...in my head

10.22.02

What's with all of the songs about or mentioning Superman?

• Superman (It's Not Easy) -- Five For Fighting
• Superman's Song -- Crash Test Dummies
• (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman -- the Kinks
• Oh, Superman -- Laurie Anderson
• Waiting for a Superman -- Flaming Lips
• Kryptonite -- Three Doors Down
• Superman -- REM/Clique
• Superman - Bad Religion
• Superman - Bush
• Superman - Alanis Morrissette
• Rapper's Delight - Sugar Hill Gang*
• Jimmy Olsen’s Blues - Spin Doctors, Pocket Full of Kryptonite
• Ordinary Superman - Counting Crows
• Where Are You Goin'? - Dave Matthews Band

These name only a few.

Man, I didn't even know about a couple of these, and only do thanks to Superman Songs, which I found after having this epiphaneal revelation about Superman-themed ditties. I was driving to work some day last week, listening to Superman (It's Not Easy) on the radio, and without knowing the title, nor having really ever paid attention to the lyrics before, realized that it was about Superman. "Hey! He's singing about Superman! Jeez, there're a lot of songs about Superman... "

But what I want to know is, where's Batman's due?

He's got what, Prince's Batdance and Vicki Waiting, from Tim Burton's Batman, which barely counts.

And of course the movie's scored soundtrack is entirely about Batman, but it's all from one source. Batman Returns, Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, and Batman: Mask of the Phantasm all have similarly themed scores.

At least the soundtrack from Batman & Robin has a few non-scored tracks that are remotely topical: Gotham City -- R. Kelly, and Poison Ivy -- Me'Shell Ndegeocello.

Batmania: Songs Inspired By The Batman TV Series is an entire soundtrack devoted to the 60's series, but still doesn't seem to fit the parameters of the Superman songs.

The Who do have a song called Batman, that seems to consist of "Batman, batman, batman, batman... " being repeated over and over.

Other than that, there seem to be a few songs that no one has ever heard of, and the oft sung

"Jingle bells,

Batman smells,

Robin laid an egg,

The Batmobile has lost its wheels,

and the Joker got away."

Maybe all of the Superman songs are to make up for the better array of print media, television and film that reference the Caped Crusader.

Besides, I suppose it's easier to compare yourself to someone that is super-human and mostly invunerable, than to compare yourself to someone that is human, but rich, handsome, and capable of kicking your ass with better technology than you'll ever own.

Yesterday & Tomorrow .

*"He's a fairy, I do suppose,
flyin' through the air in pantyhose.
He may be very sexy or even cute,
but he looks like a sucker in a blue and red suit."
I said, "You need a man who's got finesse
And his whole name across his chest...…
He can't satisfy you with his little worm,
but I can bust you out with my super sperm!"

What's in your head?