Superman? The Greatest Hero? ( #IWSG & #BOTB Results )

      Can't say that I've ever been much of a hero worshipper.  There are people whom I respect and like, but I don't go in much for elevating anyone to a heroic status.  We're all only human.  It's just that some people do it better than others and deserve some credit for that...

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog. 
     The co-hosts for the January 8 posting of the IWSG are Rebecca Douglass, Beth Camp, Liza @ Middle Passages, and Natalie @ Literary Rambles.

January 8 question - Describe someone you admired when you were a child. Did your opinion of that person change when you grew up?

       I was a child of the fifties when television was brand new but already influencing our lives.  We didn't have many choices of programming back then, but there were a number heroes promoted to kids like me through that new medium.  They were mostly heroes that came from movies that were already popular, but now condensed to 30 minute or less episodes on a much smaller screen.  No matter what, they were still heroes to most of us kids back then.

         Like my father in his own childhood, many of my early heroes were cowboys or pioneers such as Hop-Along Cassidy, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone or Roy Rogers.  I watched their shows and begged my mother for toys or products licensed in those heroes names. In the mid-fifties I was proudly donning my coonskin cap and singing along with "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" which I had on a 78 RPM record.  But then an even greater hero caught my fancy.  A true hero of the modern age:  Superman!

        For me the real Superman is George Reeves from the original TV show.  Even though he later failed his admirers by committing suicide (or did he?), he is trapped in the world of video reruns for us to continue to enjoy.  Better Superman actors have certainly passed our way and I've enjoyed those movies.  I sometimes fantasize about having the super powers, but I know it's all just fantasy.  Clark Kent (Superman's alter ego) is more my speed since he was a reporter.

       Superman is now in my fun memory files along with Santa Claus, Davey Crockett and the Easter Bunny.  They can all make me smile and bring back fond memories.  But I don't think of any of them as heroes that affect me in any tangible way.  Still, it's fun to remember.  That works for me when it needs to.

Battle of the Bands Results

Waiting for Superman Results

    My most recent post was a Battle between Superman songs by artists Daughtry and The Flaming Lips.  As others agreed, we were rooting for Daughtry when he was on American Idol, but he didn't make the final two.  No worry though since he still did very well in the music business. I didn't much follow his career so I missed his Superman song when it came out.  So his song is not what inspired this Battle for me.

      I had bought the Flaming Lips CD album The Soft Bulletin somewhere around 2000 not too long after it came out.  I listened to it a few times and liked it quite well, but then continued on listening to my many other CDs and never returned to this album until this past December when I broke it out again and put it on nightly play.  I absolutely fell in love with the album.  Amazing songs!  My vote of course goes to The Flaming Lips.  And really the final outcome was better than I expected.  I figured Daughtry would totally run away with this match.  Not too bad of a result I think.

Final Vote Tally

Daughtry             8 votes

Flaming Lips       5  votes

Next Battle of the Bands on Wednesday January 15th

     Hope you'll join me then for yet another installment of my musical fun.  Or maybe you don't think it's fun.  Either way I guess I plan to do it.