Super Hero is the twelfth track on Earth, Wind & Fire’s first and only Reprise Records album Millennium, and was written by Prince (who also contributed musically to the released version). An extended version was also included on a Japanese release of their Blood Brothers single.
A version by the New Power Generation (with lead vocals by The Steeles) was released the following year on the Blankman movie soundtrack, and was released as a single on the same day as the album’s release.
Although specific recording dates are unknown, basic tracks were recorded in September 1992 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota (during the same set of sessions that produced Down, Holly Don’t Care, The P, The Halls Of Desire, Paris 1798430, Uncle Sam, Hit U In The Socket, Extraordinary and a remake of Shhh).
Earth, Wind & Fire added to the recording, and Maurice White is credited as the producer of their version, but Prince is credited with the vocal arrangement, background vocals, keyboards and drum programming, presumably all kept from Prince’s own version.
The version by the New Power Generation featuring The Steeles (with Fred Steele singing lead) was recorded live in May-June 1994 at Paisley Park Studios.
An second version by the New Power Generation (without The Steeles) was recorded (most likely around the same time) and included on a December 1994 configuration of Exodus (segueing into an uncredited cover version of Billy Preston’s Outa-Space). The album went through a major overhaul prior to release, and this track was removed from the album.
Prince’s version (guide vocal) of Super Hero was one of the Vault tracks recorded between 1990 and 1992 slated to appear on the planned Diamonds & Love expected to be released by The Prince Estate in the summer of 2022. That project, which consisted of material spanning both the Diamonds And Pearls and eras, was reduced to the Diamonds And Pearls era, excluding songs recorded after October 1991 (and this track as a result).
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