""Heroes""
Single by David Bowie
from the album "Heroes"
Released	September 1977
Format	7" single
Recorded	Hansa By The Wall Studio, Berlin May 1977
Genre	Rock
Length	3:32
Label	RCA PB 1121
Producer(s)	David Bowie and Tony Visconti
Chart positions
#24 (UK)
David Bowie singles chronology
"Be My Wife" (1977)	""Heroes"" (1977)	"Beauty and the Beast" (1978)

”Heroes” is a song written by David Bowie together with Brian Eno in 1977. It was recorded that year in Berlin, produced by Bowie and Tony Visconti, and released both as a single and as the title track of the album "Heroes". Though not a huge hit at the time, the song has gone on to become one of Bowie’s signature tunes and is well-known today for its appearance in numerous advertisements. Image File history File linksMetadata Bowie_HeroesSingle. ... In music, a single is a short (usually ten minutes or less*) record, usually featuring one or two tracks as A-side, often accompanied by several B-sides, usually remixes or other songs. ... David Bowie (born David Robert Jones on January 8, 1947) is a British rock singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger, mixer, and actor. ... Heroes (the quote marks are part of the title) is an album by David Bowie, released in 1977. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... In music, a single is a short (usually ten minutes or less*) record, usually featuring one or two tracks as A-side, often accompanied by several B-sides, usually remixes or other songs. ... Hansa Records (Hansa or Hansa-Musik-Produktion) was a record label founded in the 1960s based in Berlin, Germany. ... Berlin is the capital city and a single state of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... Rock is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars, and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles, however saxophones have been omitted from newer subgenres of rock music since the 90s. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For other uses, see RCA (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the performers, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... David Bowie (born David Robert Jones on January 8, 1947) is a British rock singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger, mixer, and actor. ... Tony Visconti in the 1970s Tony Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is a record producer, and often an instrumentalist or singer, who has had a long and illustrious career working with some of the best known popular music artists from the late 1960s onwards, notably T. Rex, David Bowie... Top 40 is a radio format based on frequent repetition of songs from a constantly-updated list of the forty best-selling singles. ... David Bowie (born David Robert Jones on January 8, 1947) is a British rock singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger, mixer, and actor. ... Be My Wife was a single by David Bowie. ... ”Beauty and the Beast” was a single by David Bowie. ... David Bowie (born David Robert Jones on January 8, 1947) is a British rock singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger, mixer, and actor. ... Brian Eno in 1977 Brian Peter George St. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Berlin is the capital city and a single state of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... Tony Visconti in the 1970s Tony Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is a record producer, and often an instrumentalist or singer, who has had a long and illustrious career working with some of the best known popular music artists from the late 1960s onwards, notably T. Rex, David Bowie... Heroes (the quote marks are part of the title) is an album by David Bowie, released in 1977. ...

The title of the song is a reference to the 1975 track "Hero" by the band Neu!, whom Bowie and Eno admired. The quote marks in the title, a deliberate affectation, impart an ironic quality on the otherwise highly romantic, even triumphant, words and music. A product of Bowie's fertile 'Berlin' period, life in the city was crystallized into the simple tale of two lovers who come together in the shadow of the 'Wall of Shame' (though here "the shame was on the other side"). Producer Tony Visconti took credit for inspiring the image of the lovers kissing "by the wall", when he and backing vocalist Antonia Maass did just that in front of Bowie as he looked out of the Hansa Studio window ^[1]. 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... Neu! (the German word for new, pronounced nɔɪ) were a German band, probably the archetypal example of what the UK music press at the time dubbed Krautrock. ... The so-called Berlin Trilogy is a series of David Bowie albums recorded in collaboration with Brian Eno. ... In the last phase of the wall´s development, the death strip between fence and concrete wall gave guards a clear shot at hundreds of would-be escapees from the East. ... Tony Visconti in the 1970s Tony Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is a record producer, and often an instrumentalist or singer, who has had a long and illustrious career working with some of the best known popular music artists from the late 1960s onwards, notably T. Rex, David Bowie... Hansa Records (Hansa or Hansa-Musik-Produktion) was a record label founded in the 1960s based in Berlin, Germany. ...

The music, co-written by Bowie and Eno, has - appropriately given its setting - been likened to a Wall of Sound production, an undulating juggernaut of guitars, percussion and synthesizers. The basic backing track on the recording consists of a conventional arrangement of piano, bass guitar, rhythm guitar and drums. However the remaining instrumental additions are highly distinctive. These largely consist of synthesizer parts by Eno using an EMS VCS3 to produce detuned low-frequency drones, with the beat-frequencies from the three oscillators producing a juddering effect. In addition, King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp generated an unusual sustained sound by allowing his guitar to feed back, and standing at different positions in the room to alter the pitch of the feedback. Tony Visconti rigged up a system of three microphones to capture the epic vocal, with one microphone 9 inches from Bowie, one 20 feet away and one 50 feet away. Only the first was opened for the quieter opening vocals, with the first and second opening on the louder passages, and all three on the loudest parts, creating progressively more reverb and ambience on the louder parts. Brian Eno in 1977 Brian Peter George St. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Phil Spector. ... A grand piano A piano is a musical instrument which is classified as a keyboard, percussion or string instrument, depending on the system of classification used. ... Martin EB18 Bass Guitar in flight case The electric bass guitar (also called an electric bass, or simply a bass) an electrically-amplified string instrument similar in appearance to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer-scale neck and four strings tuned an octave lower in pitch... The acoustic archtop guitar, used in Jazz music, features steel strings. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... EMS may stand for: // Organizations Eastern Mountain Sports, an outdoor retailer Edinburgh Mathematical Society Electronic Music Studios (London) Ltd, manufacturers of synthesisers European Monetary System, 1979 European Mathematical Society Science and Engineering Physics and Chemistry Electromagnetic spectrum Ethyl methanesulfonate (or methanesulfonic acid ethyl ester), a mutagen Computer and Engineering Electronics... The VCS 3 (from Voltage Control for Studio with 3 components) is an oscillation effects musical analog synthesiser, initially made in 1969 by EMS. The VCS 3 was smaller and less cumbersome than the Moog Taurus and similar early synthesizers. ... The famous cover of King Crimsons debut album In the Court of the Crimson King (1969), painted by Barry Godber. ... Robert Fripp in performance. ...

"Heroes" was released in a variety of languages and lengths (see Other releases below). In contrast to the bewildering audio situation, the video clip (directed by Nick Ferguson) was a stark and simple affair, the singer captured performing the song in what appeared to be a single take with multiple cameras, swaying in front of a spotlight that created a monotone and near-silhouette effect. Despite a large promotional push, including Bowie’s first Top of the Pops appearance since 1972, "Heroes" only reached #24 in the UK charts, and failed to make the US Billboard Top 100. Nick Ferguson, born 27 November 1974 in Miami Florida, is an American football player who currently plays for the Denver Broncos. ... Top of the Pops is a long-running British music chart television programme shown each week on BBC Two and now licensed for local versions around the world. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the main U.S. singles popularity chart used by Billboard magazine. ...

In February 1999, Q Magazine listed "Heroes" as one of the 100 greatest singles of all time as voted by the readers. To the consternation of many fans, the song has also become a mainstay of advertising in recent years, gracing efforts by Microsoft, Kodak, CGU Insurance and various sporting promoters throughout the world. It was used as the intro to the Sony Playstation game NHL in 1998. 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Q is a music and entertainment magazinepublished monthly in the United Kingdom. ... Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT, SEHK: 4338) is an international computer technology corporation has global annual sales of over 41. ... Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK) is a large multinational public company producing photographic equipment. ... The original PlayStation was produced in a light grey colour; the more recent PSOne redesign sports a smaller more rounded case. ... NHL can also be an abbreviation for National Historic Landmark or Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ...

In 2004, Rolling Stone rated "Heroes" #46 in its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Rolling Stone logo, designed by Rick Griffin. ... The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone magazine published in November 2004. ...

Track listing

1. "Heroes" (Bowie, Eno) – 3:32
2. "V-2 Schneider" (Bowie) – 3:10

V-2 Schneider is an instrumental piece written by David Bowie in 1977 for the album Heroes. Live versions A live version recorded at Paradiso, Amsterdam in June 1997 was released as the B-side of the single Pallas Athena in August 1997. ...

Production credits

• Producers:
  • Tony Visconti
  • David Bowie

• Musicians:
  • David Bowie: Vocals, Guitar, Saxophone, Keyboards
  • Robert Fripp: Lead Guitar
  • Carlos Alomar: Rhythm Guitar
  • George Murray: Bass
  • Dennis Davis: Drums
  • Brian Eno: Synthesizer

In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the performers, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Tony Visconti in the 1970s Tony Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is a record producer, and often an instrumentalist or singer, who has had a long and illustrious career working with some of the best known popular music artists from the late 1960s onwards, notably T. Rex, David Bowie... David Bowie (born David Robert Jones on January 8, 1947) is a British rock singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger, mixer, and actor. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... LeAnn Rimes singing in concert A singer is a type of musician who uses his or her voice to produce music. ... The acoustic archtop guitar, used in Jazz music, features steel strings. ... Saxophones of different sizes play in different registers. ... Piano, a well-known instance of keyboard instruments A keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a musical keyboard. ... Robert Fripp in performance. ... The acoustic archtop guitar, used in Jazz music, features steel strings. ... Carlos Alomar is a guitarist who has played with David Bowie more than anyone else including the Serious Moonlight album and tour which featured Stevie Ray Vaughan as special guest for his Dallas, Texas show. ... The acoustic archtop guitar, used in Jazz music, features steel strings. ... George Murray is a studio bass guitarist who worked closely with David Bowie as a part of his regular ensemble, on a number of Bowies albums released in the 1970s. ... Martin EB18 Bass Guitar in flight case The electric bass guitar (also called an electric bass, or simply a bass) an electrically-amplified string instrument similar in appearance to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer-scale neck and four strings tuned an octave lower in pitch... Dennis Davis is a studio musician who worked closely with David Bowie as a part of his regular ensemble, on a number of Bowies albums released in the 70s. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... Brian Eno in 1977 Brian Peter George St. ... A synthesizer (spelling var. ...

Live versions

• A live version recorded on the Heroes tour at the Philadelphia Spectrum, April 28-29, 1978, was released on the live album Stage.
• It was performed to great acclaim at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992 by the remaining members of Queen, Mick Ronson, and Bowie on vocals.
• An acoustic version of the song was played at The Bridge Benefit Concert in 1996, and later released on The Bridge Benefit Concert album.

1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... Stage is an underrated live album released in 1978 which opens with five consecutive songs from Ziggy Stardust, but most notably features material from Low and Heroes, Bowies most recent studio albums at the time. ... An open air concert on Easter Monday, April 20th 1992 at Londons Wembley Stadium, televised live to over one billion people. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Queen is a British rock band. ... Mick Ronson (May 26, 1946 – April 29, 1993), who was born Michael Ronson in Hull, Yorkshire, was a guitarist, arranger and producer. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

Other releases

The Australian cover for "Heroes"/"Héros"/"Helden"

• The edited 7-inch single, running at 3:32 mins and backed with "V-2 Schneider", was released separately in English, French ("Héros") and German ("Helden"). All three of these cuts plus "V-2 Schneider" were released together as an Australian 4-track 7-inch.
• The complete English version as it appeared on the album was released as a Spanish 12-inch single.
• A version featuring the German single edit spliced into the second half of the full-length English track ("Heroes/Helden") appeared on the German pressing of the LP and is also available on Bowie’s soundtrack to the film Christiane F. and on the Rare album.
• It appeared on the following compilations:
  • Chameleon (Australia & New Zealand 1979)
  • Best of Bowie (1980)
  • Fame and Fashion (1984)
  • ChangesBowie (1990)
  • Bowie: The Singles 1969-1993 (1993)
  • The Singles Collection (1993)
  • The Best of 1974/1979 (1998)
• It was released as a picture disc in the RCA Life Time picture disc set.

Image File history File links Cover_au-small. ... Image File history File links Cover_au-small. ... The 12-inch [30 cm] single gramophone record gained popularity with the advent of disco music in the 1970s. ... Christiane F. (full name Christiane Vera Felscherinow), was born in West Berlin on May 20, 1962. ... Rare (often known as Bowie Rare) was a compilation album released by RCA to cash in on Bowie for the 1982 Christmas market. ... For other uses, see RCA (disambiguation). ...

Cover versions

• Big Ben Tribe - Single (1984)
• Big Drag - Only Bowie (1995)
• Blondie - Recorded live (1980); appeared on collection Blonde and Beyond (1993) and on single release; also featured on the album David Bowie Songbook (1997)
• The Cain Principle - Scanning Volume II (various artists)
• Celtic Frost - Vanity/Nemesis (1990)
• Billy Corgan - Live recording from Dennis Rodman's 36th birthday party in Chicago
• The County Lines
• Enola Gay - Ashes to Ashes: A Tribute to David Bowie (1998)
• Falco - Einzelhaft (1982); his song "Helden von heute" is a transparent German-language rewrite of Bowie's earlier song
• Fricción - Para Terminar
• Phillip Glass based the first movement of his 1997 "Heroes" Symphony on the song; later that year, Aphex Twin mixed this with Bowie’s vocal over Glass’ interpretation, releasing the result on a bonus CD with the Japanese release of the Glass album
• Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie - Single
• Grant Lee Buffalo - Live recording: Jubilee Tour
• Sylvia Hendrickx - Single
• The Heroes - Single (1998)
• Iva Davies & Icehouse - The Berlin Tapes (1995)
• Indochine - Live recording (1996)
• Johnette - Live recordings (1997)
• John & Max & Rock & Roll - Outtake from Loving the Alien: Athens Georgia Salutes David Bowie
• King Crimson -Played live on 2000 tour. Appears on live Heavy Construction
• Love Like Blood
• The Magnetic Fields - Crash Course for the Ravers - A Tribute to the Songs of David Bowie (1996)
• Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps - 2000 repetoire
• Nico - Drama of Exile (1983); this version was also released as a single
• Oasis - B-side of the CD-single "D'you Know What I Mean?" (1997)
• Paralysis Permente
• Pink Lincolns - My So-Called Punk Rock Life (various artists)
• Billy Preston - Single (1991)
• P.J. Proby - The Savoy Sessions (1993)
• Quintorigo - Rospo
• The Rockridge Synthesiser Orchestra - Plays David Bowie Classic Trax
• Seam - "The Prizefighters", 7" single
• Strange Boutique - Single (1992)
• The Smashing Pumpkins
• The Tea Party - Live recording
• Thunderpuss 2000 - "Heroes" - The dance mixes
• The Wallflowers - Godzilla soundtrack (1998); this version was also released as a single
• Mike Williamson - From the Australian TV Special "Best of The Mike Walsh Show", 9 Network Australia (1998)
• Wreckage - Goth Oddity - A Tribute to David Bowie

Blondie are an American rock band that first gained fame in the 1970s and early 1980s. ... Celtic Frost is a Swiss avantgarde metal band. ... Billy Corgan William Patrick Billy Corgan, Jr. ... Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961 in Trenton, New Jersey) is a former professional basketball best known for his defensive and rebounding ability, leading the NBA in rebounds per game for seven consecutive years and earning NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven times. ... Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ... Falco (Johann Hölzel), Austrian pop-star whose albums became #1 multiple times on the charts in both Europe and North America during the 1980s Falco (February 19, 1957 – February 6, 1998) was the stage name of the classical music prodigy turned Austrian rock star, Johann (Hans) Hölzel. ... Einzelhaft (1982) is the first album by Falco. ... Philip Glass looks upon sheet music in a portrait taken by Annie Leibovitz. ... This album, written by Philip Glass, is based on a David Bowie -album called Heroes. It is Philip Glass fourth symphony (1996). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Goodbye Mr. ... Grant Lee Buffalo was a Los Angeles-based rock band, consisting of Grant-Lee Phillips (vocals and guitar), Paul Kimble (bass) and Joey Peters (drums). ... Icehouse is an Australian rock & roll band. ... Indochine is a French rock band, formed in 1981. ... The famous cover of King Crimsons debut album In the Court of the Crimson King (1969), painted by Barry Godber. ... The Magnetic Fields. ... The Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps are a Division I drum and bugle corps based in Sacramento, California and founded in 1963, and are a member corps of Drum Corps International. ... For the sequel to Ico see Shadow of the Colossus Nico Christa Päffgen (October 16, 1938 – July 18, 1988) was a singer-songwriter, fashion model, actress and Warhol superstar, best known by her pseudonym Nico. ... Oasis are a rock band originally formed in Manchester, England. ... The Pink Lincolns are a punk rock band formed in Tampa, Florida during the mid-eighties. ... // Biography Soul musician Billy Preston was born on September 9, 1946 in Houston, Texas and raised mostly in Los Angeles, California. ... P.J. Proby, born James Marcus Smith (November 6, 1938), is a singer, songwriter, and actor noted for his theatrical portrayals of Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison and interpretations of modern standards in the vein of Tom Jones. ... From Washington D.C., Strange Boutique rose out of the ashes of the Washington harDCore and transformed the Dark/Alternative music scene. ... The Smashing Pumpkins are a popular and acclaimed American alternative rock band which formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. ... The Tea Party was a Canadian rock band with blues, progressive rock and Middle Eastern influences. ... Thunderpuss is the (mainly dance) remix/production team of music producers Barry Harris and Chris Cox. ... The Wallflowers are a rock band from Los Angeles, California, best known for the fact that lead singer, Jakob Dylan, is the son of legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. ... Godzilla (1998) is a science fiction film directed by Roland Emmerich and starred actor Matthew Broderick. ... Mike Williamson (born November 8, 1983) is an English professional footballer currently playing for Wycombe Wanderers in Football League Two. ...

Notes

1. ↑  David Buckley (1999). Strange Fascination - David Bowie: The Definitive Story: pp.323-324

References

• Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray (1981). Bowie: An Illustrated Record.
• Nicholas Pegg (2000). The Complete David Bowie. ISBN 1-903111-14-15
• http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Oct04/articles/classictracks.htm