Song of the Day 7/10: The Clique, “Superman”
There’s a new Superman movie out, and MAGAts are reacting in character: They’re pissed off. They’re talking about boycotting the film because its director, James Gunn, pointed out that Kal-El was an illegal immigrant. At the movie’s premiere he told Variety,
“Yes, Superman is an immigrant, and yes, the people that we support in this country are immigrants and if you don’t like that, then you’re not American. People who say no to immigrants are against the American way. They’re against what the American Dream is all about.”
I don’t blame people for skipping an oft-told story, but if they’re upset about his immigration status, they’re going to have to purge the archives, because it’s not like DC Comics ignored that issue in the past. The character was created by two first-generation Jews, and the Man of Steel stood up for immigrants in episodes from the comics to radio to TV over the years.
Supe is certainly aware of his own status. The link above cites a scene from the series “Smallville” that’s making the rounds on social media, in which the teenage Clark Kent rescues an undocumented immigrant from police. When Ma Kent refuses to harbor the boy, Clark responds, “Was it legal when you forged my adoption papers? I’m an illegal immigrant, Mom. You’ve been harboring me for over 17 years.” Imagine how the Trumpies would be carrying on if he wasn’t white.
Superman has turned up, usually as a metaphor, in more pop songs than all other superheroes combined. This is up there with the best of them. Like most people, I first heard R.E.M.’s version, released as a single from their 1986 album “Life’s Rich Pageant,” without realizing it was a cover.
The original was the B-side to the only Top 40 single by the Clique, a late-’60s sunshine pop/psychedelic band from Texas (the A-side, a cover of Tommy James’ “Sugar on Sunday,” reached No. 22). “Superman” was written by their producer, Gary Zekley, who also composed a couple of hits for the Grass Roots.
R.E.M. released their version as a single. It made Billboard’s airplay-based Modern Rock Tracks chart at No. 17. It’s one of the rare R.E.M. tunes with Mike Mills singing lead.
