“O Superman (For Massenet)” was initially released as a single from Laurie Anderson first studio album, Big Science. It became an unexpected pop hit, reaching #2 on the UK singles chart in 1981.
Originally, the single was a limited release of 1,000 copies that Anderson had only made because her friend, indie label owner and fellow Whitney Museum art teacher B. George had convinced her to let him release it. Says George of the recording:
We got a National Endowment grant for $500 and she recorded it in her hallway because it was the quietest place she could find. I suggested she slow it down slightly to make it longer – it ended up eight minutes long – so I’d get paid more royalties if it was played on the radio.
Soon after its release, George began working on his book, Volume: The International Discography of the New Wave. Legendary British DJ John Peel bought a copy of Volume and was so impressed, he brought George to his radio programme to give his audience a sampling of new and interesting music from New York. George brought “O Superman”.
Suddenly, the song was played all over the radio in the UK, demand skyrocketed and Anderson got an offer from a British company to press 80,000 copies of “O Superman”. She’d previously been offered recording contracts by Warner Bros. A&R men at her concerts, but had refused every time – however, with this newfound success headed her way, she went back to them and asked if they could press 80,000 copies of her single. They immediately signed her to an eight-album deal.
“Superman” was originally part of Anderson’s larger performance art piece entitled The United States, which depicted vignettes of American life through performance art, spoken word, dance, animation and music.
It is a cryptic song, with lyrics warning against the U.S. reliance on a strong military presence worldwide. It’s musical structure is formed from a repeating four-bar loop of Anderson saying the word “ha”. It is accompanied throughout the song by synthesisers, off-tempo vocal loops, and a sample of birdsong.
In a 2016 interview with The Guardian, Anderson describes “O Superman” as:
…a one-sided conversation, like a prayer to God. It sounds sinister – but it is sinister when you start talking to power.
The song was inspired by the failed 1980 attempt to rescue the 52 men and women being held hostage in the American Embassy in Iran. Says Anderson:
We were left with dead bodies, a pile of burning debris and the hostages nowhere to be seen. So I thought I’d write a song about all that and the failure of technology.
In an interview with GRITtv, Anderson said:
“O Superman” was written at a time of great “techno-humiliation”… People realized “Oh my God, technology will not save you now, and the so-called U.S. ‘great technology’ is just crashing and burning.
O Superman (For Massenet)
Laurie Anderson
Produced by Roma Baran & Laurie Anderson
1982 Album Big Science (Warner)
2016 DJ Remix: Marcello Giordani (Italy)
O SUPERMAN (LYRICS):
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...
O Superman. O Judge. O Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad
O Superman. O Judge. O Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad
Mom and Dad, Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Hi. I'm not home right now
But if you want to leave a message
Just start talking at the sound of the tone
Ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Hello? This is your Mother. Are you there?
Are you coming home?
Ah, ah, ah
Hello? Is anybody home?
Well, you don't know me, but I know you
And I've got a message to give to you
Here come the planes
So you better get ready. Ready to go
You can come as you are, but pay as you go. Pay as you go
Ah ah ah ah ah
And I said: OK. Who is this really? And the voice said:
This is the hand, the hand that takes
This is the hand, the hand that takes
This is the hand, the hand that takes
Here come the planes
They're American planes. Made in America
Smoking or non-smoking?
Ah, ah
Ah ah ah ah
And the voice said: Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night
Shall stay these couriers from the swift completion
Of their appointed rounds
Originally, the single was a limited release of 1,000 copies that Anderson had only made because her friend, indie label owner and fellow Whitney Museum art teacher B. George had convinced her to let him release it. Says George of the recording:
We got a National Endowment grant for $500 and she recorded it in her hallway because it was the quietest place she could find. I suggested she slow it down slightly to make it longer – it ended up eight minutes long – so I’d get paid more royalties if it was played on the radio.
Soon after its release, George began working on his book, Volume: The International Discography of the New Wave. Legendary British DJ John Peel bought a copy of Volume and was so impressed, he brought George to his radio programme to give his audience a sampling of new and interesting music from New York. George brought “O Superman”.
Suddenly, the song was played all over the radio in the UK, demand skyrocketed and Anderson got an offer from a British company to press 80,000 copies of “O Superman”. She’d previously been offered recording contracts by Warner Bros. A&R men at her concerts, but had refused every time – however, with this newfound success headed her way, she went back to them and asked if they could press 80,000 copies of her single. They immediately signed her to an eight-album deal.
“Superman” was originally part of Anderson’s larger performance art piece entitled The United States, which depicted vignettes of American life through performance art, spoken word, dance, animation and music.
It is a cryptic song, with lyrics warning against the U.S. reliance on a strong military presence worldwide. It’s musical structure is formed from a repeating four-bar loop of Anderson saying the word “ha”. It is accompanied throughout the song by synthesisers, off-tempo vocal loops, and a sample of birdsong.
In a 2016 interview with The Guardian, Anderson describes “O Superman” as:
…a one-sided conversation, like a prayer to God. It sounds sinister – but it is sinister when you start talking to power.
The song was inspired by the failed 1980 attempt to rescue the 52 men and women being held hostage in the American Embassy in Iran. Says Anderson:
We were left with dead bodies, a pile of burning debris and the hostages nowhere to be seen. So I thought I’d write a song about all that and the failure of technology.
In an interview with GRITtv, Anderson said:
“O Superman” was written at a time of great “techno-humiliation”… People realized “Oh my God, technology will not save you now, and the so-called U.S. ‘great technology’ is just crashing and burning.
O Superman (For Massenet)
Laurie Anderson
Produced by Roma Baran & Laurie Anderson
1982 Album Big Science (Warner)
2016 DJ Remix: Marcello Giordani (Italy)
O SUPERMAN (LYRICS):
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...
O Superman. O Judge. O Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad
O Superman. O Judge. O Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad
Mom and Dad, Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Hi. I'm not home right now
But if you want to leave a message
Just start talking at the sound of the tone
Ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Hello? This is your Mother. Are you there?
Are you coming home?
Ah, ah, ah
Hello? Is anybody home?
Well, you don't know me, but I know you
And I've got a message to give to you
Here come the planes
So you better get ready. Ready to go
You can come as you are, but pay as you go. Pay as you go
Ah ah ah ah ah
And I said: OK. Who is this really? And the voice said:
This is the hand, the hand that takes
This is the hand, the hand that takes
This is the hand, the hand that takes
Here come the planes
They're American planes. Made in America
Smoking or non-smoking?
Ah, ah
Ah ah ah ah
And the voice said: Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night
Shall stay these couriers from the swift completion
Of their appointed rounds
RETRO DISCO Hi-NRG
