My Hero (song)
Encyclopedia
"My Hero" is the third single from the Foo Fighters
' second album The Colour and the Shape
. It was released as a single in 1998, though has been played live as early as 1995. According to Dave Grohl
, the song is dedicated to ordinary, everyday heroes, as he himself never had musical or sports heroes growing up as a child. During Foo Fighters' appearance on VH1 Storytellers in 2009, Dave Grohl
explained that the song was written while watching 1980s movies like Valley Girl
. Grohl also stated that the song was written about Pete Stahl and Chip Donaldson, without even knowing it.
The song was featured in the 1999 movie Varsity Blues
, during the climactic scene of the final football game. It was also featured in the 2001 film Not Another Teen Movie
, in a scene parodying the aforementioned Varsity Blues football game. Part of the song is also heard in the 2010 buddy-cop comedy The Other Guys
, when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson
jump to their death. The song is also featured in the Sofia Coppola's
2010 film Somewhere
.
In a post-September 11
episode of CBS
's Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (September 21, 2001), Grohl and bassist Nate Mendel
performed an acoustic rendition of the song. A full group acoustic version is available on the 2006 live album and DVD Skin and Bones
. An acoustic version was also performed live on The Howard Stern Show by Grohl. The 2006 album Sound of Superman
features an acoustic cover of "My Hero" by Paramore
.
My Hero was featured in the game Gran Turismo 2
. The song, along with the rest of the album, was released as downloadable content
for the Rock Band
series of music video games on November 13, 2008.
It is also one of 38 songs included on the benefit album, Songs for Japan
(compiled in response to the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Tōhoku
), released on March 25, 2011.
was directed by Dave Grohl. It features a man running into a burning building to rescue a woman's baby, another woman's dog, and finally a picture frame of the first woman. In a humorous reference to the protection of identity in news and documentary footage, the eyes of both the baby and dog are blocked out. The camera follows the man throughout the video, with his face never being shown. It is presented in a continuous "long take
" format, although actual transitional cuts are disguised by smoke. During shots inside the building, the band is seen performing the song, seemingly unconcerned about the chaos around them. It is the only Foo Fighters
video to feature guitarist Franz Stahl
, who replaced Pat Smear
(Stahl did not appear in the video for the next and last single from the album, 1998's "Walking After You
", as it featured only Grohl).
Dave Grohl also played a solo version of it in Radio 1's live lounge
for using their song at rallies without their permission.
Foo Fighters responded to the incident saying: "It's frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people would repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property. . . The saddest thing about this is that 'My Hero' was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song."
The McCain campaign has noted that the song was used properly under blanket licensing (which does not require the artist's permission), and all proper royalties were paid.
107.3 WAAF
14. My Hero (Worcester
Firefighters Tribute mix)
Released: 30 Oct 2000
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
' second album The Colour and the Shape
The Colour and the Shape
-Track information:DollGrohl stated that is "basically a song about being afraid to enter into something you're not prepared for."Monkey WrenchGrohl stated that it was "a song about realising that you are the source of all of the problems in a relationship and you love the other person so much, you...
. It was released as a single in 1998, though has been played live as early as 1995. According to Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
, the song is dedicated to ordinary, everyday heroes, as he himself never had musical or sports heroes growing up as a child. During Foo Fighters' appearance on VH1 Storytellers in 2009, Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
explained that the song was written while watching 1980s movies like Valley Girl
Valley Girl (film)
Valley Girl is a 1983 romantic comedy film, starring Nicolas Cage, Deborah Foreman, Elizabeth Daily, Cameron Dye, and Joyce Heiser. The film was the directorial debut of Martha Coolidge, and was the first film in which Nicolas Coppola was billed as Nicolas Cage.The American release of Valley Girl...
. Grohl also stated that the song was written about Pete Stahl and Chip Donaldson, without even knowing it.
The song was featured in the 1999 movie Varsity Blues
Varsity Blues (film)
Varsity Blues is a 1999 American drama/sport film directed by Brian Robbins that follows a small-town high school football team and their overbearing coach through a tumultuous season. The players must deal with the pressures of adolescence and their football obsessed community while having their...
, during the climactic scene of the final football game. It was also featured in the 2001 film Not Another Teen Movie
Not Another Teen Movie
Not Another Teen Movie is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Joel Gallen, released on December 14, 2001 by Columbia Pictures. It is a parody of teen movies which have accumulated in Hollywood over the last few decades...
, in a scene parodying the aforementioned Varsity Blues football game. Part of the song is also heard in the 2010 buddy-cop comedy The Other Guys
The Other Guys
The Other Guys is a 2010 American action comedy film directed and co-written by Adam McKay, starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, and featuring Dwayne Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes, Steve Coogan, and Ray Stevenson...
, when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
jump to their death. The song is also featured in the Sofia Coppola's
Sofia Coppola
Sofia Carmina Coppola is an American screenwriter, film director, actress, and producer.In 2003 she received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Lost in Translation, and became the third woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Directing...
2010 film Somewhere
Somewhere (film)
Somewhere is a 2010 American drama film that was written and directed by Sofia Coppola. The film follows Johnny Marco, a newly famous actor, as he recuperates from a minor injury at the Chateau Marmont, a well-known Hollywood retreat. Despite money, fame and professional success, Marco is trapped...
.
In a post-September 11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
episode of CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (September 21, 2001), Grohl and bassist Nate Mendel
Nate Mendel
Nathan Gregor "Nate" Mendel is an American bassist for the bands Foo Fighters, The Jealous Sound, Sunny Day Real Estate, and The Fire Theft.-Biography:...
performed an acoustic rendition of the song. A full group acoustic version is available on the 2006 live album and DVD Skin and Bones
Skin and Bones
-Live in Los Angeles :-Live in Hyde Park :Note: The whole setlist is not included on the DVD. The song "The One" is excluded, as Taylor Hawkins made a mistake on the drums...
. An acoustic version was also performed live on The Howard Stern Show by Grohl. The 2006 album Sound of Superman
Sound of Superman
Sound of Superman is a companion album to the soundtrack of the Warner Bros. film, Superman Returns. It features performances both original and cover by various up and coming artists, as well as established ones, including the final track on the album performed by Sara Routh, the sister of the...
features an acoustic cover of "My Hero" by Paramore
Paramore
Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...
.
My Hero was featured in the game Gran Turismo 2
Gran Turismo 2
is a driving simulator / racing game for the Sony PlayStation. Gran Turismo 2 was developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 1999. The games serves as a sequel to Gran Turismo...
. The song, along with the rest of the album, was released as downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
for the Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
series of music video games on November 13, 2008.
It is also one of 38 songs included on the benefit album, Songs for Japan
Songs for Japan
Songs for Japan is a charity compilation album created to benefit relief efforts for the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. A collaborative project between the music industry's "big four" record labels , the album was released through the iTunes Store on March 25, 2011 through Universal...
(compiled in response to the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Tōhoku
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
), released on March 25, 2011.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was directed by Dave Grohl. It features a man running into a burning building to rescue a woman's baby, another woman's dog, and finally a picture frame of the first woman. In a humorous reference to the protection of identity in news and documentary footage, the eyes of both the baby and dog are blocked out. The camera follows the man throughout the video, with his face never being shown. It is presented in a continuous "long take
Long take
A long take is an uninterrupted shot in a film which lasts much longer than the conventional editing pace either of the film itself or of films in general, usually lasting several minutes. It can be used for dramatic and narrative effect if done properly, and in moving shots is often accomplished...
" format, although actual transitional cuts are disguised by smoke. During shots inside the building, the band is seen performing the song, seemingly unconcerned about the chaos around them. It is the only Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
video to feature guitarist Franz Stahl
Franz Stahl
Franz Stahl was the guitarist of the Washington, DC hardcore punk band Scream. Stahl is the brother of Scream lead singer Peter Stahl. Stahl was also briefly a member of Foo Fighters from 1997 to 1999, replacing the band's original guitarist Pat Smear...
, who replaced Pat Smear
Pat Smear
Pat Smear is a rock musician who has been a guitarist in several well-known bands including The Germs and Nirvana. He is currently a guitarist for the Foo Fighters...
(Stahl did not appear in the video for the next and last single from the album, 1998's "Walking After You
Walking After You
"Walking After You" is a 1998 single from the Foo Fighters and appears on the soundtrack album to the original X Files movie.An earlier version of the song first appeared on the band's 1997 album The Colour and the Shape...
", as it featured only Grohl).
Covers
The song has been covered by:- Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.
- TheElement
- Paramore for Sound of SupermanSound of SupermanSound of Superman is a companion album to the soundtrack of the Warner Bros. film, Superman Returns. It features performances both original and cover by various up and coming artists, as well as established ones, including the final track on the album performed by Sara Routh, the sister of the...
. - Set Your GoalsSet Your Goals (band)Set Your Goals is an American Pop-Punk band from Walnut Creek, CA , formed in 2004. Their musical style typically employs a combination of pop punk and melodic hardcore...
at the Hoodwink Festival in 2009. - BelovedBeloved (band)Beloved was an American post-hardcore band from Greensboro and Winston-Salem, North Carolina.-Band history:Beloved formed in the fall of 1999. The original members all attended East Forsyth High School in Kernersville, NC from 1996-2000. They played local shows in the surrounding areas of...
on their Live at the Cat's Cradle album.
Dave Grohl also played a solo version of it in Radio 1's live lounge
Objection to use in 2008 Presidential Campaign
In 2008, the Foo Fighters criticized the campaign of Republican presidential candidate John McCainJohn McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
for using their song at rallies without their permission.
Foo Fighters responded to the incident saying: "It's frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people would repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property. . . The saddest thing about this is that 'My Hero' was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song."
The McCain campaign has noted that the song was used properly under blanket licensing (which does not require the artist's permission), and all proper royalties were paid.
UK single
- "My Hero" - 4:21
- "Baker StreetBaker Street (song)"Baker Street" is a ballad written and first recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty. Released as a single in 1978, it reached #1 in Canada, #2 in the US, #3 in the UK, #1 in Australia and #9 in the Netherlands...
" (Gerry RaffertyGerry RaffertyGerald "Gerry" Rafferty was a Scottish singer songwriter best known for his solo hits "Baker Street", "Right Down the Line", "Days Gone Down", "Night Owl", "Get It Right Next Time", and with the band Stealers Wheel, "Stuck in the Middle with You". Rafferty was born into a working-class family in...
cover) - 5:39 - "Dear Lover" - 4:34
- Enhanced section Containing:
- EverlongEverlong"Everlong" is the second single released from the Foo Fighters' second album The Colour and the Shape, released in 1997. The song was conceived when Dave Grohl returned home to Washington, DC following the initial recording sessions for the album...
[Video] - Monkey WrenchMonkey Wrench (song)"Monkey Wrench" is the first single released from the second Foo Fighters album, The Colour and the Shape. Blistering lyrics chronicled the 1997 disintegration of singer/song writer Dave Grohl's four year marriage to Jennifer Youngblood...
[Video]
- Everlong
Japan special edition maxi single
- "My Hero"
- "Requiem" (Killing JokeKilling JokeKilling Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
cover) - "Drive Me Wild" (Vanity 6Vanity 6Vanity 6 was a female vocal trio assembled by Prince in the early 1980s.They released one studio album, which blended the sounds of pop, New Wave, dance music, R&B, and funk.-Formation:...
cover) - "Down in the ParkDown in the Park"Down in the Park" is a 1979 single written and recorded by Gary Numan with his band Tubeway Army. The first cut from the album Replicas, it was not a hit when released but has long been a critical and fan favourite and for many years was described by Numan as his best composition.-Style:Like the...
" (Gary NumanGary NumanGary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
cover) - "Baker StreetBaker Street (song)"Baker Street" is a ballad written and first recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty. Released as a single in 1978, it reached #1 in Canada, #2 in the US, #3 in the UK, #1 in Australia and #9 in the Netherlands...
" (Gerry RaffertyGerry RaffertyGerald "Gerry" Rafferty was a Scottish singer songwriter best known for his solo hits "Baker Street", "Right Down the Line", "Days Gone Down", "Night Owl", "Get It Right Next Time", and with the band Stealers Wheel, "Stuck in the Middle with You". Rafferty was born into a working-class family in...
cover) - "See You" (acoustic)
- "For All the CowsFor All the Cows"For All the Cows" is the third major single released by the Foo Fighters from their self-titled debut album Foo Fighters. The band had discussed the creation of a music video for this single which would feature the band dressing up in cow costumes. No video was made, however...
" (from the special acoustic live in Japan)
Australian single
- "My Hero"
- "Dear Lover"
- "For All the Cows" (recorded @ Toshiba-EMI 3rd Studio 04/02/97)
107.3 WAAFWAAF (FM)WAAF is a Boston, Massachusetts, area commercial Album Oriented Rock/Active rock radio station that mixes music that is popular in the modern rock, heavy metal and classic rock genres....
: Survive This!
14. My Hero (WorcesterWorcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
Firefighters Tribute mix)
Released: 30 Oct 2000
Personnel
- Dave GrohlDave GrohlDavid Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Pat SmearPat SmearPat Smear is a rock musician who has been a guitarist in several well-known bands including The Germs and Nirvana. He is currently a guitarist for the Foo Fighters...
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
(not shown in the music video) - Nate MendelNate MendelNathan Gregor "Nate" Mendel is an American bassist for the bands Foo Fighters, The Jealous Sound, Sunny Day Real Estate, and The Fire Theft.-Biography:...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Franz StahlFranz StahlFranz Stahl was the guitarist of the Washington, DC hardcore punk band Scream. Stahl is the brother of Scream lead singer Peter Stahl. Stahl was also briefly a member of Foo Fighters from 1997 to 1999, replacing the band's original guitarist Pat Smear...
and Taylor HawkinsTaylor HawkinsOliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
are in the video only
Chart positions
| Chart (1998) | Position |
|---|---|
| Euro Hot 100 Singles | 53 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
21 |
| U.S. Hot Modern Rock Tracks | 6 |
| U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
8 |
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
74 |