Hercules

Album: The Blessed Unrest (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Sara Bareilles told VH1 that the song is about feeling broken and needing to ask for help. "I was trying to think about an image that conjures up a strong individual," she said. "This Herculean entity that is fearless and courageous."
  • In Greek mythology Hercules was the son of Zeus and Alcmena. A hero of superhuman physical strength, he is represented as brawny, muscular and short-necked. While serving Eurystheus, king of Argos, he performed 12 labours including the slaying of the Nemean lion and taking captive the Cretan bull. Here are a few more Herculean lyrics:

    "Sand in My Face" by 10cc ("Hands like hams. Knees like trees. 200 lbs. Of surfboard Hercules.")

    "Bucket List" by Nelly Furtado ("Climb a mountain swim the seven seas, Get your body to look like Hercules. Jump out an airplane with a parachute. Fly up and away on a hot air balloon.")

    "Holding Out For A Hero" by Bonnie Tyler ("Where have all the good men gone. And where are all the gods? Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds? Isn't there a white knight.")

    "How'd Ya Do It Dee" by Run-D.M.C. ("Run-D.M.C.'s award nominee. The K-I-N-G's of all M-I-see's. Like Hercules, with rhymes like these. Never crackin' not lackin' and I still pull G's.")

    "Superhuman" by Ginuwine ("Even Hercules wouldn't have the strength to leave. Once he fell under the spell of your kiss. So how could I even try (tell me). To leave your side and say goodbye baby...")
  • The song was inspired by the name of a music stand that Bareilles had in her studio. She said: "It's my story, but the spark came from a piece of metal."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," Kiss

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."