After self-releasing her first three records and gaining popularity in New York City's independent music scenes, particularly the anti-folk scene centered on New York City's East Village, Spektor signed with Sire Records in 2004 and began achieving greater mainstream recognition. After giving her third album a major label re-release, Sire released Spektor's fourth album, Begin to Hope, which achieved a Gold certification by the RIAA. Her following two albums, Far and What We Saw from the Cheap Seats, each debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200. 2016's Remember Us to Life peaked at 23 on the Billboard 200.
Mayor Bill de Blasio proclaimed June 11, 2019, Regina Spektor Day in New York City. Spektor was also inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame on May 18, 2019, by Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr.
Hero
Regina Spektor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Coming at all
He never, ever saw it
Coming at all
He never, ever saw it
Coming at all
It's alright, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right
Hey, open wide, here comes
Original sin
Hey, open wide, here comes
Original sin
(Vrrr)
Hey, open wide, here comes
Original sin
It's alright, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right
No one's got it all
No one's got it all
No one's got it a-a-all
Power to the people
We don't want it
We want pleasure
And the TVs try to rape us
And I guess that they're succeeding
And we're going to these meetings
But we're not doing any meeting
And we're trying to be faithful, but we're
Cheating, cheating, cheating
Hey, open wide, here comes
Original sin
Hey, open wide, here comes
Original sin
(Vrrr)
Hey, open wide, here comes
Original sin
It's alright, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right
No one's got it all
No one's got it all
No one's got it a-a-all
Power to the people
We don't want it
We want pleasure
And the TVs try to rape us
And I guess that they're succeeding
And we're going to these meetings
But we're not doing any meeting
And we're trying to be faithful, but we're
Cheating, cheating, cheating
I'm the hero of the story
Don't need to be saved
I'm the hero of the story
Don't need to be saved
I'm the hero of the story
Don't need to be saved
I'm the hero of the story
Don't need to be saved
It's alright, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right
No one's got it all
No one's got it all
No one's got it a-a-all
All
All
All
All
All, all, all, all, all
All, all, all, all, all
All, all, all, all, all
All, all, all, all, all
All, all, all, all, all
All, all, all, all
The song "Hero" by Regina Spektor explores themes of self-discovery, individuality, and the struggle against social norms and expectations. The singer in the song is portrayed as a person who doesn't conform to society's expectations and is comfortable with their uniqueness. The song begins with the repetition of the line "He never, ever saw it coming at all," which can be interpreted as the singer's realization of their own uniqueness and the liberation it brings. This is followed by the concept of "original sin," which can be interpreted as the societal pressure to conform, and the struggle against it. The repetition of the line "No one's got it all" emphasizes the idea that perfection is unattainable, and everyone has their own flaws and struggles to deal with.
The song then transitions to criticizing the power structures in society. The line "Power to the people, we don't want it; we want pleasure" can be interpreted as an attack on the facade of democracy and the idea that people are content with the material pleasures that capitalism offers. The line "And the TVs try to rape us, and I guess that they're succeeding" can be interpreted as the media's influence on shaping the public's perceptions and values. The song also comments on the inauthenticity of self-help groups and the dishonesty that comes with trying to conform to societal expectations. Finally, the singer asserts their heroism and their freedom from societal expectations, stating that they don't need to be saved.
Line by Line Meaning
He never, ever saw it
Coming at all
He was completely taken by surprise, unaware of what was happening.
It's alright, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right, it's al-
Right
Despite the surprise and chaos, everything will be okay in the end.
Hey, open wide, here comes
Original sin
Be prepared for the unavoidable mistakes and flaws in life.
No one's got it all
No one's got it all
No one's got it a-a-all
Nobody is perfect, and everyone has something to learn or improve on.
Power to the people
We don't want it
We want pleasure
And the TVs try to rape us
And I guess that they're succeeding
People often prioritize immediate pleasure over power and control, and media can have negative effects on society.
And we're going to these meetings
But we're not doing any meeting
And we're trying to be faithful, but we're
Cheating, cheating, cheating
People may go through the motions of trying to improve themselves, but cheat or fall back on old habits and mistakes.
I'm the hero of the story
Don't need to be saved
The individual can be their own hero, and they don't necessarily need someone else to save them.
All
All
All
All
All, all, all, all, all
All, all, all, all, all
All, all, all, all, all
All, all, all, all
Reinforces the message that nothing is perfect and everyone has something to work on.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: REGINA SPEKTOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind