Pop Music Super Heroes: Encore

Just when I thought we've run out of pop star super heroes it's been brought to my attention a couple other super-jems. These both feature the original hero, the man of steel. So I close out the set with:

Crash Test Dummies
Superman's Song
Featuring both Superman and Tarzan



and loosen your leisure suit and put on your boogie shoes for...

Superman
by Herbie Mann



Check out set one, set two and set three here.

Pop Music Super Heroes Vol 3

Continuing our exploration of Superheroes appearing in pop music today brings us to the conclusion with a couple of cool tunes. You can check out Vol 1 and Vol 2 to get caught up to speed.

Today we being with Chicago's very own Veruca Salt with their rendition of "Spiderman '79"




Next up we have Henry Rollins performing "Ghost Rider". He has two versions of this song and I went with the one from '87. The other one, which is much heavier sounding was from The Crow soundtrack.



Back on over to DC we have The Dukes of Stratosphere with "Brainiac's Daughter".



And finally we have The Who preforming the Bat-man theme song from 1966.



Check out set one, set two and Encore here.

Pop Music Super Heroes Set 2

Yesterday we began the exploration on super-heroes in pop music. Today we continue that with a focus on the hero that started it all; Superman! It's not surprising that this man from Krypton has iconic status and is almost the go-to figure when looking for that all-encompassing super-heroic image with him being the first man in tights, an outsider, an alien, powerful and invulnerable yet isolated and alone.


Yesterday, Donovan showed up with his Supergirl song and today he's here with Sunshine Superman featuring both Superman and the Green Lantern



Next up we have Jim Croce with "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" featuring Superman and the Lone Ranger.



REM comes up next with "I Am Superman" which is actually a cover from a 1969 band called the Clique.



Finally we have The Spindoctors with Jimmy Olsen's Blues (A Pocketful Of Kryptonite).



Check out set one and set three here.

Encore here

Pop Music Super Heroes Set 1

Though comic books and super heroes have been a part of the American landscape since the late 1930's it has really been in the last 40 years or so that these same comics and heroes have been elevated to a higher status in America's pop culture.

With the cosmic artwork of Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko of early to mid 60's Marvel comics, the underground acid culture adapted comics as their own. The heroes began making their way into the blown minds of a counter-culture that would soon become the main-stream.

Not only Marvel but DC characters too became enmeshed with pop art and popular culture and rock music and comics began a marriage that is even stronger today.


"Catch Me Now I'm Falling"
The Kinks
Featuring Captain America





Magneto and Titanium Man
Paul McCartney and Wings
Featuring Magneto, Titanium Man, and the Crimson Dynamo




Superlungs my Supergirl
Donovon
Featuring Supergirl



And of course....

Iron Man
Black Sabbath
Featuring Iron Man






Tomorrow Set II: Superman
Set 3
Encore