Hero (Enrique Iglesias song)

"Hero" is a single released by Enrique Iglesias from his second English album Escape. Enrique first released the song to radio in late November of 2001 to a positive critical and commercial reception. After 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 America: A Tribute to Heroes 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 of 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 1

1. "Hero" (Radio edit)
2. "Be with You" (Thunderpuss Remix)
3. "Heroe" (Spanish MetroMix)

CD 2

1. "Hero (LP Version)
2. "Hero (English MetroMix)
3. "Bailamos" hi

Music videos

The music video for Hero was directed by Joseph Khan and features Iglesias as a 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 clutching his torso implying that he'd been shot. The video end 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 While originally made for the UK this video has since replaced the original video on many music video stations throughout the world. The video for the Spanish version of the song is exactly the same as the original, with the only exception being that Iglesias is mouthing the lyrics to the Spanish version.

Chart success

The song topped many charts in the US including the ARC Weekly Chart for two weeks and the Adult Contemporary Chart for fifteen weeks, the latter of which the song would re-enter top ten a year later the first song to ever do so. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 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. 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 of 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. In Australia, the song reached number one on the ARIA Chart, becoming his first number-one in that country.