| "O Superman" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Laurie Anderson | ||||
| from the album Big Science | ||||
| B-side | "Walk the Dog" | |||
| Released | October 1981 (UK)[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1981, The Lobby, New York City[2] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 8:21 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Laurie Anderson | |||
| Producer(s) | Laurie Anderson | |||
| Laurie Anderson singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"O Superman", also known as "O Superman (For Massenet)", is a 1981 song by performance artist and musician Laurie Anderson. The song became a surprise hit in the United Kingdom after it was championed by DJ John Peel,[3] rising to number 2 on the UK Singles Charts in 1981.[10] Prior to the success of this song, Anderson was little known outside the art world. First released as a promotional single, the song also appeared on her debut album Big Science (1982)[11] and as part of her live album United States Live (1984).
In the 1981 Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll, critics voted "O Superman" the best single of the year.[12][13]
- ^ Bacon, Tony (2006). Singles. Backbeat UK. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-871547-73-3.
- ^ Big Science (Media notes). Warner Bros. 1982.
- ^ a b Murphy, Ben. "Laurie Anderson's 'O Superman' Re-Released!". DJ Magazine. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
- ^ Bychawski, Adam (November 14, 2011). "The Big Pink sample Laurie Anderson's 'O Superman' on new track - listen". New Musical Express.
- ^ Hermes, Will (June 25, 2010). "Electronic Expressions in the Service of the Soul". The New York Times.
- ^ Rodgers, Jude (2015-03-15). "Mother's Day 2015: the 10 best songs about mothers". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
- ^ Derry, Mark (1989). "Laurie Anderson: On the Jagged Edge". Elle. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ^ "About the Piece: O Superman (tape)". LA Philharmonic. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
- ^ Lester, Paul (11 July 2008). "What's the weirdest chart hit of all time?". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company - Laurie Anderson - O Superman". Official Charts. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
- ^ O Superman by Laurie Anderson-Topic on YouTube
- ^ Robert Christgau: Pazz & Jop 1981: Critics Poll
- ^ 1981 Pazz & Jop: The Year the Rolling Stones Lost the Pennant|The Village Voice