Holding Out For A Hero – English Lyrics

• By: Bonnie Tyler

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the powerful language of longing and heroism in Bonnie Tyler's iconic hit, "Holding Out for a Hero." Originally featured in the movie *Footloose*, this song teaches you how to express your desires and fantasies through larger-than-life imagery and dramatic vocals. Learn how to convey urgency and emotion while exploring the cultural impact of this timeless 80s anthem, and understand why it remains a beloved favorite across generations.

[English]

(techno music starts)

(piano playing)

♪ Doo doo doo doo ♪

♪ Doo doo doo doo ♪

♪ Doo doo doo doo ♪

♪ Ahh Ahh ♪

♪ 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 fiery steed ♪

♪ Late at night ♪

♪ I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need ♪

♪ I need a hero ♪

♪ I'm holding out for at hero ♪

♪ Til' the end of the night ♪

♪ He's gotta be strong ♪

♪ And he's gotta be fast ♪

♪ And he's gotta be fresh from the fight ♪

♪ I need a hero ♪

♪ I'm holding out for a hero ♪

♪ Til' the morning light ♪

♪ He's gotta be sure ♪

♪ And it's gotta be soon ♪

♪ And he's gotta be larger than life ♪

♪ Larger than life ♪

♪ Doo doo doo doo ♪

♪ Doo doo doo doo ♪

♪ Doo doo doo doo ♪

♪ Ahh Ahh ♪

♪ Somewhere after midnight ♪

♪ 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 holding out for a hero ♪

♪ Til' the end of the night ♪

♪ He's gotta be strong ♪

♪ And he's gotta be fast ♪

♪ And he's gotta be fresh from the fight ♪

♪ I need a hero ♪

♪ I'm holding out for a hero ♪

♪ Til' the morning light ♪

♪ He's gotta be sure ♪

♪ And it's gotta be soon ♪

♪ And he's gotta be larger than life ♪

♪ I need a hero ♪

♪ I'm holding out for at hero ♪

♪ Til' the the end of the night ♪

(techno and piano music continues)

(beat builds)

(horns play)

♪ Up where the mountains meet the heavens above ♪

♪ Out where the lightning strikes the sea ♪

♪ I could swear there is 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 ♪

♪ Like a fire in my blood ♪

♪ Like a fire in my blood ♪

♪ Like a fire in my blood ♪

♪ Like a fire in my blood, ah, ah ♪

♪ I need a hero ♪

(gun fires)

♪ I'm holding out for a hero ♪

♪ Til' the end of the night ♪

♪ He's gotta be strong ♪

♪ And he's gotta be fast ♪

♪ And he's gotta be fresh from the fight ♪

♪ I need a hero ♪

♪ I'm holding out for a hero ♪

♪ Til' the morning light ♪

♪ He's gotta be sure ♪

♪ And it's gotta be soon ♪

♪ And he's gotta be larger than life ♪

♪ I need a hero ♪

♪ I'm holding out for a hero ♪

♪ Til' the end of the night ♪

♪ Ooooh ooooh ♪

(gun fires)

♪ Ooooh oooh ooooooooooooh ♪

♪ Ooooooooh ooooooh ♪

(intense techno beats)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hero /ˈhɪroʊ/ A1	noun - a person admired for courage, achievements, or noble qualities
strong /strɒŋ/ A1	adjective - having power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks
fast /fæst/ A1	adjective - moving or capable of moving at high speed
fight /faɪt/ A1	verb - to take part in a physical conflict noun - a violent confrontation between people
sure /ʃʊr/ A1	adjective - having no doubt or hesitation
soon /suːn/ A1	adverb - in a short time
reach /riːtʃ/ A1	verb - to stretch out an arm or hand to touch or grasp something
lightning /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/ A2	noun - a sudden electrical discharge during a thunderstorm
strike /straɪk/ A2	verb - to hit forcibly and deliberately
approach /əˈproʊtʃ/ B1	verb - to come near or nearer to
wildest /ˈwaɪldɪst/ B1	adjective - most uncontrolled or extreme
fantasy /ˈfæntəsi/ B1	noun - the faculty or activity of imagining things, especially things that are impossible or improbable
superman /ˈsuːpərˌmæn/ B2	noun - an idealized man with exceptional strength, powers, or abilities
heavens /ˈhɛvənz/ B2	noun - the sky, especially as regarded in a religious context
sweep /swip/ B1	verb - to move something with a swift, continuous motion
larger /ˈlɑːrdʒər/ A2	adjective - greater in size or amount
mountains /ˈmaʊntənz/ A1	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface
storm /stɔːrm/ A2	noun - a violent meteorological phenomenon with strong winds and heavy rain
blood /blʌd/ A1	noun - the red liquid that circulates in the bodies of humans and animals

Key Grammar Structures

• Where have all the good men gone

  ➔ Present Perfect with "gone"

  ➔ The phrase uses the present perfect tense ("have gone") to describe a situation that started in the past and continues to have relevance in the present. "Gone" is the past participle of the verb "go".

• I'm holding out for a hero

  ➔ Present Continuous for future intention/arrangement

  ➔ The present continuous is used here to express a planned or intended action in the future, in this case, "holding out" which implies persistence of an action.

• Til' the end of the night

  ➔ Prepositional phrase with "til'" (or "until") indicating a duration.

  ➔ "Til'" is a shortened form of "until", and the phrase indicates how long the speaker will continue to do the action, in this case, "holding out".

• He's gotta be strong

  ➔ "Gotta" (contraction of "got to") + base verb, indicating obligation or strong probability.

  ➔ This uses the informal contraction "gotta", equivalent to "has/have got to", to express the required characteristics of the hero. It indicates a strong necessity.

• Somewhere after midnight

  ➔ Prepositional phrase of time, using "after" to specify a time.

  ➔ This phrase indicates a specific time, referencing a point after midnight, adding to the song's atmosphere.

• In my wildest fantasy

  ➔ Prepositional phrase, modifies "somewhere", indicating the location of the singer's dream.

  ➔ This phrase paints a picture of where the singer's dream takes place, using the adjective "wildest" to emphasize the nature of the fantasy.

• Racing on the thunder

  ➔ Present participle phrase modifying the subject (hero) and describing his actions.

  ➔ The word "racing" functions as an adjective describing how the hero moves, creating a vivid image.

• It's gonna take a superman

  ➔ "It's gonna" (contraction of "It is going to") + base verb; expressing future action.

  ➔ Uses the colloquial contraction "It's gonna" which is equal to "It is going to" to express a future action (taking the singer off her feet).