“Heroes” (David Bowie and Brian Eno, 1977). Released in the album of the same name in 1977, “Heroes” was conceived during arguably Bowie’s most creative period as a musician, when he lived in West Berlin. “Heroes” is a love song of two individuals living in the shadow of the Berlin wall. Eno and Robert Fripp play on the track, which evokes the best of the Wall of Sound legacy. The song was highly influenced by Bowie’ interest in Krautrock groups like Kraftwerk and Neu!. “Heroes” is as much an anthem of hope and defiance as it is a love song. The quotation marks around the song’s title speak of this irony. “Heroes” is a paean to fantasy as a celebration of the possibility of the seeming impossible. The song as had immeasurable influence since its release. Is there a better line than “I wish you could swim/Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim”? We include Bowie’s live performance in Berlin in 2002.
I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing will drive them away
We can beat them just for one day
We can be heroes just for one day
And you, you can be mean
And I, I'll drink all the time
'Cause we're lovers, and that is a fact
Yes we're lovers, and that is that
Though nothing will keep us together
We could steal time just for one day
We can be heroes forever and ever
What d'you say?
I, I wish you could swim
Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim
Though nothing, nothing will keep us together
We can beat them forever and ever
Oh we can be heroes just for one day
I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing will drive them away
We can be heroes just for one day
We can be us just for one day
I, I can remember (I remember)
Standing by the wall (by the wall)
And the guns shot above our heads (over our heads)
And we kissed as though nothing could fall (nothing could fall)
And the shame was on the other side
Oh, we can beat them forever and ever
Then we could be heroes just for one day
We can be heroes
We can be heroes
We can be heroes
Just for one day
We can be heroes
We're nothing and nothing will help us
Maybe we're lying, then you better not stay
But we could be safer just for one day
Oh-oh-oh-ohh
Oh-oh-oh-ohh
Just for one day