"Holding Out for a Hero" is a song by Bonnie Tyler that was originally released in 1984 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Footloose. It later appeared on Tyler's Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire album. Written by Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford, it hit #2 on the UK charts in 1985 (#69 in 1991) and #34 on the US charts on initial release.

Cover versions

It has been covered by a number of artists, including

• Joss Stone as the b-side to "You Had Me"
• Emery for the 2005 compilation Punk Goes 80's
• Laura Branigan
• Graveworm
• Frou Frou and Jennifer Saunders on the Shrek 2 soundtrack
• indie artist Doveman, available for free download on his official website
• Serbian punk rock band Six Pack recorded a version on their 2008 cover album Discover.
• Nakazawa Yuko, in Japanese.

Appearances in other media

• The song was the theme to the CBS show Cover Up (though this version was sung by EG Daily).
• It was also featured on the pilot episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in the famous "costume making montage" scene.
• The song has continued to appear in films such as Short Circuit 2, Who's Harry Crumb?, Bandits (along with Total Eclipse of the Heart), and Shrek 2, where it was performed separately by both Frou Frou and Jennifer Saunders.
• It was used in the background of a famous scene in the 1984 episode of the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, where anti-hero Bo Brady races to stop the love of his life, Hope Williams, from marrying the despicable Larry Welch.
• It was included in a Season 3 episode of animated Comedy Central program Drawn Together, Spelling Applebee's.
• Professional Wrestler Chris Hero has also been know to use this song as his theme music in promotions around the world.

Charts

• Ireland #1
• UK #2
• US #34
• Germany #11
• Austria #19
• Canada #12
• Australia
• Japan #38

(Sales 86,760)

• South Africa
• UK(re-issue 91) #69
• Spain #6
• Italy #30
• Sweden #19

Soundtrack appearances

• Footloose 1984 (US #1)
• Short Circuit 2 1988
• Who's Harry Crumb? 1989
• Bandits 2001 (US #165, top soundtracks #15)
• Shrek 2 2004
• Nacho Libre 2006

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

References