which song would you have preferred...? - Lois & Clark Fanfic Message Boards

remember that scene in the pilot when clark is trying on all those different outfits, trying to come up with the right one for superman?

during that scene, there's a song playing. "we need a hero." well, i recently discovered that they'd originally planned to use a different song -- "sharp-dressed man" by zz top. it's not about superman, but it might have been more appropriate to the specific scene, which was focused on all those (often rediculous) outfits.

so, i thought i'd try a poll. i'll paste the lyrics of both songs here (sorry i can't provide the music, too). take a look, think about it, and see... which do you think would have been better/more fun for that scene?

"holding out for a hero" by bonnie tyler:

Quote

Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight
Upon a firey steed?
Late at night i toss and turn
And i dream of what i need

I need a hero
I'm holdin out for a hero
Til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's got to be fast
And he's got to be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
Im holdin out for a hero
Til the mornin light
He's gotta be sure
And he's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
Larger than life

Somewhere after mignight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder
And rising with the heat
It's gonna take a superman
To sweep me off my feet

I need a hero
I'm holdin out for a hero
Til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's got to be fast
And he's got to be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
Im holdin out for a hero
Til the mornin light
He's gotta be sure
And he's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
Larger than life

Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I would swear there's someone somewhere
Watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach
Like a fire in my blood

I need a hero
I'm holdin out for a hero
Til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's got to be fast
And he's got to be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
Im holdin out for a hero
Til the mornin light
He's gotta be sure
And he's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
Larger than life

"sharp-dressed man" by zz top:

Quote

Clean shirt, new shoes
And I don’t know where I am goin’ to.
Silk suit, black tie,
I don’t need a reason why.
They come runnin’ just as fast as they can
Coz every girl crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man.

Gold watch, diamond ring,
I ain’t missin’ a single thing.
And cufflinks, stick pin,
When I step out I’m gonna do you in.
They come runnin’ just as fast as they can
Coz every girl crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man.

Top coat, top hat,
I don’t worry coz my wallet’s fat.
Black shades, white gloves,
Lookin’ sharp and lookin’ for love.
They come runnin’ just as fast as they can
Coz every girl grazy ’bout a sharp dressed man.

Well, I like both songs; always have. But I voted for 'Hero'.

I don't know - I guess it might be a case of not being able to shake off the imprint of it being the one used and being unable to imagine the other there instead. I can be like that sometimes.

LabRat

They'd both be good, really. But I had a pre-existing fondness for "Holding out for a hero" (not sure I remember why). It's a more romantic song, IMO, and fits with what we know of Lois ("If they can't handle that, I'll wait for someone who can") Lane. I also like the contrast between the heroic imagery in the song and the way Clark looks ridiculous, bewildered and harassed

PJ

I agree with Pam's point about the contrast. Also, the Sharp Dressed Man is all about a business-type suit, and though it is about making impressions and being dressed well, blah blah blah, it's still about a *business* suit. And he's getting a superhero costume. No tie. No cufflinks. Nothing that is mentioned in the song.

That's my opinion.

Bethy

What Bethy said. I totally agree.

AnnaBtG.

The Bonnie Tyler fan in me went for 'Hero'. True, the lyrics of Hero (or others BT songs) fit perfectly for the 'try suits' scene but...

Quote

it's still about a *business* suit.

...The ZZ Top song, yes. But, if you take it from Clark's POV, can't the Superman suit be considered as a business suit, too?

I don't think the man described in ZZ Top's song feels himself, nor comfortable in his business suit. It's just that his 'sharp dressed man' appearance allows him to do things people would normally question him about (if he was, say, 'casually' dressed).

Quote

I don’t need a reason why.

The business suit allows him to be someone else, to leave his every problems behind...along with being popular among girls

Carole (/who admits her theory is a little farfetched)

Well, as one or two friends already know, I'm totally deaf when it comes to song lyrics. The tune is everything, as far as I'm concerned, so Bonnie Tyler could have been singing about the contents of her laundry basket for all the difference it would have made to me.

I didn't even notice until I saw the lyrics written down here that the song is all about needing a hero. Words just aren't my forte.

Yvonne

I remember one review of Lois & Clark's 'Pilot' - they had described what a fantastic scene that was, how funny and original, and that it was just brilliant to have ZZ Top's Sharp Dressed Man playing the background. So maybe they actually used this song in the original..

Anyway, I like both songs very much. But, like others have said, I prefer "Holding Out for a Hero" to go with the scene, yes

But maybe that's just because I wrote a script for a music video with the song "Sharp Dressed Man", as a project I did for the school. The script turned out to be very good, in fact, but the other people on my group wanted a different song, "a little more tougher". So, instead, I had to co-write a script for Alice Cooper's "Love's A Loaded Gun"...in which I was the hooker.

But my head is still stuck on the script I wrote for that song, so maybe that's because I really can't see it any other way...like in that Lois & Clark scene. But it could have worked, I think

Pelican

interesting. i expected that most people would say "hero," but i didn't expect the response to be so unanimous. for the record, i didn't vote, and i have no idea who the one person who voted for zz top happens to be. i'm still not sure which i'd have preferred, myself. i can see advantages to both. thanks for your responses, though. been fun.

Paul