Holding Out for a Hero

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"Holding Out for a Hero" is a song by Bonnie Tyler that was originally released in 1984. Written by Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford, it hit #2 on the UK charts in 1985 (and #69 in 1991) and #34 on the US charts on initial release.

The song originally appeared on the soundtrack to the film Footloose and was the theme to the CBS show Cover Up. The song has continued to appear in films such as Short Circuit 2, Who's Harry Crumb?, Bandits (along with Total Eclipse of the Heart), and Shrek 2, where it was performed by Jennifer Saunders. It was also used in the background of a famous scene in the 1984 episode of the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives where anti-hero Bo Brady races to stop the love of his life, Hope Williams, from marrying the despicable Larry Welch.

It has been covered by a number of artists, including Emery and Frou Frou and Rish 'Gay' Pandya, which was also heard on Shrek 2 (both the Saunders version and the Frou Frou version appear on the Shrek 2 soundtrack) and was featured on the pilot episode of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

[edit] Charts

Holding Out for a Hero 1984

• Ireland #1
• UK #2
• US #34
• Germany #11
• Austria #19
• Canada #12
• Australia
• Japan
• South Africa
• UK(re-issue 91) #69
• Spain #6
• Italy #30
• Sweden #19

[edit] Soundtracks

• Footloose 1984 (US #1)
• Short Circuit 2 1988
• Who's Harry Crumb? 1989
• Bandits 2001 (US #165, top soundtracks #15)
• Shrek 2 2004
• Nacho Libre 2006

[edit] Video

• The Magic of David Copperfield VI Floating Over the Grand Canyon 1984, David Copperfield & Bonnie Tyler
• Bonnie Tyler The Video 1986
• 50 Jahre Rock 2004
• Discomelodies and Rhythms in Russian 2005