Their first ever single was Out There in the Jungle (Polydor 1976), but the height of their career came with the two Robert Jan Stips produced albums 10 Mistakes and Back to 78, both released in 1978.
They came to popularity just after the height of punk, but were regarded as more post-punk, veering more towards the mainstream pop. They were much admired for their live performances, which had great humour--even slapstick. Their biggest hit in their native Netherlands is Disco Really Made it (#11 in the Dutch Top 40 in 1978), but their most well-known song internationally is Beep Beep Love (from the album Ten Mistakes), which enjoyed some success in both U.K. and U.S.
The U.K.'s Radio & Records voted them "Top Newcomer '78". In July 2006 the Japanese girl band Puffy AmiYumi recorded a new version of Tokyo, originally recorded by Gruppo Sportivo in 1978.
Gruppo Sportivo kept recording and performing on and off until December 2013, when the group announced and performed their (initially) final show in Haarlem, The Netherlands. However, they reformed in 2018 and released a new studio album the same year, titled Great. They went on another promotional tour which ended in 2019.
In the summer of 2021 they began recording new music, with - for the first time again in over 40 years - Robert Jan Stips as the producer.
Superman
Gruppo Sportivo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You didn't hear me knockin
I know that it's not true (Yes it's true)
Tell me you were talking
To the crazy friend of yours (Sure it's true)
He's just a plummer
while I'm a businessman (O yeah)
Lora, I'm your lover
Yes, Eddy is my lover
He's not a fool like you (Yes it's true)
You're standing on my doormat
Dogshit under your shoe (Sure it's true)
Why don't you take a lawyer
I told you one before, o yeah
Your quad transistor radio
I smashed it on the floor
Monday morning, I took your key to the house
Monday evening, Eddy took me quiet as a mouse
Monday night, you tried hard to kick in the door
Tuesday morning, you got suspicious
You wanted a devorce
After two days trying
You tought of that spare key (Yes it's true)
And lifting up the doormat
You got dogshit on you knee (Sure it's true)
Eddy stood behind me
Rollan in his hand, o yeah
He told me he was going to beat you on the head, on the head, on the head
That was august 17 and still you're not well
Now it's almost april
I'm soffering from nerves
Eddy wrote me in July
I'm coming out of jail
Jesus Christ tell me, who's gonna kiss me first?
You didn't try to stop him, he liked to do things big (Yes it's true)
Said in every paper: butcher kills his pig (Yes it's true)
Soon we'll be together
I wanna live again, o yeah
Lora let's forget it, cause I'm your superman
Superman, hey listen
Superman, I'm your sup-superman ... sup-superman ... I'm your sup-superman
Superman, sup-superman, I'm your superman
I'm your superman ... hey I'm your superman
I'm your super-super-super ... superman
I'm your super-super-super-super-superman
Uche uche
The song "Superman" by Gruppo Sportivo tells the story of a man, named Eddy, who is involved in a love triangle with a woman named Lora and the singer. The singer confronts Lora about her relationship with Eddy, insisting that he is the better choice because he is a businessman while Eddy is just a plumber. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the situation is not so simple, as the singer reveals that he broke Lora's radio and that Eddy threatened violence against Lora's husband. The song culminates in the singer declaring his love for Lora and asserting that he is her "superman."
The lyrics of "Superman" are a commentary on the complexities of relationships and the dynamics of power within them. The singer's insistence that he is superior to Eddy because he is a businessman reflects a desire to assert dominance over Lora and to define their relationship in terms of power rather than love. Similarly, Eddy's violent actions and threats reveal a desire to assert power over both Lora and her husband. Ultimately, the song suggests that love cannot exist without power dynamics, but that these dynamics can be dangerous and destructive.
Line by Line Meaning
You didn't hear me knockin
I arrived at the door without knocking, but you didn't notice
I know that it's not true (Yes it's true)
I realize that what I'm saying may sound false, but it's really true
Tell me you were talking
Admit that you were having a conversation
To the crazy friend of yours (Sure it's true)
I'm certain that you were talking to your eccentric friend
He's just a plumber
Your friend has a lowly job as a pipe specialist
while I'm a businessman (O yeah)
On the other hand, I have a respectable profession as a business owner
Lora, I'm your lover
My dear Lora, I am your romantic partner
And I'm your superman
And I am your protector and savior
Yes, Eddy is my lover
I must admit that Eddy is also my paramour
He's not a fool like you (Yes it's true)
However, Eddy is smarter than you, which is true
You're standing on my doormat
You're currently on the mat at the entrance to my home
Dogshit under your shoe (Sure it's true)
I can confirm that there is a piece of dog feces stuck to the bottom of your shoe
Why don't you take a lawyer
Why don't you seek the assistance of an attorney
I told you one before, o yeah
I have previously recommended that you hire legal representation
Your quad transistor radio
Your small radio with four electronic components
I smashed it on the floor
I broke it by throwing it down onto the ground
Monday morning, I took your key to the house
On Monday morning, I stole the key to your residence
Monday evening, Eddy took me quiet as a mouse
Later that day, Eddy and I left discreetly without making a sound
Monday night, you tried hard to kick in the door
You attempted to forcefully enter the house on Monday night
Tuesday morning, you got suspicious
You became distrustful on Tuesday morning
You wanted a divorce
You expressed a desire to end our marriage
After two days trying
After two days of attempting to open the door
You thought of that spare key (Yes it's true)
You remembered the extra key that was hidden, which is true
And lifting up the doormat
You lifted the mat and found the key underneath
You got dogshit on your knee (Sure it's true)
As you stood up, the piece of dog feces on your shoe got on your pants knee, which is true
Eddy stood behind me
Eddy was positioned behind me
Rollan in his hand, o yeah
He had a metal tool called a rollan in his hand
He told me he was going to beat you on the head, on the head, on the head
He threatened to repeatedly strike you on the head with the metal tool
That was august 17 and still you're not well
On August 17th, that violent incident occurred and you still haven't fully recovered
Now it's almost april
It's now almost April, several months later
I'm suffering from nerves
I am experiencing a nervous condition due to the stress of the situation
Eddy wrote me in July
Eddy sent me a letter in July
I'm coming out of jail
He informed me that he would be released from prison
Jesus Christ tell me, who's gonna kiss me first?
I'm unsure who will kiss me when Eddy is released from jail
You didn't try to stop him, he liked to do things big (Yes it's true)
You did not attempt to prevent Eddy from causing harm, as he enjoyed being excessive, which is true
Said in every paper: butcher kills his pig (Yes it's true)
The media reported the violent incident and sensationalized it, which is true
Soon we'll be together
Eddy and I will soon be reunited
I wanna live again, o yeah
I am eager to start fresh and embrace life fully
Lora let's forget it, cause I'm your superman
Lora, we should put the past behind us and move forward, because I will always be there to protect you as your superhero
Superman, hey listen
I am speaking to you as Superman, please pay attention
Superman, I'm your sup-superman ... sup-superman ... I'm your sup-superman
I am emphasizing that I am truly Superman, your superhero and protector
Superman, sup-superman, I'm your superman
I am reiterating that I am your one and only superhero, Superman
I'm your superman ... hey I'm your superman
I am confidently proclaiming that I am your superhero, Superman
I'm your super-super-super ... superman
I am your incredibly powerful superhero, Superman
I'm your super-super-super-super-superman
I am your ultimate superhero, Superman
Contributed by Gianna F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.