"Zero to Hero" is a song featured in the film, Disney's Hercules. It is sung by Lillias White, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Cheryl Freeman, and Vanéese Y. Thomas.
The song was later used as the theme song in Hercules: The Series, albeit shorter and with altered lyrics towards the end. The original intro of Hercules: The Series was only shown on ABC [1] and was altered for subsequent reruns[2] such as on Disney Channel and its sister channel Toon Disney, home media releases, and for streaming on Disney+.[3]
This song was included in the videos Disney Sing Along Songs: Honor to Us All, Disney Sing Along Songs: Collection of All-Time Favorites: The Modern Classics, and Disney Sing Along Songs: From Hercules.
Summary[]
Hercules[]
After the Thebans cheered for Hercules' victory over the Hydra, "Zero to Hero" begins with the Muses, with Calliope saying the young hero could do no wrong afterwards and that "He was so hot, steam looked cool." The Muses narrate a montage depicting Hercules' success. Hercules becomes a celebrity and heart-throb: girls scream at him, his image appears on vases, action figures, sandals and other merchandise. The young hero is showered with money and leaves hand-prints in the star promenade (along with Pegasus leaving the imprints of his hooves) and continues enjoying himself as Hades sends a succession of creatures which Hercules easily defeats.
Hercules: The Animated Series[]
Every episode of the series used "Zero to Hero" as the theme song, albeit shorter and with altered lyrics towards the end meant to describe the setting of the series. The original intro was only shown on ABC and was altered for reruns and home releases. "Zero to Hero" focuses on young Hercules' adolescent hero-in-training years and adventures, while also attending the Prometheus Academy.
Kingdom Hearts coded[]
"Zero to Hero" is a name of an ability available to Hercules. It deals damage to entire rows of enemies.
Lyrics[]
Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Person of the week in every Greek opinion poll
What a pro
Herc could stop a show
Point him at a monster and you're talking S.R.O.
He was a no one
A zero, zero
Now he's a honcho
He's a hero
Herc was a kid with his act down pat
Zero to hero ― in no time flat
Zero to hero ― just like that
When he smiled
The girls went wild with oohs and aahs
And they slapped his face
On every vase (on every "vahse")
From appearance fees and royalties
Our Herc had cash to burn
Now nouveau riche and famous
He could tell you
What's a Grecian earn?
Say amen
There he goes again
Sweet and undefeated
And an awesome 10 for 10
Folks lined up
Just to watch him flex
And this perfect package packs a pair of pretty pecs
Hercie, he comes, he sees, he conquers
Honey, the crowds were going bonkers
He showed the moxie, brains, and spunk
From zero to hero ― a major hunk
Zero to hero ― and who'd have thunk?
Who put the "glad" in gladiator?
Hercules!
Whose daring deeds are great theater?
Hercules!
Is he bold?
No one braver
Is he sweet?
Our favorite flavor
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Undefeated
Riding high
And the nicest guy
Not conceited
He was a nothin'
A zero, zero
Now he's a honcho
He's a hero
He hit the heights at breakneck speed
From zero to hero
Herc is a hero
Now he's a hero
Yes indeed!
Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Person of the week in every Greek opinion poll
What a pro
Herc could stop a show
Point him at a monster and you're talking S.R.O.
He was a no one
A zero, zero
Now he's a honcho
He's a hero
Here was a kid with his act down pat
From zero to hero ― in no time flat
Zero to hero ― just like that
When he smiled
The girls went wild with oohs and aahs
And they slapped his face
On every vase (on every "vahse")
From appearance fees and royalties
Our Herc had cash to burn
Now nouveau riche and famous
He could tell you what the Grecians urn
(instrumental verse)
A zero, zero
(instrumental verse)
He's a hero
(instrumental verse)
Zero to hero ― just like that
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Oohs and aahs
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Every "vahse"
From appearance fees and royalties
Our Herc had cash to burn
Now nouveau riche and famous
He could tell you what the Grecians urn
Say amen
There he goes again
Sweet and undefeated
And an awesome 10 for 10
Folks lined up
Just to watch him flex
And this perfect package packed a pair of pretty pecs
Hercie, he comes he sees, he conquers
Honey, the crowds were going bonkers
He showed the moxie brains, and spunk
From zero to hero
A major hunk
Zero to hero
And who'd have thunk?
Zero to hero
Zero to hero
He showed the moxie brains, and spunk
From zero to hero...
A major hunk!
Who put the glad in gladiator?
Hercules!
Whose daring deeds are great theater?
Hercules!
Is he bold?
No one braver
Is he sweet?
Our favorite flavor
Hercules (repeat 17 more times)
Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Undefeated
Riding high
And the nicest guy
Not conceited
He was a nothin'
A zero, zero
Now he's a honcho
He's a hero
He hit the heights at breakneck speed
From zero to hero
Herc is a hero
Now he's a hero
Yes indeed!
Who put the glad in gladiator?
Hercules!
Whose daring deeds are great theater?
Hercules!
Is he bold?
No one braver
Is he sweet?
Our favorite flavor
Hercules
(What a guy!)
Hercules
(Ask his friends)
Hercules
(Honey, they won't lie)
Hercules
(Ah, Hercules!)
Hercules
Hercules
(Come on!)
No one's fool!
Now the boy's in school!
He's in training!
Smart and shy
And the nicest guy
No complaining
He was a no one
A zero, zero
Give him a quick chance
He's our hero
He's almost likely to succeed
From zero to hero
Herc is a hero
He'll be a hero!
Wait and see
Hercules, Hercules
Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Person of the week in every Greek opinion poll
What a pro
Herc could stop a show
Point him at a monster and you're talking S.R.O.
He was a no one
A zero, zero
Now he's a honcho
He's a hero
Here was a kid with his act down pat
Zero to hero
In no time flat
Zero to hero
Just like that
When he smiled
The girls went wild with "ooh"s and "aah"s
And they slapped his face on every vase
(On every "vase")
From appearance fees and royalties
Our Herc had cash to burn
Now nouveau riche and famous
He could tell you what the Grecians earn
Say amen
There he goes again
Sweet and undefeated
And an awesome 10 for 10
Folks lined up
Just to watch him flex
And this perfect package packed a pair of pretty pecs
Hercie, he comes he sees, he conquers
Honey, the crowds were going bonkers
He showed the moxie brains, and spunk
From zero to hero
A major hunk
Zero to hero
And who'd have thunk?
Who put the "glad" in "gladiator"?
Hercules!
Whose daring deeds are great theater?
Hercules!
Is he bold?
No one braver
Is he sweet?
My favorite flavor
Hercules!
Hercules!
Hercules!
Hercules!
Hercules!
Hercules!
Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Undefeated
Riding high
And the nicest guy
Not conceited
He was a nothin'
A zero, zero
Now he's a honcho
He's our hero
He hit the heights at breakneck speed
From zero to hero
Herc is a hero
Now he's a hero
Yes, indeed
Muses:
Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Person of the week in every Greek opinion poll
What a pro
Herc could stop a show
Point him at a monster and you're talking S.R.O.
He was a no one
A zero, zero
Now he's a honcho
He's a hero
Here was a kid with his act down pat
From zero to hero ― in no time flat
Zero to hero ― just like that
Hercules:
Glory be
Get a load of me
Halfway to Olympus and my rightful family
Phil:
My ex-boys
Sure have pleased the plebs
My expanding entourage is grown as thick as Thebes
He's an inferno hot as blazes
Muses:
Even the Muses sing his praises
Hercules:
They put my portrait on a stamp
See how it lights up like a lamp
Muses:
Zero to hero
Phil: Chump to champ
Muses:
When he smiled
The girls went wild with oohs and aahs
And they slapped his face
On every vase (on every "vahse")
From appearance fees and royalties
Our Herc had cash to burn
Now nouveau riche and famous
He could tell you what's a Grecian urn
Say amen
There he goes again
Sweet and undefeated
And an awesome 10 for 10
Folks lined up
Just to watch him flex
And this perfect package packed a pair of pretty pecs
Hercie, he comes, he sees, he conquers
Honey, the crowds were going bonkers
He showed the moxie, brains, and spunk
From zero to hero ― a major hunk
Zero to hero ― and who'd have thunk?
Phil:
Who put the glad in gladiator?
Hercules!
Whose daring deeds are great theater?
Hercules!
Is he bold?
No one braver
Is he sweet?
Our favorite flavor
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
[Instrumental]
Cheer verse:
We got what you want!
We got, we got, what you what!
We got what you want!
We got, we got Hercules!
We got what you want!
We got, we got, what you what!
We got what you want!
We got, we got Hercules!
Work it, Herc!
Work it, work it, Herc!
Work it, Herc!
Work it, work it, Hercules!
[Instrumental]
Bless our soul
He's a hero
Hercules, Hercules
Herc is the one you need
Herc is the one you need
Oh,
Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Undefeated
Riding high
And the nicest guy
Not conceited
He was a nothin'
Now he's a honcho
He hit the heights at breakneck speed
From zero to hero
Herc is a hero
Now he's a hero
Yes indeed!
Zero to hero
Zero to hero!
Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Person of the week in every Greek opinion poll
What a pro
Herc could stop a show
Point him at a monster and you're talking S.R.O.
He was a no one
A zero, zero
Now he's a honcho
He's a hero
Here was a kid with his act down pat
Zero to hero ― in no time flat
Zero to hero ― just like that
When he smiled
The girls went wild with - say his name, say his name
And they slapped his face
On every vase (he ain't playin' games)
From appearance fees and royalties
Our Herc had cash to burn
Now nouveau riche and famous
He could tell you
What's a Grecian earn?
Say amen
There he goes again
Sweet and undefeated
And an awesome 10 for 10
Folks lined up
Just to watch him flex
And this perfect package packs a pair of pretty pecs
Hercie, he comes, he sees, he conquers
Honey, the crowds were going bonkers
He showed the moxie, brains, and spunk
From zero to hero ― a major hunk
Zero to hero ― and who'd have thunk?
Who put the "glad" in gladiator?
Hercules!
Whose daring deeds are great theater?
Hercules!
Is he bold?
No one braver
Is he sweet?
Our favorite flavor
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
Hercules
Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Undefeated
Riding high
And the nicest guy
Not conceited
He was a nothin'
A zero, zero
Now he's a honcho
He's a hero
He hit the heights at breakneck speed
From zero to hero
Herc is a hero
Now he's a hero
Yes, indeed!
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- In the demo version, other monsters were seen.
- This song is about becoming a somebody (an important person) from being a nobody (an unimportant person). In this film's case, Hercules eventually went from being a nobody/zero to a somebody/hero.
- The Muses change into different colors for their skin and dresses throughout the song.
- When the song was included on Disney Sing Along Songs: Honor to Us All, Disney Sing Along Songs: Collection of All-Time Favorites: The Modern Classics, and Disney Sing Along Songs: From Hercules, the scene where Hades has a villainous breakdown over Hercules defeating the Hydra (burning Pain and Panic in the process) and Megara secretly applauding Hercules was cut. This was due to him having a cigar in the aforementioned scene and done to avoid drug influences. It instead shifts to the distant view of the crowd cheering Hercules before the Muses perform the musical number.
- Also in the Disney Sing-Along Songs version, the line "what's a Grecian urn" is lyricized as "what the Grecians earn".
- The Hercules store that appears in this song is a parody of the Disney Store in malls.
- The constellation Virgo strikes the same "holding down the dress" pose as Marilyn Monroe does in The Seven Year Itch.
References[]
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