Five for Fighting reveals new version of ‘Superman’ dedicated to hostages

Ondrasik said the inspiration for the song came from the parallels between the massacre of October 7, during which Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages, and 9-11 in the US.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting unveiled a new version of his hit song “Superman” dedicated to the hostages in Gaza. The song features Idit Ohel, the mother of captive Alon Ohel.

Speaking to Fox and Friends, Ondrasik said the inspiration for the song came from the parallels between the massacre of October 7, during which Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages, and 9-11 in the US.

“It became very clear that ‘Superman’ should be the song,” he said. “With the history of 9/11 and the fact that, for Israel, October 7 is their 9/11.”

Idit Ohel, whose son Alon was kidnapped from the Nova Music festival, collaborated with Ondrasik on the project.

“Just talking about Alon and his situation is so important,” Idit said.

“People will know that there are still hostages [in] Gaza, and they need to be released.”

Ohel spoke of her son’s reported condition. He has not received proper medical treatment for a shrapnel injury in his eye, which he sustained on October 7.

In addition, he is being held in tortuous and barbaric conditions, according to reports by freed hostages.

“He’s been, you know, shackled. He’s been chained and starved every day as we speak. We really want him to come home,” Idit said.

The 22-year-old has a passion for piano, which makes a musical tribute particularly appropriate to advocate for his freedom and the release of the 59 hostages remaining in Gaza.

Ondrasik already had the idea to rework one of his songs in honor of the captives in Gaza, but he knew that “Superman” was the right choice when he saw a childhood picture of Ohel wearing Superman pajamas.

“Seeing the picture of him in his Superman jammies as a toddler made it very clear,” Ondrasik said.

“We had to tweak the lyrics a bit to basically recognize the incredible fortitude, the spiritual fortitude of people like Idit and the hostage families who go through the unbearable every day.”

Just as “Superman,” which was awarded a Grammy, was an inspirational anthem in the wake of 9-11, Ondrasik hopes that the revised version will help people remember the hostages and advocate for their release.

“The fact that we’re still talking about this [returning the hostages] is an outrage of humanity,” he said. “One does not have to be Jewish to support Idit, her family, Israel. One merely needs to be human, have a heart, have a soul.”