superman
John Ondrasik Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
I'm more than a bird, I'm more than a plane
I'm more than some pretty face beside a train
And it's not easy to be me
Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see
It may sound absurd, but don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed, but won't you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
And it's not easy to be me
Up, up and away, away from me
Well, it's all right, you can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy
Or anything
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me
Inside of me
Inside me
Inside me
Inside of me
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
I'm only a man
Looking for a dream
I'm only a man
In a funny red sheet
And it's not easy
It's not easy to be
Me
The song Superman by Five For Fighting is a powerful reflection on the pressures and expectations that come with being a hero. The opening lines reveal a vulnerability and self-awareness as the singer admits that he can't stand to fly, but he's not naive; he's searching for the better part of himself. He's more than just a symbol, more than just a man of steel, he's someone with hopes, fears, and flaws. The next verse delves into the loneliness and isolation that can come with being a hero. The singer wishes he could cry, fall upon his knees and lie about the home he'll never see. He knows that it may sound absurd, but even heroes have the right to bleed and to dream.
The chorus's repetition affirms that it's not easy to be me, a sentiment that is echoed in the final verse. The image of a man in a funny red sheet looking for special things inside of him reinforces the idea that even Superman struggles with his identity and purpose. The song's conclusion, "I'm only a man looking for a dream," reminds us that even Superman has doubts and insecurities.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't stand to fly
I have a fear of flying and feel uncomfortable doing so.
I'm not that naive
I am not gullible or easily fooled.
I'm just out to find
I am searching for something important.
The better part of me
The part of me that is good, kind, and generous.
I'm more than a bird, I'm more than a plane
I am not limited to being just a bird or a plane, I am capable of much more.
I'm more than some pretty face beside a train
I am not just a superficial or attractive accessory to the things around me.
And it's not easy to be me
Being myself is a difficult task and comes with its own set of challenges.
Wish that I could cry
I wish I could release my emotions and express myself more freely.
Fall upon my knees
Put myself in a vulnerable position in which I am submissive or pleading for help.
Find a way to lie
Create a false reality where I can feel safe and secure, even though it may not be true.
About a home I'll never see
Misrepresent a place or idea that is unattainable or unrealistic for me to ever truly experience.
It may sound absurd, but don't be naïve
Although it may seem ridiculous, don't underestimate the impact of my struggles.
Even heroes have the right to bleed
Even those who are viewed as strong and admirable are imperfect and susceptible to pain and suffering.
I may be disturbed, but won't you concede
I may come across as unconventional or strange, but can you acknowledge my struggles and empathize with me?
Even heroes have the right to dream
No matter how powerful or respected someone is, they should always have aspirations and goals for the future.
And it's not easy to be me
My life is filled with challenges and difficulties, and it takes a toll on me.
Up, up and away, away from me
Escaping my problems and responsibilities, no matter how tempting, is not a solution and will not bring me long-term happiness or fulfillment.
Well, it's all right, you can all sleep sound tonight
You don't need to worry about me or my problems, as I will deal with them in my own time and way.
I'm not crazy
Despite my struggles, I am not insane or unstable.
Or anything
I am not anything other than a person who is trying their best to navigate life.
Men weren't meant to ride
It is not in the nature of men to ride or fly through the air.
With clouds between their knees
It is unnatural and uncomfortable to fly or float with clouds surrounding you.
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
I am just a regular person who is trying to be a hero, albeit in a ridiculous costume.
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
I am searching for something that makes me vulnerable, even if it is self-destructive to do so.
Only a man in a funny red sheet
I am not a supernatural being, just a regular human being who is wearing a colorful outfit.
Looking for special things inside of me
Seeking out unique or meaningful traits within myself that will set me apart.
It's not easy to be me
Life is full of challenges and struggles, and being myself is not always easy.
I'm only a man
I am not invincible or infallible, just a regular person.
Looking for a dream
Searching for something meaningful and fulfilling in my life.
And it's not easy
It can be hard to find meaning and purpose in one's life, even if they have good intentions.
It's not easy to be me
Living with one's own struggles and insecurities can be a difficult obstacle to overcome.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Ondrasik
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@magnusmartinreitbauer9615
Lyrics:
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naïve
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
I'm more than a bird,
I'm more than a plane
I'm more than some pretty face beside a train
It's not easy to be me
I wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
'Bout a home I'll never see
It may sound absurd but don't be naïve
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed but won’t you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
And it's not easy to be me
Up, up and away, away from me
Well, it's alright
You can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy or anything
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naïve
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me
Inside of me, inside of me [2x]
I’m only a man in a funny red sheet
I’m only a man looking for a dream
I’m only a man in a funny red sheet
And it's not easy.
It's not easy to be me.
@scottpowell5605
@@poisonivymathers Actually..."out of the blue" isn't always a bad thing.
A song you haven't heard in years can come on & completely change your entire day.
Lyrics from another song (google it).
Ain't it funny how a melody
Can bring back a memory
Take you to another place & time
Completely change your state of mind
@Pineappolis
Totally true of the song - love it and it, honestly, captures the core of Superman's character pretty darn well (better than most Superman comics, hoenstly). Very good writers are capable of doing it - AC #775 is so renowned, for example, despite having mostly... umm... atrocious artwork and fundamentally being very simple because, while Superman and his ideals ultimately triumph... it's far from because he's invincible. Despite it being very short it makes time for him to have not one but two pep-talks (with one being a simple but fantastic talk with Pa Kent) because his ideals are very, very hard to live by, very easy to doubt, and, yeah, it's incredibly important to realise, for all his strength, he's still just just a guy doing his best the way his awesome folks taught him.
Those are the touches that separate great stories from merely good ones and, with Supes, you practically need great. Characters with more limited and interesting powers - it's relatively easy for the writer to make a comic memorable as long as the artists are very good and there are plenty of very talented artists out there.
Supes? You've got a guy who has the power to "fix" a lot of the world's problems by putting himself above the law and not just killing 90% of the world's supervillains in his lunch break but destroying the armies of nations with governments deemed dangerous and... just about anything else he wanted. His moral compass is so trusted so widely that very few people would have any complaints.
What do you do with that? Ideally, you show a man who is probably just barely coping (but feels too greatly the need to give hope to people to show it) under the staggering weight of knowing that most people would rather have him "fix" the world as he sees fit, and knowing he could, but that doing so is anathema to his beliefs - that he is has no right to impose his will on others (beyond what would be deemed reasonable force at trial), that he's no less capable of being wrong than anyone else and that humanity can do better on their own, especially if lent a helping hand. That's difficult to write into stories without making the story about it.* Kingdom Come is a great example of very subtly and cleverly deconstructing his character - we've had a million knock-off (and several Elseworlds) Supermen decide to become tyrants because something terrible happens.
Having him still cling to his ideals on the worst day of his life only for someone else to commit the cold-blooded murder he wouldn't, be acquitted despite insurmountable evidence, and hailed as the real hero, causing Supes to be so broken that he basically decides, "if people don't want heroism done my way anymore - let them have their murderers - it's not in me to keep pretending that wasn't always what most people wanted the whole time anymore," only for things to gradually turn into a complete nightmare of gangs of metahumans murdering each other and catch civilians in the crossfire until he feels he has to comeback... but ends up overcorrecting, not out of anger but out of shame for abandoning humanity in the first place, becoming sufficiently dictatorial to start interning metahumans without trial and needing help to realise he's gone too far? Now that's interesting - it's just that character motivation being grief, disillusionment and exhaustion followed by immense guilt at letting those feelings break him is a lot harder to come up with than, "being really pissed off."
*The best I've ever seen it done is a single panel of him reading thousands of letters (I assume he had a PO box as Superman because of course he does) asking him to, in one way or another, "fix" the world while sitting slumped in a chair and looking so shattered that you wouldn't be surprised if he burst into tears. No dialogue - the artwork does more than any monologue I've read to convey how heartbreaking it must be at times when his kindness and eternal desire help run headlong into his humility and knowledge that, in many cases, doing so would require him essentially to declare himself King of the Earth.
@qbrizzy1158
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
I'm more than a bird, I'm more than a plane
I'm more than some pretty face beside a train
And it's not easy to be me
I wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
'Bout a home I'll never see
It may sound absurd, but don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed, but won't you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream?
And it's not easy to be me
Up, up, and away, away from me
Well, it's all right
You can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy
Or anything
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me
Inside of me
Inside of me
Yeah, inside of me
Inside of me
I'm only a man in a funny red sheet
I'm only a man looking for a dream
I'm only a man in a funny red sheet
And it's not easy, ooh, ooh, ooh
It's not easy to be me
@EvenOut
These film techniques still get to me to this day!
@johncalebfacurib6259
Same
@usernotfound1191
Somewhat but its kinda nice i suppose
@GoodSoup
Why hello there EvenOut.
@comptonyankeegang1664
That video was hella cool
@osamabinladen824
Me too
@sammasella4525
I miss you so much dad. This was your favorite song. 6 years ago you gained your wings, and 6 years ago you played this song at McDonalds when i was eating lunch on my lunch break, telling me that you were still here watching over me. I still cry any time I hear or think of this song. Thank you for being the best dad a girl could ask for, and you will always be my Superman🦸i will love and miss you forever 🪽♥️
@AntWillUms
I lost my dad October 14th, 2022. I hope you're doing okay, and wherever you are now you're happy and safe, and he's proud of you, even if you believe with all your heart that he isn't. Music has a way of healing and of telling us things we need to hear the most, from exactly who we needed to tell us.
@amybethhurst
My dad too. He always said, "I'm no superman." I sang this in his honor once I could get through it without crying.
@bleep77
Truly one of the most beautifully written songs of all time.