So many songs have been written about comic book characters that I could probably fill an entire book with just those. Since that would not be a very fun read, how about just seven?
1 “(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman” by the Kinks. Ray Davies has always referenced pop culture in his music (heck, he wrote an entire song about pop culture—“Village Green Preservation Society”!) and he is in fine form with this tune about a regular grade-A loser who dreams of how being Superman would make his life so much better.
2 “Matter-Eater Lad” by Guided by Voices. This tune is about the Legion of Super-Heroes member whose power was, well, to eat anything. He could eat through iron, steel, anything. The song opens by noting that the Heroes member constructed a factory “just to see how it tasted.”
3 “I’m No Superman” by Lazlo Bane. Bane’s song is similar to Davies’s tune, about a typical schlep who would have liked it if he was Superman, only in Bane’s song the narrator is ultimately fine with his lot in life. This song gained popularity by serving as the theme for the TV show Scrubs.
4 “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” by Five for Fighting. As a counter to Davies and Bane, John Ondrasik writes a song from Superman’s perspective to note that it isn’t as easy to be Superman as people might think, especially since everyone is constantly relying on him. Fine, Superman, we acknowledge the pressure must be considerable.
5 “Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)” by XTC. In this poppy tune the narrator wishes he had Sgt. Rock on his side, so he could win the battles of the sexes.
6 “Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future” by Elton John. Bernie Taupin and Elton John wrote this ode to the classic British hero for John’s 1976 album, Rock of the Westies.
7 “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues” by the Spin Doctors. The song has Superman’s pal, Jimmy Olsen, bemoaning the fact that he has no shot at Lois Lane and wondering if he maybe should do something with his “pocketful of kryptonite” (which is the name of the album, too).