Superman's Song

The lyrics compare Tarzan, who acts on impulse and rules the jungle, with Superman, who lives among ordinary people and chooses to serve them. Superman has great power but keeps a regular job, refuses to use his strength for personal gain, and continues helping even after losing his home and family. The repeated refrain expresses sadness that the world may never see another person like him.

Several images make this contrast clear. Tarzan “scoop[s]” women up “quick as a cat,” suggesting a crude, forceful approach, while Clark Kent is described as “a real gent,” meaning polite and considerate. Superman could “smash through any bank,” but does not: his self-control matters as much as his strength. His changing clothes in “dirty old phone booths” also makes his heroic life seem humble and inconvenient rather than glamorous.

The song admires Superman, but its tone is not entirely triumphant. The phrase “sometimes I despair” suggests that the speaker feels disappointed in the world as it is, and wonders whether such unselfish goodness is rare or even possible. The lyrics also imagine that Superman might be tempted to quit, so his goodness is presented as a choice, not something effortless. That makes the refrain both praise for an ideal and a wistful expression of doubt.