Hero (Enrique Iglesias song)

Infobox Single
Name = Hero


Artist = Enrique Iglesias
from Album = Escape
B-side =
Released = 2001
Format = CD single
Recorded = 2001
Genre = Pop
Length =
Label = Interscope Records
Writer = Enrique Iglesias
Paul Barry
Mark Taylor
Producer =
Certification = Platinum (ARIA)
Last single = "Sad Eyes" (2000)
This single = "Hero" (2001)
Next single = "Escape" (2002)
Misc =

"Hero" is a single released by Enrique Iglesias from his second English album "Escape".

Enrique first released the song to radio in late November 2001 to a positive critical and commercial reception. After the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, the song was one of the few songs chosen by Radio DJs in New York to be remixed with audio from police, firefighters, civilians at Ground Zero and Politicians commenting on the attacks.

He was asked to sing the song live at the benefit concert "" ten days after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Iglesias broadcast his performance from a warehouse in New York alongside Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, and Sheryl Crow, the location of the warehouse was kept secret in case of further attacks. It was Iglesias' first televised performance of the song. He had performed the song earlier at that year's Miss Venezuela but due to the terrorist attacks the show was not aired on television.

In June 2007, Iglesias performed the track during his set at London gay club G-A-Y. Traditionally, Iglesias serenades a member of the audience when he performs the song, and this show was no different. However, in this case, a gay male fan was plucked from the audience, illustrating how Iglesias fully embraces his gay fan base in a way unlike many mainstream male pop stars.

Track listing

;CD Single #1
#"Hero" (Radio edit)
#"Be with You" (Thunderpuss Remix)
#"Héroe" (Spanish MetroMix)

;CD Single #2
#"Hero" (Album version)
#"Hero" (English MetroMix)
#"Bailamos"

Music videos

The music video for "Hero" was directed by Joseph Khan and features Iglesias as an honorable criminal hunted by his enemies, Jennifer Love Hewitt plays his love interest, while Mickey Rourke plays one of the men hunting him. The video follows a Bonnie and Clyde-esque plot with Iglesias and Hewitt running from their enemies in the desert. Finally, Iglesias' enemies track him down and confront him outside a church. The video skips ahead where we see Iglesias and Hewitt in the rain surrounded by police cars. Iglesias clutches his torso, implying that he'd been shot. The video ends with Iglesias' death. However, it is assumed that the police caught Rourke. In addition to this video a second video was made for the UK with less violence. The final shot of this video shows Iglesias' legs are moving, suggesting that he lives. While originally made for the UK this video has since replaced the original video on many music video stations throughout the world

Chart success

The song topped many charts in the US including the ARC Weekly Chart for two weeks and the "Billboard" adult contemporary chart for fifteen weeks.Whitburn, Joel (2004). "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits", 8th Edition (Billboard Publications)] On the latter, the song would re-enter the top ten a year later, the first song ever to do so. The song peaked at number three on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart, though it is actually his most played song on the chart outdoing prior singles "Bailamos" and "Be With You" both of which went to number one on the chart. A remixed recording also topped the "Billboard" Hot Dance Club Play chart in December 2001.

The song enjoyed much success worldwide hitting the top spot in over ten countries. It also officially became a worldwide number one when it held the top spot on the United World Chart for five weeks.

In February 2002 the song was released in the UK, where it went straight to number one for four weeks becoming one of the biggest hits of the year there. Up to this point Iglesias had already had two hits in the UK but was largely unknown. Hero was seen as a breakthrough for Iglesias in the UK and Escape became one of the best selling albums of that year. Six years later in 2008, "Hero" is consistently one of the top two most downloaded Latin songs on the UK's iTunes store (alongside Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" which often takes the number one spot).

In Australia, the song reached number one on the ARIA Chart, becoming his first number-one in that country.

ee also

*Number-one dance hits of 2001 (USA)