Holding Out for a Hero explained

Cover:Bonnie Tyler Holding a Hero.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Bonnie Tyler
Album:Footloose Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire
B-Side:Faster Than the Speed of Night
Released:
  • January 1984 (US)
  • April 1984 (UK)[1]
Recorded:September to December 1983
Length:
  • 6:21 (extended version)
  • 5:50 (album version)
  • 4:22 (single edit)
Label:
Composer:Jim Steinman
Lyricist:Dean Pitchford
Producer:Jim Steinman
Prev Title:A Rockin' Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall in Love)
Prev Year:1984
Next Title:Here She Comes
Next Year:1984

"Holding Out for a Hero" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler for the soundtrack to the 1984 film Footloose. It later featured on her sixth studio album, Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire (1986). The track was produced by Jim Steinman, who co-wrote the song with Dean Pitchford and was a top 40 hit in several European countries, as well as Canada and the United States. Its 1985 re-release in the United Kingdom reached number two (remaining there for three weeks) and topped the singles chart in Ireland.

Background

Paramount Pictures asked Tyler to record a song for the soundtrack to the 1984 film Footloose. She agreed on the condition that Jim Steinman, who was her producer at the time through CBS/Columbia, could work with her on the project. Steinman wrote the song with Dean Pitchford, who co-wrote every song on the soundtrack album. Tyler was invited to the Paramount film studios in Los Angeles to watch the film rushes to see how "Holding Out for a Hero" would fit into the plot.[2]

"Holding Out for a Hero" shares numerous musical elements with "Stark Raving Love", a track from Steinman's solo album Bad for Good (1981), including the piano riff and vocal harmonies.[3]

Critical reception

In a retrospective review, The A.V. Clubs William Hughes stated that the song "displays some of the worst of its decade's (and composer's) typical excesses: The lyrics are laughable, and the heavy-handed synths and piano riffs come dangerously close to cheese", but adds, "The sum of those parts transcends their limitations, hooking directly into pure emotional need like only the greatest of torch songs can."[4]

Writing in Metal Hammer, Paul Stenning described the song as "the ultimate pop anthem", stating "Only Jim Steinman can get away with such bombastic overtones, in this case the perfect coupling with Tyler's inimitable voice."

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Holding Out for a Hero" was produced by Jeffrey Abelson for Parallax Productions, directed by Doug Dowdle, with the concept by Keith Williams. It was filmed at the Grand Canyon, Arizona, and at Veluzat Ranch, California.[5] It was the second video released to promote Footloose while featuring no movie footage in the video.

The video sees Tyler escaping from a burning house; the video is set primarily in the vicinity of the burning house and on the edge of the Grand Canyon – interspersed with shots of angelic background singers in white dresses. Evil cowboys dressed in black, carrying neon whips appear before Tyler, threatening her; a cowboy hero dressed in white, brandishing a revolver, appears on horseback and the evil cowboys flee on horseback, with the hero in pursuit. As the song fades out, the hero cowboy appears in front of Tyler.

Tyler was later featured in a parody of the video by David Copperfield.

Live performances

Two recorded performances of "Holding Out for a Hero" have been released on Tyler's concert DVDs Bonnie on Tour (2006) and Live in Germany 1993 (2011), and their respective CD editions.

Re-recordings and media usage

"Holding Out for a Hero" has featured in numerous commercials, film and television soundtracks, and the song has been covered by various artists. In 1984, E. G. Daily's version was used as the theme for the television series Cover Up.[6] The song was also used in the 1988 film Short Circuit 2.[7] [8] In 2004, Jennifer Saunders recorded a version of the song for Shrek 2. Frou Frou also recorded a version for the credits sequence.[9] Saunders' version would later be used in the opening ceremony for the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics. Ella Mae Bowen recorded a cover of the song for the 2011 Footloose remake.[10]

In 2021, the song was noted for its appearances in a trailer for , another trailer for the Guardians of the Galaxy video game, and in the second episode of the Disney+ series Loki, all of which premiered in the same week.[11] This led to a significant increase in downloads and streams, and a placement atop Billboard’s Top TV Songs chart.[12] In February 2022, the song again received media coverage for its use in the seventh episode of the American teen drama series Euphoria.[13]

In 2001, Tandi Iman Dupree and Dee St. James performed a dance routine to "Holding Out for a Hero" at the Miss Gay Black America pageant. Footage of the event went viral after it was uploaded to YouTube in 2009.[14]

Tyler has released re-recordings of the song in 2004 and 2011. In 2013, she recorded a parody of the song for use in a Children in Need fundraising campaign.[15]

Track listings and formats

  1. "Holding Out for a Hero" – 4:22
  2. "Faster Than the Speed of Night" – 4:40
  1. "Holding Out for a Hero" (Extended Remix) – 6:19
  2. "Holding Out for a Hero" (Instrumental) – 5:15
  3. "Faster Than the Speed of Night" – 4:40
  1. "Holding Out for a Hero" – 4:41
  2. "Faster Than the Speed of Night" – 4:40
  3. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" – 6:49

Credits and personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1984)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[16] 44
Canada (Billboard)[17] 17
Europarade Top 40 (Music Week)[18] 12
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[19] 8
Japan (Oricon Singles Chart)[20] 38
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[21] 23
US Cash Box Top 100[22] 35

Monthly charts

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bonnie Tyler - Holding Out for a Hero . 2023-05-03 . DutchCharts.nl . 2023-04-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230422233613/https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Bonnie+Tyler&titel=Holding+Out+For+A+Hero&cat=s . live .
  2. Tyler . Bonnie . Bonnie Tyler . June 1986 . Bonnie's Secret Dreams . Tracks . . Freetracks Publications Ltd . 5 . 3–6.
  3. Web site: Everley . Dave . 21 April 2021 . The mad genius of Jim Steinman in seven glorious songs . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210421104823/https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-mad-genius-of-jim-steinman-in-seven-glorious-songs . 21 April 2021 . 28 February 2022 . Classic Rock.
  4. Web site: Hughes . William . 21 July 2015 . Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out For A Hero" forces its way to greatness . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191103083416/https://music.avclub.com/bonnie-tyler-s-holding-out-for-a-hero-forces-its-way-1798282105 . 3 November 2019 . 22 May 2020 . The A.V. Club.
  5. Zuckerman . Faye . 21 April 1984 . Australian Firm Looks to Music . . New York City, USA . Lynne Segall.
  6. Cutchin. Rusty. Company News. Cash Box. 22 December 1984. 11. 28 February 2022. live.
  7. Short Circuit 2 (1988) - Soundtracks - IMDb . en-US . 2024-08-04 . www.imdb.com.
  8. Short Circuit 2 - Holding Out For A Hero . 2022-09-27 . Matthew Ryan . 2024-08-04 . YouTube.
  9. Web site: Brodsky. Rachel. 19 May 2021. How Shrek Blew My Band Up. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210526071348/https://www.vulture.com/article/frou-frou-guy-sigsworth-shrek-interview-holding-out-for-a-hero.html. 26 May 2021. 28 June 2021. Vulture.
  10. Web site: O'Connell. Sean. 10 August 2011. Footloose Soundtrack Mixes New Material With Songs From Original Film. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190901000000/https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Footloose-Soundtrack-Mixes-Material-With-Songs-From-Original-Film-26156.html. 1 September 2019. 28 June 2021. CinemaBlend.com.
  11. Web site: Ridgeley. Charlie. 16 June 2021. "Holding Out for a Hero" Trends After Being Used in Loki, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Masters of the Universe. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210617072423/https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/holding-out-for-a-hero-loki-trending-twitter. 17 June 2021. 28 June 2021. ComicBook.com.
  12. Rutherford. Kevin. 23 July 2021. 'Loki' Makes a Splash on Top TV Songs Chart. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210723191734/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9605646/loki-holding-out-for-a-hero-rules-top-tv-songs-chart. 23 July 2021. 28 June 2021. Billboard.
  13. Web site: Zorrilla. Mónica Marie. 'Euphoria' Stars Maude Apatow and Austin Abrams Explain That Epic Dance Number. Variety. 20 February 2022. 28 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220221030126/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/euphoria-maude-apatow-austin-abrams-holding-out-for-a-hero-bonnie-tyler-1235186229/. 21 February 2022. live.
  14. Web site: 2021-01-16. The Story of the Legendary Drag Queen Tandi Iman Dupree and Her Epic "Holding Out for a Hero" Performance. 19 January 2021. IN Magazine. en-CA.
  15. Web site: Owen. Cathy. 15 October 2013. Bonnie Tyler revisits a classic for Children in Need. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20131015124002/https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/music/bonnie-tyler-revists-holding-out-6188028. 15 October 2013. 28 June 2021. Wales Online.
  16. Book: Kent, David . Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . Australian Chart Book . 1993 . 0-646-11917-6 . illustrated . St Ives, N.S.W. . 316 . David Kent (historian).
  17. 26 May 1984 . Hits of the World . . New York City, USA . Lynne Segall . 54.
  18. 5 October 1985 . Europarade – 5 October 1985 . . 32 . 15 June 2021 . WorldRadioHistory.com . 16 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210616043344/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1985/Music-Week-1985-10-05.pdf . live .
  19. Book: Pennanen, Timo . Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 . Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava . 2021 . Helsinki . 267 . fi . Bonnie Tyler . 11 July 2022 . 25 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230425130105/https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=267 . live .
  20. Web site: Bonnie Tyler's Top 1 Selling Singles . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221225022925/https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/155184/rank/single/ . 25 December 2022 . 24 December 2022 . Oricon News.
  21. Web site: South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Acts T . 21 October 2016 . The South African Rock Encyclopedia . 19 October 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131019023939/http://rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(T).html . live .
  22. Cash Box Top 100 – Week ending April 21, 1984 . dead . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210909023454/https://www.cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19840421.html . 9 September 2021.
  23. Web site: Music & Media Singles Hot 100. July 12, 2019.
  24. 18 January 1986. Top 100 Singles: January 5–December 28, 1985. 19 July 2022. Music Week. 10. WorldRadioHistory.com. June 12, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220612233934/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1986/Music-Week-1986-01-18.pdf. live.
  25. Loki Makes a Splash on Top TV Songs Chart . . November 25, 2021 . February 23, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223163436/https://www.billboard.com/pro/loki-holding-out-for-a-hero-rules-top-tv-songs-chart/ . live .

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