Certain Songs #886: Laurie Anderson – “O Superman” | Medialoper

Album: Big Science
Year: 1981

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

When “O Superman” arrived in 1981, it was like nothing anybody had ever really heard.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Which, of course is an understatement, because 36 years later, there still isn’t anything like “O, Superman,” is there? Made on equipment that is of course incredibly primitive by modern standards, “O, Superman” still retains the same weird sparse beauty that made it a #2 it single in the U.K., and made the video a late night video show staple.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

What made “O Superman” really work was the ongoing tension throughout. The tension between the everpresent stream of “HA” that underpinned the song musically and the various instruments that faded in and out of that stream. The tension between the points she was trying to make and the jokes she was trying to make gave “O, Superman” a depth it wouldn’t have had if she was just trying to be political or just trying to be funny.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

So if “Here comes the planes” felt ominous at a moment where that phrase could only mean only one thing: “here come the bombs,” then the second time she invoked it, she took it in a different direction.

They’re American planes
Made in America
Smoking? Or Non-Smoking?

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Then of course, there’s my favorite bit in the entire song:

‘Cause when love is gone
There’s always justice
And when justice is gone
There’s always force
And when force is gone
There’s always Mom
Hi Mom!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Even disguised with the robot-making vocoder, you couldn’t help but hear the twinkle in her voice the entire time, like she’s thrilled as all fuck to even be getting away with all of this, even if she played it relatively straight in trippy-ass video that accompanied it.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Official Video for “O Superman”

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