My Hero ( Foo Fighters song ) - wikipedia My Hero ( Foo Fighters song ) This article is about the Foo Fighters song. For the Blue Notes song, see Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. `` My Hero '' Single by Foo Fighters from the album The Colour and the Shape Released January 19, 1998 Format CD Recorded 1997 at Grandmaster Recorders in Hollywood, CA Genre Alternative rock, post-grunge Length 4 : 20 Label Roswell, Capitol Songwriter ( s ) Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel and Pat Smear Producer ( s ) Gil Norton Foo Fighters singles chronology `` Everlong '' ( 1997 ) `` My Hero '' ( 1998 ) `` Walking After You '' ( 1998 ) `` Everlong '' ( 1997 ) `` My Hero '' ( 1998 ) `` Walking After You '' ( 1998 ) Alternate cover Japanese CD `` My Hero '' is the third single from the Foo Fighters ' second album, The Colour and the Shape ( 1997 ), released on January 19, 1998. Contents 1 Song information 2 Music video 3 In the media 4 Objection to use in 2008 Presidential Campaign 5 Other Versions 6 Track listings 6.1 UK single 6.2 Japan special edition maxi single 6.3 Australian single 7 Charts and certifications 7.1 Singles charts 7.2 Certifications 8 Personnel 9 Covers 10 References 11 External links Song information Although the song was first released on The Colour and the Shape album in 1997, it had been played live as early as 1995. According to Dave Grohl, the song is dedicated to ordinary, everyday heroes, as he himself never had musical or sports heroes growing up as a child. During Foo Fighters ' appearance on VH1 Storytellers in 2009, Dave Grohl explained that the song was written while watching 1980s movies like Valley Girl. Grohl also stated that the song was written about Pete Stahl and Chip Donaldson, without even knowing it. Music video The music video was directed by Dave Grohl. It features a man running into a burning building to rescue a woman 's baby, another woman 's dog, and finally a picture frame of the first woman. The eyes of both the baby and the dog are blocked out to show they represent people in need everywhere. The camera follows the man throughout the video, with his face never being shown. It is presented in a continuous `` long take '' format, although actual transitional cuts are disguised by smoke. During shots inside the building, the band is seen performing the song, seemingly unconcerned about the chaos around them. It is the only Foo Fighters video to feature guitarist Franz Stahl, who replaced Pat Smear ( Stahl did not appear in the video for the next and last single from the album, 1998 's `` Walking After You '', as it featured only Grohl ). In the media The song was featured in the movie Varsity Blues during the climactic scene of the final football game. The scene was later parodied in the 2001 film Not Another Teen Movie. The song also appeared in the 2010 films Somewhere and The Other Guys when part of the song was heard during the scene where two characters ( played by Dwayne `` The Rock '' Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson ) jump to their death. In a post-September 11 episode of CBS 's The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn ( September 21, 2001 ), Grohl and bassist Nate Mendel performed an acoustic rendition of the song. A full group acoustic version is available on the 2006 live album and DVD Skin and Bones. An acoustic version was also performed live on The Howard Stern Show by Grohl. The 2006 album Sound of Superman features an acoustic cover of `` My Hero '' by Paramore. My Hero was featured in the game Gran Turismo 2. The song, along with the rest of the album, was released as downloadable content for the Rock Band series of music video games on November 13, 2008. It is also one of 38 songs included on the benefit album, Songs for Japan ( compiled in response to the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Tōhoku ), released on March 25, 2011. Objection to use in 2008 presidential campaign In 2008, the Foo Fighters criticized the campaign of Republican presidential candidate John McCain for using their song at rallies without their permission. Foo Fighters responded to the incident saying : `` It 's frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people would repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property... The saddest thing about this is that ' My Hero ' was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song. '' The McCain campaign has noted that the song was used properly under blanket licensing ( which does not require the artist 's permission ), and all proper royalties were paid. However, the band played a stripped down, acoustic version of the song live, during an appearance at the end of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Previously Republican President George W. Bush had used Foo Fighters ' 2003 single `` Times Like These '' during his 2004 re-election campaign without the band 's knowledge or consent. This prompted the band to perform a slew of shows in support of Democratic candidate John Kerry. Other versions A live version recorded in Amsterdam February 29, 2000 was released on Live in Holland, Part Two. A live version recorded at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles was released on both versions of Skin and Bones. A live version filmed at Hyde Park on June 17, 2006 was released on the Live at Hyde Park DVD. A live version filmed at Wembley Stadium on June 6, 2008 was released on the Live at Wembley Stadium DVD. Track listings Uk single `` My Hero '' - 4 : 21 `` Baker Street '' ( Gerry Rafferty cover ) - 5 : 39 `` Dear Lover '' - 4 : 34 Enhanced section Containing : Everlong ( Video ) Monkey Wrench ( 30sec Clip ) My Hero ( Song File Format ) Japan special edition maxi single `` My Hero '' `` Requiem '' ( Killing Joke cover ) `` Drive Me Wild '' ( Vanity 6 cover ) `` Down in the Park '' ( Gary Numan cover ) `` Baker Street '' ( Gerry Rafferty cover ) `` See You '' ( acoustic ) `` For All the Cows '' ( Live at Toshiba - EMI Ltd on 2 April 1997 in Japan ) Australian single `` My Hero '' `` Dear Lover '' `` For All the Cows '' ( Live at Toshiba - EMI Ltd on 2 April 1997 in Japan ) Charts and certifications Singles charts Chart ( 1998 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 74 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 21 US Radio Songs ( Billboard ) 59 US Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) 6 US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) 8 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Australia ( ARIA ) Gold 35,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Silver 200,000 shipments figures based on certification alone sales + streaming figures based on certification alone Personnel Dave Grohl -- vocals, drums, rhythm guitar Pat Smear -- lead guitar Nate Mendel -- bass Covers The song has been covered by : Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Paramore for Sound of Superman. Set Your Goals at the Hoodwink Festival in 2009. Beloved on their Live at the Cat 's Cradle album. Dave Grohl also played a solo version of it in Radio 1 's live lounge References Jump up ^ http://www.fooarchive.com/headwires/colourandtheshape.htm fooarchive.com Jump up ^ Foos Fight McCain over film use, BBC News, 09 / 10 / 2008 Jump up ^ `` Christopher Sprigman and Siva Vaidhyanathan - Cue ' Barracuda ' ''. Washingtonpost.com. 2008 - 10 - 13. Retrieved 2011 - 11 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Foo Fighters Strip Down With Acoustic Set at DNC ''. rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. 2012 - 09 - 07. Retrieved 2015 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Ryan, Gavin ( 2011 ). Australia 's Music Charts 1988 -- 2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia : Moonlight Publishing. Jump up ^ `` Foo Fighters : Artist Chart History ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Foo Fighters -- Chart history '' Billboard Radio Songs for Foo Fighters. Jump up ^ `` Foo Fighters -- Chart history '' Billboard Alternative Songs for Foo Fighters. Jump up ^ `` Foo Fighters -- Chart history '' Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs for Foo Fighters. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- Accreditations -- 2014 Singles ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 13 December 2014. Jump up ^ `` British single certifications -- Foo Fighters -- My Hero ''. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 July 2017. Enter My Hero in the search field and then press Enter. External links `` My Hero '' Official music video on YouTube Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Foo Fighters Dave Grohl Nate Mendel Pat Smear Taylor Hawkins Chris Shiflett Rami Jaffee William Goldsmith Franz Stahl Studio albums Foo Fighters The Colour and the Shape There Is Nothing Left to Lose One by One In Your Honor Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace Wasting Light Sonic Highways Concrete and Gold EPs Five Songs and a Cover Songs from the Laundry Room Saint Cecilia Live albums Skin and Bones Compilations Greatest Hits Medium Rare Media Everywhere but Home Skin and Bones Live at Wembley Stadium Foo Fighters : Back and Forth Foo Fighters : Sonic Highways Singles `` This Is a Call '' `` I 'll Stick Around '' `` For All the Cows '' `` Big Me '' `` Exhausted '' `` Alone + Easy Target '' `` Monkey Wrench '' `` Everlong '' `` My Hero '' `` Walking After You '' `` Learn to Fly '' `` Stacked Actors '' `` Generator '' `` Breakout '' `` Next Year '' `` The One '' `` All My Life '' `` Times Like These '' `` Low '' `` Have It All '' `` Best of You '' `` DOA '' `` Resolve '' `` No Way Back '' / `` Cold Day in the Sun '' `` Miracle '' `` The Pretender '' `` Long Road to Ruin '' `` Cheer Up, Boys ( Your Make Up Is Running ) '' `` Let It Die '' `` Wheels '' `` Rope '' `` White Limo '' `` Walk '' `` Arlandria '' `` These Days '' `` Bridge Burning '' `` Something from Nothing '' `` The Feast and the Famine '' `` Congregation '' `` What Did I Do ? / God as My Witness '' `` Outside '' `` Saint Cecilia '' `` Run '' `` The Sky Is a Neighborhood '' Other songs `` Friend of a Friend '' `` Marigold '' `` The Line '' Concert tours Foo Fighters live performances Sonic Highways World Tour Concrete and Gold Tour Associated acts Nirvana Late ! Tenacious D Sunny Day Real Estate The Germs Scream Probot Killing Joke Queens of the Stone Age Nine Inch Nails Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders The Fire Theft Jackson United Me First and the Gimme Gimmes No Use for a Name Them Crooked Vultures The Birds of Satan The Wallflowers Related Discography Songs Awards and nominations Members 24 Hours of Foo Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=My_Hero_(Foo_Fighters_song)&oldid=801804067 '' Categories : 1998 singles Foo Fighters songs Songs written by Dave Grohl Songs written by Pat Smear Songs written by Nate Mendel 1997 songs Song recordings produced by Gil Norton Hidden categories : Articles which use infobox templates with no data rows Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for UKsinglesbyname Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardradiosongs Singlechart usages for Billboardalternativesongs Singlechart usages for Billboardmainstreamrock Certification Table Entry usages for Australia Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español فارسی Français Italiano Polski Português Suomi Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 21 September 2017, at 23 : 45. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what is the song my hero by foo fighters about
Answer: ordinary, everyday heroes