Hero By Skillet - Songfacts

Toggle navigation Songfacts Logo
  • Home
  • Categories
  • Places
  • Blog
    • Blogs Home
    • Songwriter Interviews
    • Song Writing
    • Fact or Fiction
    • They're Playing My Song
    • Music Quiz
    • Songfacts Pages
    • Songwriting Legends
    • Songfacts Podcast
    • All Titles
    • Authors
      • Amanda Flinner
      • April Fox
      • Bruce Pollock
      • Carl Wiser
      • Corey O'Flanagan
      • Dan MacIntosh
      • Developer
      • Ed Pearce
      • Greg Prato
      • Jeff Suwak
      • Jess Grant
      • Laura Antonelli
      • Leslie Michele Derrough
      • Maggie Grimason
      • Nicole Roberge
      • Roger Catlin
      • Shawna Ortega
      • Stephanie Myers
      • Trevor Morelli
  • Browse
    • Songs
    • Artists
    • Places
    • Years
    • Categories
Songfacts Logo Search

Heroby Skillet

Album: Awake (2009) License This Song artistfacts Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This hook-heavy tune was the lead single from American Christian rock band Skillet's eighth studio album, Awake.
  • Frontman John Cooper told StereoTruth: "This song is the platform over which the whole record was written. Basically every day seems to get weirder, darker and scarier with thousands of people losing their homes and hurting over a wide variety of reasons. You see so much negativity on the news, especially this sense of violence that's getting really crazy. With all this going on, it's easy to feel on the edge, but no matter how dark it gets, there's always hope in a new day and staying positive is the first step. And when you boil it all down, Christ is the one who gives us a reason to live and He's our 'Hero' who's fighting for all of this oppression and injustice."
  • This song, along with the rest of the album was helmed by the Grammy-nominated producer Howard Benson (Daughtry, My Chemical Romance, The All American Rejects).
  • When asked which Skillet songs were mostly derived from his personal experiences, John Cooper listed this as one, "because I wrote that song based on a time when I was wondering who my own children would look up to when they get older," he told the Bucks County Courier Times. "Who is left to believe in? I was hit hard by all the Catholic priest accusations during that time, and I thought, 'Man, these are supposed to be heroes to kids.' That is why I wrote that song. It's about all the people who we believe in the past that have let us down."
  • This was a popular song in wrestling in 2010. It was used on WWE Raw and Royal Rumble.
  • This was also used in the 2012 horror film Grave Encounters 2.
  • After working with Comatose producer Brian Howes - who argued with Cooper over whether the opening line of "Yours To Hold" should be "See you standing here" or "I see you standing here" - Cooper had to readjust to Benson's broader approach on Awake. "Howard is not a songwriter," Cooper explained to jesusfreakhideout.com. "For example, for the song 'Hero,' I would say, 'Should it be 'I need a hero' or should it be 'I want a hero'?' He would just say that it didn't matter. I wasn't used to that. He's more about the concept of the song than the details. He wants to make sure it's something that people want to hear. I learned a lot from Howard about the overall sound of a record and what you're trying to say with it."
  • More songs from Skillet
  • More songs that are also the names of movies
  • More songs from 2009
  • Skillet Artistfacts
Your name as you would like it displayed Your Locaton Your Comment send your comment

Comments: 7

  • Billyone of my favourite songs
  • Daniel from Winchester, Ohiogeez, my comment from way back then seems so cringey now.. still this is a pretty good song with one decently good memory behind it, my friend Jeremy, who just so happens to be christian used to overplay the crap out of this song at my former best friend's house, dude we got so absolutely tired of the song for awhile that even now I still get flashbacks every time I hear it.
  • Megan from Stevenson, AlOH, WOW! This song is truely amazing! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the bass in this song!!!
  • Jack from Nashville, TnThis song sucks so much balls, but I wouldn't really expect anything different from this band.
  • Nathan Ritz from Paoli, InHero and monster are my favorite songs.
  • [p3yt0n} from Somewhere, In"A hero's not afraid to give his life. A hero's gonna save me just in time." Very true.
  • Daniel from Winchester, OhThis and "Monster" has become one of favorite Skillet songs!!!
see more comments

More Songfacts:

No Doubt

Don't SpeakNo Doubt

No Doubt's hit "Don't Speak" is about Gwen Stefani's breakup with the band's bass player, Tony Kanal, after seven years together.

Steve Miller Band

The JokerSteve Miller Band

The "pompatus of love" from the Steve Miller song "The Joker" comes from a line in a '50s doo-wop song Miller misheard: "puppetutes of love."

Pixies

Here Comes Your ManPixies

"Here Comes Your Man" is the closest the Pixies came to a hit in America. It was rumored to be about a drug dealer, but Black Francis says it's just a story about some hobos who travel by train and die in an earthquake.

Robert Plant

Heaven KnowsRobert Plant

Robert Plant's "Heaven Knows" is a satirical look at the '80s, when style seemed to trump substance.

The Friends Of Distinction

Grazing In The GrassThe Friends Of Distinction

Grazing In The Grass by The Friends Of Distinction was the first big hit to use the phrase "dig it" in the lyric.

Meghan Trainor

All About That BassMeghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor and her producer Kevin Kadish originally wrote "All About That Bass" for another artist to record. However, after Epic Records boss LA Reid heard Meghan play a demo of the song on a ukulele, he signed the young songwriter to his label and told her she should sing it.

Editor's Picks

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Song Cities

Song CitiesMusic Quiz

Nirvana, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen are among those who wrote songs with cities that show up in this quiz.

Mac Powell of Third Day

Mac Powell of Third DaySongwriter Interviews

The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

When Rock Belonged To Michelob

When Rock Belonged To MichelobSong Writing

Michelob commercials generated hits for Eric Clapton, Genesis and Steve Winwood in the '80s, even as some of these rockers were fighting alcoholism.

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Songfacts® Newsletter

A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs

What's your email? SUBSCRIBE

Information

  • About Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Our Privacy Policy
  • Google Privacy Policy
  • Songfacts API
  • Music History Calendar
  • Song Licensing
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Manager

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • YouTube

Contribution

  • Message Boards
  • Songfacts Writers

©2025 Songfacts, LLC

Tag » What Is Hero By Skillet About