Superheroes

When most people were kids, especially boys, they dreamed of being a superhero.  We watched our favorite comic book cartoons or watched live action movies, and secretly dreamed of fighting crime in the streets.  In our culture today, superheroes have dominated and transformed into marketing tools, advertisements, television deals and blockbuster films.  Not only are superheroes the big ticket items in Hollywood right now, The Avengers, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Batman, Captain America, etc., but these fictitious characters have also made their way to national news.  One man even attempted to be a superhero by dressing up in a costume and combing the streets of Seattle, looking for crime.  So, what is it about superheroes that fascinate our culture today?

I believe the true source of fascination comes from the lifestyle of heroes.  They not only develop special powers, but superheroes can change the world for good, or in some cases for bad.  I believe most people long for the excitement and thrill that come with being a superhero.  I don’t mean that people long to have fictional powers, but people long for a life that makes an impact on the world around them.  Superheroes are not only nostalgic characters from our childhood, but they give us an outlet for our dreams to change the world.

For this post, I want to highlight a couple of Christian artists who sing about heroes.  Whether the songs are crying out for a superhero to save them or expressing their power of being bulletproof, the theme of the superhero runs throughout. 

The first song is by the major Christian rock band Skillet.  “Hero,” off their latest album Awake, is about feeling helpless in the state of our world today.  John Cooper and Jen Ledger sing about not being superhuman, and crying out for a hero to save them.  The music video is a cool concept in which the band portrays a soldier, police officer, firefighter and nurse as being modern day heroes.

Second, is “Superhero” by Family Force 5.  Much different than any of their previous efforts, “Superhero” is a stripped down, acoustic song.  The lyrics are ambiguous enough that they fit a couple different hero contexts.  “Superhero” has a religious meaning in that Jesus Christ is our hero and Soul Glow is crying out for God to save him.  On the other hand, this song could fit perfectly on the soundtrack of any superhero film.  The music video features Soul Glow Activatur on acoustic guitar and a guest appearance from Darren Harms of Samestate.

Next, is the song “Bulletproof” by 12 Stones.  A hard rock anthem, Paul McCoy sings about being superhuman and feeling bulletproof.  The video features the lyrics of the song alongside clips of the band recording in the studio.

The final song is a soft ballad from Kutless called “Hero.”  Off their album Believer, this song speaks about shaking off fear and embracing your call as a hero.  To Kutless, the responsibility of being a hero is to share light, hope and love with the world.  This is the official lyric video released by the band.

Whether you are a fan of heroes or want to be one, I hope you have enjoyed this look at these Christian rock songs.  Here are a few more artists that sing about heroes in our world today.

“God Man” – Cadet

“Original Superman” – Pillar

“To Be A Hero” – Our Hearts Hero

“We Can Change the World” – Hawk Nelson

“Hero” - Superchick