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Holding Out for a Hero

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For the British television programme, see Holding out for a Hero (game show).
"Holding Out for a Hero"
Song

"Holding Out for a Hero" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler for the soundtrack to the 1984 film Footloose, and later appeared on her album Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire (1986). 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.

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

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

At the beginning of the music video, Bonnie Tyler escapes 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 pistol, 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 Bonnie Tyler.[1]

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

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

Soundtrack appearances

Video

Track listings and formats

1984 7" single
  1. "Holding Out for a Hero" – 4:22
  2. "Faster Than the Speed of Night" – 4:40
1984 12" single
  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
1991 12"/CD single
  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

Charts and certifications

Preceded by IRMA number-one single
28 September 1985 		Succeeded by

References

  1. ^ Music video in Dailymotion.com
  2. ^ "Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Shrek 2 (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) by Various Artists". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Footloose (Music from the Motion Picture) by Various Artists". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Holding Out for a Hero (Glee Cast Version) by Glee Cast". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  6. ^ "Van Canto: 'Dawn Of The Brave' Album Preview". Blabbermouth.net. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  7. ^ "Bonnie Tyler Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. ^ "Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  9. ^ "Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  10. ^ "Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero". Top 40 Singles.
  11. ^ "Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero". Top Digital Download.
  12. ^ "Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero". Singles Top 100.
  13. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Cite error: The named reference "sc_UK_Bonnie Tyler" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  14. ^ "British single certifications – Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Holding Out for a Hero in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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