Europe! The "Final Countdown!"

By the time I moved to Colorado from Texas in 1997, I still had never been to an NHL Professional Hockey game. It would be a year later when I would finally have the opportunity to go see the Colorado Avalanche play against the Detroit Red Wings.  The Avalanche had won the Stanley Cup in the ‘95-’96 season so the city was crazy for these guys. 

I remember sitting there on the 5^th row by the glass watching the team play as a hockey puck flew up and over somehow landing underneath my chair! I couldn’t believe it didn’t hit me!! That was INSANE! 

But what was more INSANE than that?

During the end of the 2^nd period, the score was tied when all of a sudden, what comes blaring through the huge speakers in the auditorium???????

None other than the incredible famous rock anthem intro to,"The Final Countdown!" Oh yeah!!

I practically jumped up 4 feet in the air pumping my fists so hard to this song I must have looked like a total freak! In fact, I did because the next day at work, I found out that a co-worker had been sitting on the upper deck behind me and happened to look down and said, “Who is that freak jumping up in the air pumping his fists in the air!!! Hey….wait…I think that’s Frank!!”

"The Final Countdown" is the most recognizable and popular song by Europe. Who I didn't realize until now were a Swedish band. It was written by their lead singer, Joey Tempest and was the first single released from their third studio album, The Final Countdown, in 1986.   

The song was based on an old keyboard riff that Tempest had written while he was in college (as early as 1981–82). The song's lyrics were inspired by David Bowie's song "Space Oddity”.

In 1985, their bassist suggested that Tempest write a song based on that riff.  So, Tempest recorded a demo version of the song and played it for the other band members. At first the members expressed mixed reactions to it. The band thought it was way too different for a rock band.

Guitarist John Norum remembers stating: "When I first heard the synth intro to 'The Final Countdown', my reaction was: 'No, this is nuts. We just can't use this.” Later he recalls, "Thank Goodness they didn't listen to me!!”  

Originally the band had never planned to release the song as a single. "The Final Countdown" was written and intended only to be a crowd pleasing opening song for their fans in concerts, and they never thought it would be a hit. But when their record company Epic Records suggested that it should be the first single, the band decided to release it.

After all these years, it’s still such an amazing song and gets me going everytime!!

I guess it did exactly what the band intended it to do. To communicate with the audience wherever it’s played!