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Jack White is dead – and with him, German music has lost one of its most successful producers. To mark the occasion, we take a look at ten of his greatest productions – from David Hasselhoff to Tony Marshall, from the 70s football anthem to international disco icon Laura Branigan.
1. David Hasselhoff – “Looking for Freedom” (1989)
The fact that David Hasselhoff celebrated huge success in German-speaking countries not only as a “Knight Rider” but also as a singer was largely thanks to Jack White. The producer helped him achieve several hits at the end of the eighties – most notably “Looking for Freedom”. The song originally dates back to 1978, written by Gary Cowtan and Jack White and first released by singer Marc Seaberg. Eleven years later, White and Hasselhoff re-recorded the song and made it the anthem of the turning point – number one in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. For many people, to this day inextricably linked to the fall of the Berlin Wall, “Looking for Freedom” is White’s greatest international success.
2. Tony Marshall – “Fair Maid” (1971)
18 years before “Looking for Freedom,” Jack White celebrated his first major success as a composer – with the Tony Marshall classic “Beautiful Maid.” With this song, White finally established himself as a producer and one of the country’s most important hit makers. Tony Marshall, in turn, became a superstar with the piece, which remained an integral part of his setlists until his death in 2024.
3. Jürgen Marcus – “A new love is like a new life” (1972)
A year after “Beautiful Maid”, Jack White scored another big hit – “A new love is like a new life”. An almost archetypal 70s hit that White Jürgen Marcus wrote and produced. The song, which is about departure, heartbreak and the eternal hope for new beginnings in a kitschy, euphoric way, became a mega hit and sold millions of copies.
4. German national football team – “Football is our life” (1974)
In 1974, the German national team played at the home World Cup – and none other than Jack White wrote the right song for them. “Football is our life” was published shortly before the tournament that actually crowned Germany with the world championship title. The song became the soundtrack to a summer fairy tale long before 2006 – and went down in history as perhaps the most charming football hit of all time.
5. Roberto Blanco – “Today like this, tomorrow like this” (1970)
With “Today like this, tomorrow like this” Jack White worked with Roberto Blanco for the first time. White wrote and produced the track, which was released by Ariola in 1970 and placed in the German charts.
7. Laura Branigan – “Gloria” (1982)
Laura Branigan achieved her international breakthrough with “Gloria” – and Jack White had a hand in it as a producer on the European side. The song, originally an Italo hit by Umberto Tozzi, became a global disco anthem of the early ’80s thanks to Branigan’s power vocals and White’s studio craftsmanship.
8. Laura Branigan – “Self Control” (1984)
Two years later, Branigan followed up with “Self Control” – again with Jack White in an expanded production environment and the typical, crystal-clear 80s sound that he coined. The song defined the era between Italo disco and US pop and became a classic worldwide.
9. David Hasselhoff – “Crazy for You” (1990)
The Hoff again: “Crazy for You” also became a hit for Hasselhoff and Jack White. After the success of “Looking for Freedom,” the two continued their collaboration and once again delivered a typical White hit with a swaying chorus. The song made it into the top ten in Germany and consolidated Hasselhoff’s image as a singing pop icon of the turnaround years.
10. Audrey Landers – “Manuel Goodbye” (1983)
Finally, another transatlantic classic: “Manuel Goodbye” was the result of the collaboration between Jack White and US actress Audrey Landers – known from “Dallas”. White gave it the perfect Euro-hit sound between longing, synthesizer and soft drama. Not a huge hit, but a prime example of how White turned TV stars into credible pop figures.