"Heroes" (David Bowie song)
"'Heroes'" | ||||
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![]() One of the A-side labels for the UK vinyl single | ||||
Single by David Bowie | ||||
from the album "Heroes" | ||||
B-side | "V-2 Schneider" | |||
Released | 23 September 1977 | |||
Recorded | July–August 1977 | |||
Studio | Hansa (West Berlin) | |||
Genre | Art rock | |||
Length |
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Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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David Bowie singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"'Heroes'" on YouTube |
"'Heroes'"[a] is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie. It was co-written by Bowie and Brian Eno, produced by Bowie and Tony Visconti, and recorded in July and August 1977 at Hansa Studio by the Wall. It was released on 23 September 1977 as the lead single from his 12th studio album of the same name, backed with the song "V-2 Schneider". A product of Bowie's "Berlin" period, the track was not a huge hit in the United Kingdom or the United States after its release, but it has since become one of his signature songs. In January 2016, following Bowie's death, the song reached a new peak of number 12 in the UK Singles Chart. "'Heroes'" has been cited as Bowie's second-most covered song after "Rebel Rebel".[1]
Inspired by the sight of Bowie's producer-engineer Tony Visconti embracing his lover by the Berlin Wall, the song tells the story of two lovers, one from East and one from West Berlin. Bowie's performance of "'Heroes'" on 6 June 1987, at the German Reichstag in West Berlin has been considered a catalyst to the later fall of the Berlin Wall.[2][3][4] Following his death in January 2016, the German government thanked Bowie for "helping to bring down the Wall", adding "you are now among Heroes".[5]
"'Heroes'" has received numerous accolades since its release, including inclusion on lists of the greatest songs of all time; Rolling Stone named the song the 23rd greatest ever, and NME named it the 15th greatest.[6] Bowie scholar David Buckley has written that "'Heroes'" "is perhaps pop's definitive statement of the potential triumph of the human spirit over adversity".[7]
Title and lyrics[edit]
The song title is a reference to the 1975 track "Hero" by German krautrock band Neu!,[8] whom Bowie and Eno admired. It was one of the early tracks recorded during the album sessions, but remained an instrumental until towards the end of production.[9] The quotation marks in the title of the song, a deliberate affectation, were designed to impart an ironic quality on the otherwise romantic or triumphant words and music.[10][11][12][13]
Producer Tony Visconti took credit for inspiring the image of the lovers kissing "by the wall", when he and backing vocalist Antonia Maass (Maaß) embraced in front of Bowie as he looked out of the Hansa Studio window.[14] Bowie claimed that the protagonists were based on an anonymous young couple, but Visconti, who was married to Mary Hopkin at the time, contends that Bowie was protecting him and his affair with Maass. Bowie confirmed this in 2003, over two decades after Visconti and Hopkin's eventual divorce.[9]
The lyrics were partly inspired by one of Bowie's favorite books, A Grave for a Dolphin (1956) by Alberto Denti di Pirajno.[15]
Music[edit]
Bowie said that the "plodding tempo and rhythm" were inspired by the Velvet Underground song "I'm Waiting for the Man".[16]
Richard Buskin of Sound on Sound described "'Heroes'" as a "highly experimental piece of art rock".[17] The music, co-written by Bowie and Eno, is in a two-chord progression (D–G), with a "brief excursion to familiar chords" in the key of G.[18] Biographer David Buckley likens it to a Wall of Sound production, a forceful and noisy arrangement of guitars, percussion and synthesizers.[14] Eno said the song always "sounded grand and heroic" and that he had "that very word – heroes – in my mind" even before Bowie wrote the lyrics.[19] The backing track consists of a conventional arrangement of piano, bass guitar, rhythm guitar and drums. The other parts consist of synthesiser parts by Eno using an EMS VCS3 to produce detuned low-frequency drones, with the beat frequencies from the three oscillators, producing a juddering effect. In addition, King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp generated an unusual sustained sound by allowing his guitar to feedback and sitting at different positions in the room to alter the pitch of the feedback. Visconti mixed out Dennis Davis' kick drum, stating that the track "seemed to plod" with it but had a more energetic feel without it.[17][20]
Vocal gating progression[edit]
Bowie's vocal was recorded after most of the session musicians had departed Berlin,[19] with a "multi-latch" system devised by Visconti that creatively misused gating, a recording technique to control volume.[21] Three microphones were used to capture the vocal, with one microphone nine inches from Bowie, one 20 feet away, and one 50 feet away. Each microphone was muted as the next one was triggered. As the music built, Bowie was forced to sing at increased volumes to overcome the gating effect, leading to an increasingly impassioned vocal performance as the song progresses.[17] Jay Hodgson writes,
Bowie's performance thus grows in intensity precisely as ever more ambience infuses his delivery until, by the final verse, he has to shout just to be heard ... The more Bowie shouts just to be heard, in fact, the further back in the mix Visconti's multi-latch system pushes his vocal tracks, creating a stark metaphor for the situation of Bowie's doomed lovers.[22]
Release[edit]
"'Heroes'" was released in a variety of languages and lengths ("a collector's wet dream" in the words of NME editors Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray[10]). In contrast to the bewildering audio situation, the video (directed by Nick Ferguson[9]) was a stark and simple affair, the singer captured performing the song in what appeared to be a single take with multiple cameras, swaying in front of a spotlight that created a monotone and near-silhouette effect.
"'Heroes'" was released on 23 September 1977 as the lead single of Bowie's 12th studio album of the same name by RCA Records (as RCA / PB 11121), with a length of 3:32, and with fellow album track "V-2 Schneider" as the B-side.[23] It subsequently appeared, with a longer length of 6:07, as the third track, between "Joe the Lion" and "Sons of the Silent Age", on the album in October the same year.[24] Another 12" single, containing both the single and album versions, was released in the US by RCA (as RCA / JD-11151) the same year.[25] The German and French versions, titled "'Helden'" and "'Héros'", respectively, was released by RCA (RCA / PC-9821).[26] Despite a large promotional push, including Bowie's first live Top of the Pops appearance since 1973,[14] "'Heroes'" reached only number 24 in the UK charts, and failed to make the US Billboard Hot 100.[27] In Italy, the song was certified gold by the Federation of the Italian Music Industry.[28]
Bowie filmed a promotional music video for the track in 1977. Directed by Nick Ferguson and shot in Paris, it features numerous shots of Bowie against a backdrop of white light and wearing the same bomber-jacket he wore on the "Heroes" album cover.[27] Pegg believes the effect is similar to Liza Minnelli's performance of "Maybe This Time" in the 1972 film Cabaret.[27]
Reception and legacy[edit]
Writing for NME on its release, Charlie Gillett slated the record, saying: "Well he had a pretty good run for our money, for a guy who was no singer. But I think his time has been and gone, and this just sounds weary. Then again, maybe the ponderous heavy riff will be absorbed on the radio, and the monotonous feel may just be hypnotic enough to drag people into buying it. I hope not."[29] Despite this poor review it featured at number 6 in the NME's end of year critics poll for 1977.[30]
Later assessments were more favourable. In February 1999, Q magazine listed "'Heroes'" as one of the 100 greatest singles of all time as voted by the readers. In March 2005, the same magazine placed it at number 56 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. In 2004, Rolling Stone rated "'Heroes'" number 46 in its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time,[31] and was re-ranked at number 23 on the 2021 list.[32] It was included in 2008's The Pitchfork Media 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present. John J. Miller of National Review rated "'Heroes'" number 21 on a list of "the 50 greatest conservative rock songs"[33] due to its anti-Soviet political context. It has also become a gay anthem.[34][35] Uncut placed "'Heroes'" at number 1 in its 30 greatest Bowie songs in 2008.[36]
Moby has said that "'Heroes'" is one of his favourite songs ever written, calling it "inevitable" that his music would be influenced by the song,[37] and Dave Gahan, the lead singer of Depeche Mode, was hired into the band when band founder Vince Clarke heard him singing "'Heroes'" at a jam session.[38]
Accolades[edit]
Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
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TIME | United States | "All-Time 100 Songs"[39] | 2011 | N/A |
Rolling Stone | United States | "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time"[31] | 2003 | 46 |
Rolling Stone | United States | "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time"[32] | 2021 | 23 |
NME | United Kingdom | "100 Greatest Singles of All Time"[40] | 2002 | 5 |
NME | United Kingdom | "500 Greatest Songs of All Time"[41] | 2014 | 15 |
NME | United Kingdom | "100 Greatest Songs of NME's Lifetime...So Far"[42] | 2012 | 3 |
NME | United Kingdom | "NME Readers Best Tracks of the Last 60 Years"[42] | 2012 | 16 |
NME | United Kingdom | "Best tracks of the 1970s"[42] | 2014 | 4 |
NME | United Kingdom | "David Bowie's 40 Greatest Songs"[43] | 2014 | 1 |
Mojo | United Kingdom | "The 100 Greatest Singles of All Time"[44] | 1997 | 34 |
Sounds | United Kingdom | "All Time Top 100 Singles"[45] | 1985 | 2 |
Q | United Kingdom | "Q Readers Top 100 Singles of All Time"[46] | 1999 | 36 |
Pitchfork | United States | The Pitchfork 500[47] | 2008 | N/A |
Pitchfork | United States | "The 200 Best Songs of the 1970s"[48] | 2016 | 6 |
Radio X | United Kingdom | "The Top 1,000 Songs of All Time"[49] | 2010 | 24 |
Radio X | United Kingdom | "Best of British"[50] | 2016 | 7 |
Uncut | United Kingdom | "David Bowie's 30 best songs"[51] | 2008 | 1 |
N/A designates unordered lists.
Track listing[edit]
All tracks written by David Bowie and Brian Eno, except where noted.
7" vinyl
- RCA / PB 11121[23]
- "'Heroes'" – 3:38
- "V-2 Schneider" (Bowie) – 3:10
12" vinyl
- RCA / JD-11151 (US promo)[25]
- "'Heroes'" (Album version) – 6:07
- "'Heroes'" (Single version) – 3:29
- RCA / PC-9821 (Germany)[26]
- "'Heroes'" / "'Helden'" (English/German version) – 6:09
- "'Heroes'" / "'Héros'" (English/French version) – 6:09
Personnel[edit]
According to biographer Chris O'Leary:[52]
- David Bowie – lead and backing vocals, piano, ARP Solina String Ensemble, Chamberlin, producer
- Robert Fripp – lead guitar
- Carlos Alomar – rhythm guitar
- George Murray – bass guitar
- Dennis Davis – drums
- Brian Eno – EMS VCS 3 synthesiser, guitar treatments
- Tony Visconti – producer, mixer, metal canister, backing vocals, tambourine, tape reel as percussion[53]
Charts and certifications[edit]
Charts[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit]
Chart (2019) | Position |
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Portugal (AFP)[75] | 1683 |
Certifications[edit]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[76] digital sales since 2011 |
Gold | 45,000![]() |
Italy (FIMI)[77] digital sales since 2009 |
Gold | 25,000![]() |
United Kingdom (BPI)[78] digital sales since 2004 |
Platinum | 600,000![]() |
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Live versions[edit]
- Prior to the single release of "'Heroes'", Bowie first performed the song on the final episode of friend Marc Bolan's Granada Television series Marc (filmed 7 September 1977, broadcast 28 September 1977,[79] after Bolan's funeral). This particular version, released as a 7" picture disc, on 22 September 2017,[79] has an alternative backing track that was recorded with Bolan playing lead guitar and the T.Rex line up of Dino Dines on keyboards, and the rhythm section of Herbie Flowers on bass and Tony Newman on drums.[80] Prior to joining T.Rex, Flowers and Newman were a part of Bowie's rhythm section on the Diamond Dogs album and its tour, documented on the live album David Live. Bolan himself also had past experience of backing Bowie, on the 1970 version of "The Prettiest Star".
- Bowie performed the song when he appeared on Bing Crosby's 1977 Christmas TV special, Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas. In the performance, filmed on 11 September 1977, Bowie sang over a prerecorded backing track.
- On 20 October 1977 Bowie sang the song live on the BBC's Top of the Pops, using a new backing track recorded on the previous day by Bowie, Tony Visconti, pianist Sean Mayes and guitarist Ricky Gardiner.[81]
- Performances from the Isolar II Tour have been released on Stage (1978) and Welcome to the Blackout (2018).[82][83]
- Bowie performed the song live on his Serious Moonlight Tour in 1983, as seen in the 1984 concert video of that tour and as heard on the live album Serious Moonlight (Live '83), which was part of the 2018 box set Loving the Alien (1983–1988)[84] and was released separately in 2019.[85]
- The rendition at Live Aid in 1985 has been described as "the best version of 'Heroes' [Bowie] had ever sung".[86] This performance featured Thomas Dolby on keyboards.
- Bowie performed the song live on his Glass Spider Tour, as seen in the 1988 concert video of that tour.
- The song was performed at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992 by Bowie, Mick Ronson and Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon – the surviving members of Queen.
- An acoustic version of the song was played in 1996 at The Bridge School Benefit Concert at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California, and later released on The Bridge School Benefit Concert album.
- Bowie's 25 June 2000 performance of the song at the Glastonbury Festival was released in 2018 on Glastonbury 2000.[87]
- The song was performed by Bowie at The Concert for New York City on 20 October 2001. Before Bowie opened the concert he was asked to perform "'Heroes'". He said it wasn't appropriate as it was a love song, so he opened with a solo version of Paul Simon's "America", and then performed "'Heroes'" with the house band led by Paul Shaffer.
- Bowie performed the song live during the A Reality Tour in 2003, and a performance from November of that year was released on a DVD in 2004, and later on an album, released in 2010.
Other releases[edit]
- The edited 7-inch single, running at 3:32 mins and backed with "V-2 Schneider", was released separately in English, French («Héros») and German („Helden“). All three of these cuts plus "V-2 Schneider" were released together as an Australian 4-track 7-inch.
- The complete English version as it appeared on the album was released as a Spanish 12-inch single.
- A version featuring the German single edit spliced into the second half of the full-length English track ("Heroes"/„Helden“) appeared on the German pressing of the LP and is also available on Bowie's soundtrack to the film Christiane F. and on the Rare album. A corresponding English/French version ("Heroes"/«Héros») appeared on the French pressing of the LP.
- The song has appeared, almost invariably in single edit form, on numerous Bowie compilations:
- Chameleon (Australia and New Zealand 1979)
- The Best of Bowie (1980)
- Fame and Fashion (1984) – album version
- Sound + Vision (1989) – „Helden“
- Changesbowie (1990)
- Bowie: The Singles 1969-1993 (1993)
- The Singles Collection (1993)
- The Best of David Bowie 1974/1979 (1998)
- Best of Bowie (2002) – „Helden“ on German/Swiss/Austrian edition
- The Platinum Collection (2005/2006)
- Nothing Has Changed (2014)
- Bowie Legacy (2016)
- It was released as a picture disc in the RCA Life Time picture disc set.
- The German („Helden“) and French («Héros») versions of the single, as well as the English/German ("Heroes"/„Helden“) and English/French ("Heroes"/«Héros») versions of the album track, were included on an EP in the 2017 boxed set A New Career in a New Town (1977–1982). The single version of the song was included on Re:Call 3, part of the same compilation.[88] In 2015, the French version of "Heroes" also peaked at number 37 in France.[89]
Cover versions[edit]
The Wallflowers version[edit]
"Heroes" | ||||
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![]() | ||||
Single by the Wallflowers | ||||
from the album Godzilla: The Album | ||||
B-side | "Invisible City" (live) | |||
Released | 21 April 1998[90] | |||
Recorded | 1998 | |||
Length | 4:00 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Andrew Slater | |||
The Wallflowers singles chronology | ||||
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American rock band the Wallflowers recorded a version of the song for the soundtrack to the 1998 monster film Godzilla. This version peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1998, as well as number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and number 23 on the Billboard Top 40 Mainstream chart. In Canada, the single topped the RPM Alternative 30 for six weeks and reached number 13 on the RPM Top Singles chart. British duo Dom and Nic directed the song's music video.[91]
Critical reception[edit]
In May 1998, Billboard editor Larry Flick reviewed the song, writing that the cover "beautifully illuminates the heart-tugging quality of the lyrics" but noting that Wallflowers lead singer Jakob Dylan failed to replicate the "irony and edge" of Bowie's version.[92] Reviewing the Godzilla soundtrack on AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine said the cover was respectful to the original.[93]
Track listings[edit]
US promo CD[94]
- "Heroes"
Australian CD single[95]
- "Heroes"
- "Invisible City" (live)
European maxi-single[96]
- "Heroes" – 3:57
- "Invisible City" (live) – 5:12
- "Heroes" (live) – 4:06
Personnel[edit]
Credits are lifted from the Australian CD single liner notes.[95]
The Wallflowers
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Others
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Charts[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit]
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Other covers[edit]
- Oasis released a version of the song as a B-side on their 1997 single, "D'You Know What I Mean?".[111]
- The X Factor finalists released a version for charity in 2010, which reached number one on the Irish, Scottish and UK Singles Chart.[112][113][114]
- Peter Gabriel recorded a version for his album Scratch My Back (2010).[115] It was used in two episodes of American series "Stranger Things" (S01E03 and S03E08).[116]
- Depeche Mode released an official cover and video for the 40th anniversary of the song's release, with lead singer Dave Gahan stating, "Bowie is the one artist who I've stuck with since I was in my early teens. His albums are always my go-to on tour and covering '"Heroes"' is paying homage to Bowie."[117]
- King Crimson recorded a version for their five-track EP Heroes: Live in Europe 2016.[118] It won "Video of the Year" at the 2017 Progressive Music Awards.[119]
- Coldplay performed the song as a tribute to Bowie on their A Head Full of Dreams Tour.[120]
- Gang of Youths released a cover of "'Heroes'" as a non-album single,[121] featured in the trailer for the 2017 film Justice League.
- Motörhead released a cover version on their 2017 album, Under Cöver. The song was recorded in 2015 during the band's recording sessions for their final album, Bad Magic, and it was one of the last songs recorded before Lemmy's death that same year. “It’s such a great Bowie song, one of his best, and I could only see great things coming out of it from us, and so it proved to be,” said guitarist Phil Campbell.
- Hollywood Vampires, a supergroup featuring Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, and Johnny Depp, released a cover of "'Heroes'" on their 2019 album Rise, with Depp performing lead vocals for the track.[122]
Later use of the song[edit]
- In 2012, the track was played as British athletes entered the Olympic Stadium during the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, and after medal ceremonies during the games.[123]
- In 2012, the song was featured in the film The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
- In 2014, the song was featured in the premiere trailer for the Brazilian film Praia do Futuro.[124]
- In the days following Bowie's death in January 2016, the song was streamed on Spotify more than any other Bowie song.[125] On Twitter the German Foreign Office paid homage to Bowie for "helping to bring down the wall".[126][127] It reached a new peak of number 12 in the UK after Bowie's death.[128]
- In 2017, the song was played at the end of the series finale of the US animated television series Regular Show.[129]
- The German version, "Helden", was played at the end of the 2019 film Jojo Rabbit.[130]
References[edit]
- Notes
- ^ The quotation marks are part of the title. On some single releases, the title does not include the quotes.
- Citations
- ^ Pegg 2016, p. 197.
- ^ Ford, Matt (11 January 2016). "Remembering David Bowie". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 12 January 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- ^ Fisher, Max (11 January 2016). "David Bowie at the Berlin Wall: the incredible story of a concert and its role in history". Vox. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- ^ "The Berlin Wall – A multimedia history: David Bowie plays Berlin". Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg. 9 November 2014. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- ^ "Germany to David Bowie: Thank You for Helping to Bring Down the Berlin Wall". Foreign Policy. 11 January 2016. Archived from the original on 4 October 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
- ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time – November 2003". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 1 January 2005. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- ^ David Buckley (2015). David Bowie: The Music and The Changes. Omnibus Press. p. 63. ISBN 978-1-78323-617-6. Archived from the original on 2 March 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
- ^ Mat Snow (2007). "Making Heroes", MOJO 60 Years of Bowie: p.69
- ^ a b c Nicholas Pegg (2000). The Complete David Bowie: pp. 90–92
- ^ a b Carr & Murray 1981, pp. 90–92.
- ^ Matthew-Walker, Robert (1985). "David Bowie, theatre of music". p. 46.
The use of quotation marks possibly implies that the "Heroes" are not to be taken too seriously.
{{cite magazine}}
: Cite magazine requires|magazine=
(help) - ^ Welch, Chris (1999). "David Bowie: Changes, 1970–1980". p. 116.
The use of quotation marks around the title meant that Bowie felt there was something ironic about being a rock 'n' roll hero to his fans, while he kept his own emotional life as far distant and remote and private as possible.
{{cite magazine}}
: Cite magazine requires|magazine=
(help) - ^ NME interview in 1977 with Charles Shaar Murray Archived 3 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved from Bowie: Golden Years 20 February 2007.
- ^ a b c David Buckley (1999). Strange Fascination – David Bowie: The Definitive Story: pp.323–326
- ^ "David Bowie's Hit Song Heroes was Inspired by a Book Both he and Iman Loved". cheatsheet.com. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Buckley 2005, p. 280.
- ^ a b c Buskin, Richard (October 2004). "Classic Tracks: Heroes". Sound on Sound. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
- ^ Doggett 2012, p. 333.
- ^ a b Pegg 2016, p. 193.
- ^ "CLASSIC TRACKS: David Bowie 'Heroes'". www.soundonsound.com.
- ^ Hodgson, Jay (2010). Understanding, p.88. ISBN 978-1-4411-5607-5.
- ^ Hodgson (2010), p. 89.
- ^ a b "'Heroes'" (7" single liner notes). UK: RCA Records. 1977. PB 1121.
- ^ "'Heroes'" (liner notes). UK: RCA Records. 1977. PL 12522.
- ^ a b "'Heroes'" (12" single liner notes). US: RCA Records. 1977. JD-11151.
- ^ a b "'Helden'" (Single liner notes). Germany: RCA Records. 1977. PC-9821.
- ^ a b c Pegg 2016, p. 196.
- ^ "Certificazione Singoli Digitali dalla settimana 1 del 2009 alla settimana 2 del 2014" (PDF) (in Italian). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
- ^ Gillett, Charlie (15 October 1977). "Singles reviews". NME: 12–13.
- ^ "NME Singles 1977". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
- ^ a b "Rolling Stone : 500 Greatest Songs". 26 December 2005. Archived from the original on 26 December 2005. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ a b "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: David Bowie, 'Heroes'". Rolling Stone. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ^ John J. Miller (26 May 2006). [1] Archived 30 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 20 February 2007.
- ^ Eves, Natasha (December 2015). "I'm Not Perfect: the role of Grace Jones and David Bowie in aiding the dissemination of queer subjectivities" (PDF). Ephemeral Magazine. Goldsmiths, University of London. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- ^ McDonald, Patrick Range (16 June 2008). "Queer Town: The Gay Wedding in Beverly Hills". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- ^ "David Bowie's 30 best songs". Uncut. March 2008. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- ^ Gordinier, Jeff (31 May 2002), "Loving the Aliens", Entertainment Weekly, no. 656, pp. 26–34
- ^ Shaw, William (April 1993), "In The Mode", Details magazine: 90–95, 168
- ^ "All-TIME 100 Songs". TIME. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
- ^ "100 Greatest Singles of All Time". NME. Archived from the original on 27 April 2006. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- ^ "NME The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, 2014". NME. Archived from the original on 18 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
- ^ a b c "60 Years of the NME". NME. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
- ^ "David Bowie's 40 Greatest Songs". NME. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
- ^ "Mojo 100 Greatest Singers of All Time". Mojo. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
- ^ "All Time Top 100 Singles". Sounds. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- ^ "Q Readers Top 100 Singles of All Time". Q. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ "The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 8 January 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ "The 200 Best Songs of the 1970s". Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
- ^ "The Top 1,000 Songs of All Time". Radio X. Archived from the original on 3 November 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ "Best of British". Radio X. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "David Bowie's 30 best songs". Uncut. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ O'Leary 2019, p. 85.
- ^ "BBC Arts – BBC Arts, Breaking down David Bowie's Heroes – track by track". Bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
- ^ a b "David Bowie – Heroes" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ "David Bowie – Heroes" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Heroes". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- ^ a b "David Bowie – Heroes" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ a b "David Bowie – Heroes". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2015). The Comparison Book. Menonomee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-89820-213-7.
- ^ "David Bowie – Heroes". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ "David Bowie Chart History (Euro Digital Song Sales)". Billboard.
- ^ "David Bowie – Heroes" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ "David Bowie – Heroes" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Heroes (Re-entry)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- ^ "David Bowie – Heroes". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. 18 January 2016. Archived from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
- ^ "Portuguesecharts – David Bowie – Heroes". portuguesecharts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "David Bowie – Heroes" Canciones Top 50.
- ^ "David Bowie – Heroes". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ "David Bowie – Heroes". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
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Good-bye, David Bowie. You are now among #Heroes. Thank you for helping to bring down the #wall. youtu.be/YYjBQKIOb-w #RIPDavidBowie
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Sources[edit]
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- Buckley, David (2005) [1999]. Strange Fascination – David Bowie: The Definitive Story. London: Virgin Books. ISBN 978-0-75351-002-5.}
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- Doggett, Peter (2012). The Man Who Sold the World: David Bowie and the 1970s. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-06-202466-4.
- O'Leary, Chris (2019). Ashes to Ashes: The Songs of David Bowie 1976–2016. London: Repeater. ISBN 978-1912248308.
- Pegg, Nicholas (2016). The Complete David Bowie (7th ed.). London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-78565-365-0.
- 1977 songs
- 1977 singles
- David Bowie songs
- Epic Records singles
- Gang of Youths songs
- Interscope Records singles
- Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
- Oasis (band) songs
- Number-one singles in Scotland
- Protest songs
- RCA Records singles
- Songs composed in D major
- Song recordings produced by David Bowie
- Song recordings produced by Tony Visconti
- Song recordings with Wall of Sound arrangements
- Songs written by Brian Eno
- Songs written by David Bowie
- Songs about Berlin
- Berlin Wall in fiction
- The Wallflowers songs
- The X Factor (British TV series)
- UK Singles Chart number-one singles