It's eerie, but these days I can't help seeing the parallels to the WTC disaster in this song. Those towers went down fast. Those planes "landed" in flame. There was no slow and careful settling of blame. You get the idea.

I cannot believe that it wasn't until now that this song finally got its own thread in these boards!!! I would have rectified such a thing sooner, but I kept mentally making the same omission. Duh!

Yes, you are totally right, Patrick!!! I have, myself, actually thought about the song in such terms, even as you specifically related it to 9/11. You are 100% right. Seriously, it's like one of my top 10 or 15 favorite songs by her.

I also remember reading (I think on the old e-mail based Tow) that someone compared it to a Bananarama/Bangles song, which is why they didn't like it, and okay, I'll let them have that opinion. But I do not agree - the relation of theme to form and delivery was really quite genius and far above what I have ever heard from or at least perceived in the works of either of those 2 groups (who I do like and who WILL put me on the dance floor, at least). It is one of her very shortest songs (which is saying something, because she usually doesn't go on for very long), and it was delivered fast (one of her few, and WELL-DONE pseudo-rap songs) and it ended quickly. I can jam out to that song several times over and over and over.

But back to the point, yes, at least I, myself, do get the idea. The towers went down, went down fast, and at least in a way, the past has not been equivocated (in terms of how most Americans have no idea or remorse for how we have inflicted MUCH WORSE on VERY MANY countries than what happened to us on 9/11 and how we need to chill with our jingoism, bloodlust, and pride). (And what's that they say about pride and falls? and size and falls?...)

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I was just trying to further support your argument: going down fast, landing in flame, non-equivocation of past, no slow and careful settling of blame (though I do have to admit, as badly as the U.S. has acted, we could have acted worse - I unforutunately know people who thought we should have nuked Afghanistan and other places in retaliation).

Enough of the segues and hijacks, I have made my point. Yes, you are right Patrick, and, moreover, it is a truly great song.

-M

besides the political aspects of this song (one of the more overtly political songs of suzanne's, while still remaining open and abstract enough to encompass several interpretations) that patrick and william underlined, and which i can understand and agree with, there are a few things about it i'd like to speak about.

the fastness of "when heroes go down" is a very interesting aspect. it has always reminded me of a shutter's click when you take a photo. so this song would be like a photograph of a fall, of something or someone caught, or about to be caught, in the act of falling. because falling involves movement you can only freeze one moment of it, but if you click the shutter at the right time, that one moment will tell about it all, it will be the decisive one. in that one moment frozen all the movement will be contained.

there's a past and a future, or a before and an after, regarding this fall. and, just like in a photo, it is all there in this song. when the song ends there's silence, but it's the kind of silence which waits to be broken by someone's words or actions. it's a questioning silence, framed by perfect form and geometry, which turn this song into something like a "bullet in flight", to my eyes.

henri cartier-bresson (about whom i saw a documentary a few days ago which title was "the impassioned eye") used to talk about the "decisive instant" (either you click at the right time and all is there or you don't and all is lost) and about the need of putting your eye, your spirit and your heart together as one when you look just before knowing when to click. i think that both "the impassioned eye" and "the passionate eye" know all about this and theirs is an eye that questions. all the time.

love,
fátima

"I heard you say you look out for the feet of clay, that someone will be falling next without the chance for last respects..."

And this song is a warning not to try such a drastic stunt. Don't knock down the hero or there'll be hell to pay!

What does it say? Is Bjork this defensive or combative? Does this song expose Suzanne for the rootin' tootin' cowboy that all Americans are?

I just don't know.

No Patrick, it doesn't expose Suzanne for that. These words were not the narrator's sentiment, but the character's sentiment in indirect discourse. No, Suzanne is EXPOSING the "rootin' tootin' cowboy" mentality of others.

-M

I never regard this song as political. Everytime I hear it, I see some artist I used to like in front of me, disappearing into oblivion. And then, I wonder what became of them, and what they are doing now.

Spikes

When I hear this song, I think of my first idolized mentor, who I thought could have no foibles. When I realized he was human, that he had needs too and could make mistakes, there was no time for me (or he) to explain anything. There was just, "Oh. He can fall. So I'll drop him." I was very dissappointed, but did not have the maturity to actually think about talking it through, trying to understand.
This song captured all my feelings and reactions in one fell swoop. As do many of Suzanne's songs ! I guess that's why I am still here!

"It's eerie, but these days I can't help seeing the parallels to the WTC disaster in this song. Those towers went down fast. Those planes "landed" in flame. There was no slow and careful settling of blame. You get the idea."

SAME HERE!!! It's really scary...

I remember how I've been listening this on Q ( I think ) line of the subway, going to Brooklyn and I was looking at the Brooklyn bridge, disturbed skyline of lower Manhattan and was like: "did she KNOW something's going to happen ?"

really, I cannot think of this song without thinking about 9-11

Sonya & Patrick,

If you think that "When Heroes Go Down" is frightingly prescient, have a look at the video of "Book and A Cover" on the video page:

http://www.suzannevega.com/video/musicVideos3.htm

That video scared Admin when it was posted in 2004...

Best,
Admin

Oh gosh, i have just re-checked the video...
firemen, planes, the wtc... upside down...
you're so right, it's kinda scary

cheers,
rolf

In the Rusted Pipe review, Suzanne says the song is fairly self explanetory. I may be extreamly naive to have only picked up on the songs meaning this far down the years, and I wonder if anyone else sees my interpretation...But..When Heroes Go Down, never realy sent imediate meaning to me, Ive always loved the way it rocks though.
But recently, I witnessed a young girl, probably about 17, bragging in public, trying to portray herself as some sort of Heroe being part of a drug deal. My thoughts were, If she mouthed off like this in the big time she would "go down fast", revealing so much , feet of clay (concrete shoes).(My small abode doesnt show me much of this but I have seen some movies).
I dont think Suzanne would go out of her way to write about this topic, but musitians can be exposed to drug offers and situations like this.

I love the song being short, It is blunt, but straight to the point, now that I can see a meaning to it. I love the way she says "carefull" on the Retrospective DVD, she makes it look like a warning, ., and a real stoner would freak out at the clip. The version on Jay Leno's, The Tonight show, rocks right out (this site, Vidio, TV apearances).
Being written before 911, I cannot see direct conection, but I can feel the movement toward this regard. And the "book and cover" clip is freaky.
Am I the only one that has seen this meaning, or am I that naive because the song is so self explanetory.
Berndog.

I have fresh experience with this song. I had the chance to visit Mostar ( Bosnia ). Must be said it IS a city with spirit... well, so I was goofing around market place, looking for good place from which I could take a picture of the Old Bridge ( newly, rebuilded ). there was really loud music from some restaurant ( some Mostar local radio ). they were playing the late 1990s stuff, like Britney Spear ( hearing Britney in Bosnia is very surrealistic ) and suddenly they started playing "When Heroes Go Down". It really gave me a chill... because it fits Mostar as well as NYC.