How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

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About

Genius Annotation

During his Berlin Period, Bowie spied Tony Visconti kissing backing vocalist Antonia Maaß by the Berlin Wall. Their love was doomed, as Visconti was married.

I thought, of all the places to meet in Berlin, why pick a bench underneath a guard turret on the Wall?

Wanting to stop his friend’s affair from coming to his wife’s attention, Bowie anonymised the song, and filled in details from his imagination. As Rolling Stone put it, “Bowie wails with crazed soul about two doomed lovers finding a moment of redemption together — just for one day.”

The song was written with Brian Eno, who plays a droning EMS VCS3. Robert Fripp of King Crimson plays guitar with pitched feedback, whilst Tony Visconti produced Bowie’s finest vocal performance by moving the microphone away from him as the song progressed, forcing him to shout just to be heard.

The song was not initially popular, but is now widely considered one of Bowie’s best. It is frequently played at sporting events and awards ceremonies, and features in many soundtracks in film and television.

It’s believed the track was inspired by German band Neu! whom Bowie was a fan of at the time. Neu! guitarist Michael Rother had been in conversation with Bowie a few times during Bowie’s time in Berlin and they had discussed the possibility of Rother playing on the album, but it didn’t happen due to a miscommunication.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Is it about not being able to be completely together, but at least for one day?
Genius Answer

Yes! The song was inspired by producer Tony Visconti’s brief love affair with one of the backing singers. Visconti was married, so the affair was doomed from the start. “Heroes” affirms the idea that things don’t have to last to have value–the lovers won’t be able to stay together, but they’re together for now, and that is meaningful enough.

What did David Bowie say about ""Heroes""?
Genius Answer

According to Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, Bowie spoke of the the song’s inspiration:

I thought, of all the places to meet in Berlin, why pick a bench underneath a guard turret on the Wall?

Credits
Tape Machine FX
Tambourine
Effects
EMS Synthi AKS
Performance Rights
Composer
Arp String Ensemble
Chamberlin
Backing Vocals
Lead guitar
Bass Guitar
Rhythm Guitar
Recorded At
Hansa by the Wall, West Berlin
Release Date
September 23, 1977
“Heroes” Interpolations
View “Heroes” samples
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