Don’t get me wrong, I agree with EW’s Lisa Schwarzbaum about former Justin Timberlake backup dancer Kenny Wormald “owning” the role of Ren in the Footloose remake. But for me, the even bigger surprise was that I sat up in my seat for one of the songs on the soundtrack — 15-year-old Ella Mae Bowen’s slow, angsty cover of Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero.” Watch the video below. I came home from the movie ready to buy the song on iTunes but didn’t because it was “album only.” I’m told there are no plans to release the song to country radio, which is a shame.
The good news is on Oct. 5, Bowen was signed to the Big Machine Label Group, home of Taylor Swift and The Band Perry. (The soundtrack is on Warner Bros. Nashville.) She’s working on her solo debut, which is expected in the first half of 2012.
Read more:
‘Footloose’: 9 Scenes, Then and Now
Lisa Schwarzbaum reviews ‘Footloose’
25 Movie Remakes: The Best and Worst
It’s a terrible version of that song. we can’t hear more than about 10 seconds of it without wanting to kill something.
But everyone’s different of course.
Why does EW continue to hype Footloose, do they have a stake in the film’s gross or something?..everyday for the past 2 weeks there has been a story about this box office dissapointment, enough already move on please!
Atlantic, which is owned by Warner which also owns EW, has released the soundtrack. Thus Warner has a financial stake in the movie and soundtrack’s success so one of Warner’s subsidaries is hyping the movie.
it all makes sense now!..they have been hyping it like it was the next coming of Star Wars, Citizen Kane, and The Godfather combined, even running one article saying it was better than the original,all the other reviews I have read on other websites or newspapers have been lukewarm at best!…if you only got your news from EW you would think that all there was in the world right now was Footloose, Ryan Gossling, and Glee!
Yeah I don’t remeber all this hype when the remake of “Fright Night” came out earlier this year, and that was a much better remake than the lousy “Footloose” remake, it could have used the help!
Hmm so this whole article is basically a commercial for the soundtrack which is on Warner Bros Nashville?
The Same Warner Bros that owns EW, very interesting!
Footloose, Ryan Gossling, Glee, Lady Ga Ga and Dancing with the Stars.
@DRG I stand corrected I would also add Parks and Recreation, Darren Criss, The Vampire Diaries, and Twilight!
I’ve said for a while that if Lady Ga Ga wrote a song for a Twilight movie and that song was sung by the Glee cast on American Idol all the EW editors would have the biggest wet dream in human history.
@DRG so true…of course Darren Criss and Chris Colfer would have to sing lead vocals..that would be like viagra for them!
Thank you. This dying coyote of a little girl just ruined one of my favorite songs ever.
Thank you. This dying coyote of a little girl just ruined one of my favorite songs ever.
Oh, Mandi, well you came and you wrote without thinking…
Yes, you nailed it! “Dying coyote.” I’m sure this girl can sing, but that hiccup-y catch thing is horrible.
The original is ten times better.
Bonnie Tyler is turning over in her grave…oh wait she is still alive, ok she is turning over somewhere in her cardboard box in England!
Oh wow yes!!! Bonnie Tyler’s version might’ve only gone to like #34 on the charts but its a rip roaring anthem. I really don’t think Tyler sang as in she REALLY NEEDED a hero; she was doing pretty fine on her own. She’s one of my favorite underrated singers of all time. She herself does some really good cover versions. Go download “Free Spirit” album where her voice is just as good as ever.
i thought i was the only person who owned “free spirit”. and yes, bonnie tyler is VERY underrated. all anyone ever associates her with is “total eclipse of the heart” and how “80′s” the video was. yeah, it wasn’t a great video, but bonnie is STILL a tremendous singer. and they totally RUINED
holding out for a hero”. that song was such a huge bombastic, over-wrought (in a great way) song. some little kid does it country and it ruins it. the song deserved more than that. anyway, i’ll just put on the old soundtrack, and enjoy it.
Bonnie Tyler’s version is far superior. This version has none of the emotion or life of the original.
I keep comparing it to the 2 versions from Shrek 2…I just want it to go faster, but no doubt this girl can SAAANG!
Imogen Heap did a better version on that song on the Shrek soundtrack.
She needs to learn to control that yodel.
That was THE WORST part of the movie. Gosh that was awful. I had finally gotten it out of my head. Thanks for reminding me of the horror.
there all gonna laugh at ya, Carrie!
I still can’t bring myself to see this movie.
yeah, this is almost unlistenable. she took a song that is pure energy and managed to put me to sleep.
I can’t stand the cover. The old version was big and overblown and cheesy and a classic.
Try the most horrible part! I already had serious doubts about this movie but hearing them turn a power rock classic into an angsty country ballad guaranteed I’ll never see this crap!! They should be punished…severely!!!
looks like you got your answer Mandi!
When she isn’t squeaking she has a nice tone, but that squeak is just too much. I have to agree that I like the original by Bonnie Tyler better.
I thought it was really pretty! I was the same way, as soon as I got home I found it on youtube
the broadway version is the best
I think it’s a beautiful version of the song. I enjoyed the movie, and would see it again. It’s not for everyone, sure, but I really liked it.