Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 … Read Full Bio ↴Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 by rhythm guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker. The group is considered one of the leaders of the thrash metal scene from the 1980s and is part of the "Big Four" of the genre, along with Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. They were also one of the first thrash metal bands (along with Overkill and Nuclear Assault) to emerge from the East Coast. The band has released 11 studio albums, several other albums, and 26 singles, including collaborating on a single with American hip hop group Public Enemy. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Anthrax sold 2.5 million records in the United States from 1991 to 2004, with worldwide sales of 10 million. Four of the band's studio albums have also achieved gold certifications by the RIAA, including their third full-length record Among the Living (1987), which cemented Anthrax's reputation as one of the most successful thrash metal bands.

Anthrax's lineup has changed numerous times over their career, leaving Ian as the only constant member of the band. The band has had a revolving cast of singers and lead guitarists, including Neil Turbin, John Bush, Dan Spitz and Rob Caggiano. Since 2013, the band has consisted of Ian, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Frank Bello, vocalist Joey Belladonna and lead guitarist Jonathan Donais. Ian and Benante (who replaced one-time drummer Greg D'Angelo in 1983) are the only two members to appear on every album, while Bello has been a member of Anthrax since 1984, replacing original bassist Dan Lilker. After two stints in Anthrax, from 1984 to 1992 and again from 2005 to 2007, Belladonna returned to the band in 2010.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthrax_(American_band)

Studio albums
Fistful of Metal (1984)
Spreading the Disease (1985)
Among the Living (1987)
State of Euphoria (1988)
Persistence of Time (1990)
Sound of White Noise (1993)
Stomp 442 (1995)
Volume 8: The Threat Is Real (1998)
We've Come for You All (2003)
Worship Music (2011)
For All Kings (2016)

Superhero
Anthrax Lyrics

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When you praise my name I'll fulfill your expectation
Looking for an answer that'll dignify your prayers
What remains when your savior becomes human?
You feel the legend something sacred
You can't understand
Becomes bigger than the man.

[Chorus]

Pray for help cry out scream for me now
I'm not your superhero
Pray for help cry ill scream for you now
I'm not your superhero

All my love and hate radiate and become equals
Untouchable enmity has always been my fate
Mine alone agony destined to suffer.
Eternally my story never goes as planned
And its bigger than the man

[Chorus]

Once upon a time I would do anything
For anyone; at anytime
And all I asked for was your faith
Was that to much to ask?

There is no God there is no king
There is no saint of broken dreams

There's only you and truth and soul
The superhero is you own

Overall Meaning

“Superhero,” the lead track from Anthrax's classic 1998 album “Volume 8: The Threat Is Real,” is a poignant commentary on our society's obsession with heroes and icons. Through the song's lyrics, the band explores the idea of being put up on a pedestal as a “savior” figure, and the disappointment that inevitably occurs when people realize that their idols are mere mortals.

The song's opening lines, “When you praise my name I'll fulfill your expectation, Looking for an answer that'll dignify your prayers” speaks to the idea that people often put their faith in someone else, hoping that they will provide guidance and answers to life's big questions. When that person inevitably fails (as all humans do), they are quickly torn down and vilified. This cycle of hero worship and disillusionment is explored time and again throughout the song, with the chorus repeating the refrain “I'm not your superhero.”

Line by Line Meaning

When you praise my name I'll fulfill your expectation
I'm trying to meet your expectations by being the solution to your problems

Looking for an answer that'll dignify your prayers
You're searching for something that will validate your belief and faith

What remains when your savior becomes human?
When I'm not superhuman anymore, what's left for you to believe in?

You feel the legend something sacred You can't understand Becomes bigger than the man.
The story becomes more important and meaningful than the individual who lived it

Pray for help cry out scream for me now I'm not your superhero Pray for help cry ill scream for you now I'm not your superhero
Don't look to me as your savior, I can't save you from your problems

All my love and hate radiate and become equals Untouchable enmity has always been my fate Mine alone agony destined to suffer. Eternally my story never goes as planned And its bigger than the man
I have both positive and negative emotions, but they are both equally strong. I will always be alone and suffer, and my story will never follow a predictable path

Once upon a time I would do anything For anyone; at anytime And all I asked for was your faith Was that to much to ask?
I used to be willing to do anything for others, as long as they believed in me. Was that really too much to expect in return?

There is no God there is no king There is no saint of broken dreams There's only you and truth and soul The superhero is you own
There is no one who can save you but yourself. You are your own superhero.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SCOTT DAVIS, SETH MOSLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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