Superman (Black Lace song)
Encyclopedia
"Superman" is a 1981 novelty song
written by Italian musicians Claudio Cecchetto and Claudio Simonetti
, most famous for the 1983 recording by Black Lace
.
The UK single's B-side, "Teardrops in Your Eyes", was an original composition by Black Lace's Alan Barton
and Colin Routh.
The song featured a number of dance gestures that acted out the lyrics – including walking, swimming, skiing, spraying deodorant, sounding a horn, ringing a bell, flexing muscles
as a "Macho Man
" and flying like Superman
. These dance moves were detailed on the record sleeve
.
On the Black Lace recording, the intro drum fill was played by Wakefield
drummer Barry Huffinley; the remaining rhythm was programmed using a sequencer
. The song was recorded at Woodlands Studio in Normanton, West Yorkshire
.
In 1987, Colin Gibb released an alternative version of the song with explicit lyrics
, entitled "Supercock".
appearance was on 10 September when it was ranked #94. It peaked at #9 on 22 October,
and was last on the chart at #73 on 21 January 1987, having spent 20 weeks in the top 100.
The song was released in 1984 on the group's debut album, Party Party, which reached #4 on the UK Albums Chart
.
's Übermensch
concept.
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
written by Italian musicians Claudio Cecchetto and Claudio Simonetti
Claudio Simonetti
Claudio Simonetti is an Italian composer who has specialized in the scores for Italian and American horror films since the 1970s.- Biography :...
, most famous for the 1983 recording by Black Lace
Black Lace (band)
Black Lace is a British Euro pop band, best known for novelty party records, including their biggest hit, "Agadoo". The band first came to the public eye after being selected to represent the UK in the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest, in which they finished seventh with the song "Mary Ann"...
.
The UK single's B-side, "Teardrops in Your Eyes", was an original composition by Black Lace's Alan Barton
Alan Barton
Alan Barton was a member of the hit-making duo Black Lace, alongside Colin Routh. Their hits included: "The Music Man", "Agadoo" and "Superman"...
and Colin Routh.
Overview
The original version of the song was played in Spanish discos, where John Wagtaff (head of Flair Records) heard it while looking for a style of music that would be popular in the United Kingdom. When translated into English, "Gioca Jouer" became "Superman".The song featured a number of dance gestures that acted out the lyrics – including walking, swimming, skiing, spraying deodorant, sounding a horn, ringing a bell, flexing muscles
Muscle contraction
Muscle fiber generates tension through the action of actin and myosin cross-bridge cycling. While under tension, the muscle may lengthen, shorten, or remain the same...
as a "Macho Man
Machismo
Machismo, or machoism, is a word of Spanish and Portuguese origin that describes prominently exhibited or excessive masculinity. As an attitude, machismo ranges from a personal sense of virility to a more extreme male chauvinism...
" and flying like Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
. These dance moves were detailed on the record sleeve
Record sleeve
A record sleeve is the outer covering of a vinyl recording. The sleeve is technically the paper covering that is closest in contact to the surface of the recording, as in "dust sleeve", "liner" and "album liner". The term has come to be synonymous with "record jacket" and "album jacket", which is...
.
On the Black Lace recording, the intro drum fill was played by Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
drummer Barry Huffinley; the remaining rhythm was programmed using a sequencer
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
. The song was recorded at Woodlands Studio in Normanton, West Yorkshire
Normanton, West Yorkshire
Normanton is a town and civil parish within the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is northeast of Wakefield and southwest of Castleford, and at the time of the 2001 Census, the population was 19,949.-History:...
.
In 1987, Colin Gibb released an alternative version of the song with explicit lyrics
Explicit Lyrics
Explicit Lyrics is the third studio album recorded by the French artist Ophélie Winter.-Track listing:# "Sache in Progress" # "Sache"...
, entitled "Supercock".
Reception
The single was released in the UK in September 1983; its first UK chartUK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
appearance was on 10 September when it was ranked #94. It peaked at #9 on 22 October,
and was last on the chart at #73 on 21 January 1987, having spent 20 weeks in the top 100.
The song was released in 1984 on the group's debut album, Party Party, which reached #4 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
.
Analysis
Some analysts (including Paul Simpson and The Guardians Will Dean) draw parallels between the song and Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
's Übermensch
Übermensch
The Übermensch is a concept in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche posited the Übermensch as a goal for humanity to set for itself in his 1883 book Thus Spoke Zarathustra ....
concept.