Since its creation during David Bowie’s Berlin phase, “Heroes” has become one of the defining anthems of rock music.
Co-written by Bowie and Brian Eno, the song was inspired by a kiss exchanged beside the Berlin Wall between producer Tony Visconti and singer Antonia Maass. For nearly half a century, it has been reinterpreted and revisited by various artists.
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The song has been featured in a wide array of contexts, from the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics to Netflix's Stranger Things, and from Glee to the Rock Band video games. Its status in the pop music canon was solidified when Bowie performed it at Live Aid in 1985 at Wembley Stadium.
The original version includes a guitar performance by Robert Fripp of King Crimson, but many musical legends have since covered the song, including Oasis, Blondie, Philip Glass, and Peter Gabriel.
Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical, currently showing at the Shaftesbury Theatre, takes its title from the lyrics of “Heroes,” and to celebrate the single release from the Original Cast Recording, here are 10 remarkable renditions of this pop classic.
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David Bowie
Among the numerous renditions that emerged after “Heroes” was released in 1977, two of the most notable were by Bowie himself, who recorded versions in German (Helden) and French (Héros), enhancing its status as a global anthem.
Prince
The shock of Bowie’s passing on January 10, 2016, was quickly followed by the tragic death of Prince on April 21, 2016. In the months between, the Minneapolis artist incorporated a portion of “Heroes” into his piano performance of ‘Dolphin’ on at least two occasions.
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode was another group that paid tribute to Bowie after his death by performing “Heroes.” The song held special importance for them, as it was the very tune that Vince Clarke overheard Dave Gahan singing in a Scout hut, which led to him being invited to join.
Motörhead
At the end of his career, “Heroes” became the last vocal performance Lemmy recorded for Motörhead before his passing on December 28, 2015—just two weeks before Bowie. This rendition is heavy on guitars, as expected, yet remains true to the original.
Oasis
The Gallagher brothers consistently selected covers from their array of influences. The Beatles? Check. The Rolling Stones? Check. The Who? Check. Slade? Check. And Bowie? Absolutely, with Noel’s vocals accompanied by a wall of guitars standing in for Fripp’s original work.
Blondie
While Bowie was isolating in Berlin, Blondie was ascending from the New York punk scene. They released a faithful cover of “Heroes” as a B-side to the UK 12” of ‘Atomic,’ featuring Debbie Harry’s crisp vocals.
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Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical (Original Cast Recording) will be released on July 11th in vinyl, CD, and digital formats. The show is currently at the Shaftesbury Theatre.
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Created during David Bowie’s Berlin era, “Heroes” has emerged as one of the iconic standards of rock music. Co-written by Bowie and Brian Eno,