies worldwide.
The song is based on an old keyboard riff that vocalist Joey Tempest composed as early as around 1981-82, and the lyrics were inspired by David Bowie's song "Space Oddity".
Credits
- Written by Joey Tempest
- Produced by Kevin Elson
- Lead and background vocals by Joey Tempest
- Guitar by John Norum
- Keyboards by Mic Michaeli
- Bass by John Levén
- Drums by Ian Haugland
Trivia
- "The Final Countdown" was played at the closing ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
- The song is featured prominently in the television show Arrested Development as the beginning to the character GOB's magic act.
- In 1999 the dance remix "The Final Countdown 2000" was released. It was produced by Brian Rawling, who previously had a hit with Cher's "Believe".
- The song is the unofficial theme song of chemical engineering students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.