Holding Out for a Hero

"Holding Out for a Hero" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler for the soundtrack to the 1984 film Footloose, and later included on her 1986 album Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire. It was written by Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford. Initially, the song only just reached the Top 100 in the UK Singles Chart, but made it to number 2 the following year, and re-entered the charts again at number 69 in 1991. The song reached No. 1 on the Irish Singles Chart on 28 September 1985. It reached the top 40 in the United States and Canada.

The song's instrumental break was reused from an earlier song by Jim Steinman called "Stark Raving Love", which featured on Steinman's 1981 album Bad for Good.

Background

Jim Steinman had been recruited to work on the Footloose soundtrack, for which he wrote "Holding Out for a Hero" with Dean Pitchford. Steinman suggested Tyler's name when he was approached about finding a singer to record the song. Tyler recorded the song at the Paramount Studios, and was shown the scene of the film where the song would feature.

Music video

The video was produced by Jeffrey Abelson, and directed by Doug Dowdle, with the concept by Keith Williams. It was the second music-video (following Deniece Williams' "Let's Hear It For The Boy") that successfully promoted Footloose while having no movie footage in the video.

The video starts off with Bonnie 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 dressed all in white. 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.^[1]

It was used as the opening theme for the Channel 4 American Football show in the 1980s.

Credits

Bonnie Tyler – vocal
Rory Dodd – background vocal, vocal arrangement
Holly Sherwood – background vocal
Eric Troyer – background vocal, vocal arrangement
Ellen Foley – vocal arrangement
Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
Hiram Bullock – guitar
Tom "Bones" Malone – trombone, horn arrangement
Jim Pugh – trombone
Alan Rubin – trumpet
Sterling Smith – piano, synthesizers, Linn drums, programming
Lew Soloff – trumpet
David Taylor – bass trombone
Art Wood – Simmons and Linn electronic drums
Jim Steinman – producer

Live performances

Two recorded live performances of "Holding Out for a Hero" have been released on her live albums Bonnie Tyler Live (2007) and Live in Germany 1993 (2011). Video performances have also been released on Tyler's DVDs, Bonnie on Tour (2007) and the DVD edition of Live in Germany 1993.

Other versions

Since the original release in 1984, Tyler has re-recorded the song three times. Two versions were released under Stick Music, on her album Simply Believe (2004) and EP Bonnie Tyler (2005). She recorded the song again in 2011 on an EP entitled Total Eclipse of the Heart, released by Cleopatra Records.^[2]

The song is included as a playable track on Just Dance 2015.

Cover versions

Elizabeth Daily recorded the song as the series theme song to the TV series Cover Up.
Jennifer Saunders recorded the song for the 2004 film Shrek 2. It also featured on the associated soundtrack.^[3]
Frou Frou also recorded an alternatively tuned version of the song for Shrek 2 which appears during the film credits and in the soundtrack.^[3]
Ella Mae Bowen recorded a version of the song on the 2011 remake of Footloose. It also appeared on the soundtrack.^[4]
Becca Tobin and Melissa Benoist performed the song on Glee. It features in the episode "Dynamic Duets", and was released as a single.^[5]

Soundtrack appearances

Footloose [Film] (1984)
Cover Up [TV Series] (1984)
Days of Our Lives [TV Series] (1984)
Alvin and the Chipmunks [TV Series] "Three Alarm Alvin" (28 September 1985) and "Alvin's Not So Super Hero" (21 January 1989)
Short Circuit 2 1988
Who's Harry Crumb? 1989
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman [TV Series] "Pilot" (12 September 1993)
Bandits 2001 (US #165, top soundtracks #15)
Shrek 2 2004
Cold Case [TV Series] Episode 22, Season 3 The River (7 May 2006)
Drawn Together [TV Series] "Spelling Applebees" (19 October 2006)
Nacho Libre 2006
Smallville [TV Series] Episode 8, Season 9 Idol (13 November 2009)
Saints Row: The Third (15 November 2011)
Regular Show [TV Series] "Eggscellent" (27 February 2012)
Just Dance 2015 (21 October 2014)
Scream Queens [TV Series] Episode 2, Season 2 "Warts and All" (27 September 2016)

Influence on popular culture

Around the world, Holding Out for a Hero has become considered a torch song. In the LGBT community, The Star Observer of Australia deemed the song a dearly-loved gay anthem.^[6]

Video

The Magic of David Copperfield VI Floating Over the Grand Canyon 1984, David Copperfield & Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler The Video 1986
50 Jahre Rock 2004
Discomelodies and Rhythms in Russian 2005

Track listings and formats

1984 7" single

"Holding Out for a Hero" – 4:22
"Faster Than the Speed of Night" – 4:40

1984 12" single

"Holding Out for a Hero" (Extended Remix) – 6:19
"Holding Out for a Hero" (Instrumental) – 5:15
"Faster Than the Speed of Night" – 4:40

1991 12"/CD single

"Holding Out for a Hero" – 4:41
"Faster Than the Speed of Night" – 4:40
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" – 6:49

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1984)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[7]	44
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[8]	19
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[9]	19
Germany (Official German Charts)^[10]	19
Italy (FIMI)^[11]	30
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[12]	33
South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[13]	23
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[14]	19
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)^[15]	96
US Billboard Hot 100^[16]	34

Chart (1985)	Peak position
Ireland (IRMA)^[17]	1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)^[18]	2

Chart (1991)	Peak position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)^[19]	69

Chart (2016)	Peak position
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)^[20]	52

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[21]	Silver	250,000^{^}
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^{^}shipments figures based on certification alone

Preceded by "Dancing in the Street" by David Bowie and Mick Jagger	IRMA number-one single 28 September 1985	Succeeded by "Part-Time Lover" by Stevie Wonder

References

↑ Music video in Dailymotion.com
↑ "Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
1 2 "Shrek 2 (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) by Various Artists". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
↑ "Footloose (Music from the Motion Picture) by Various Artists". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
↑ "Holding Out for a Hero (Glee Cast Version) by Glee Cast". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
↑ Bond, Nick (October 22, 2008). "Holding Out for Bonnie". The Star Observer.
↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 316. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
↑ "Austriancharts.at – Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6742." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
↑ "Hit Parade Italia". HitParadeItalia (in Italian). Retrieved 21 October 2016.
↑ "Charts.org.nz – Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero". Top 40 Singles.
↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Acts T". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero". Singles Top 100.
↑ "Archive Chart: 1984-05-05" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
↑ "Bonnie Tyler – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Bonnie Tyler.
↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Holding Out for a Hero". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
↑ "Archive Chart: 1985-09-14" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
↑ "Archive Chart: 1991-12-28" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
↑ "British single certifications – Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Holding Out for a Hero in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search

Bonnie Tyler songs

Discography

The World Starts Tonight	"Lost in France" "More Than a Lover"

Natural Force	"It's a Heartache" "Living for the City" "Heaven" "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" "Here Am I"

Diamond Cut	"Too Good to Last" "My Guns Are Loaded"

Goodbye to the Island	"I'm Just a Woman" "Sometimes When We Touch" "A Whiter Shade of Pale" "Sitting on the Edge of the Ocean" "I Believe in Your Sweet Love"

Faster Than the Speed of Night	"Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" "Faster Than the Speed of Night" "Total Eclipse of the Heart" "Straight from the Heart"

Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire	"If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)" "Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" "Band of Gold" "Lovers Again" "Holding Out for a Hero"

Hide Your Heart	"Hide Your Heart" "Don't Turn Around" "Save Up All Your Tears" "To Love Somebody" "The Best"

Bitterblue	"Against the Wind" "Bitterblue" "Where Were You"

Angel Heart	"Fools Lullaby" "I Cry Myself to Sleep at Night"

Silhouette in Red	"You Are So Beautiful"

Free Spirit	"You're the One" "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" "Bridge over Troubled Water" "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad"

All in One Voice	"Angel of the Morning" "I Put a Spell on You" "The Rose" "He's the King" "Silent Night"

Heart Strings	"Human Touch" "Everybody Hurts" "Amazed" "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" "Lean on Me" "In My Life" "Learning to Fly" "Right Here Waiting" "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" "I Can't Make You Love Me" "Need Your Love So Bad" "It's Over"

Simply Believe	"Si demain... (Turn Around)" "Si tout s'arrête (It's a Heartache) "Darlin'"

Wings	"Louise"

Rocks and Honey	"This Is Gonna Hurt" "Believe in Me" "What You Need from Me" "Love Is the Knife" "Mom"

Collaborations	"A Rockin' Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall in Love)" "Islands" "Vergiß Es (Forget It)" "Amour Éternel (Eternal Flame)"

Other songs	"Sayonara Tokyo" "Here She Comes" "The Desert Is in Your Heart" "I Don't Know How to Love Him"

Footloose

Adaptations	1984 film 1998 musical 2011 film

Soundtrack	"Footloose" "Let's Hear It for the Boy" "Almost Paradise" "Holding Out for a Hero" "Somebody's Eyes"

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