Sidekick

If I ran a game store I would play the song Sidekick by Tom Smith.

Heroic duos go far back into the history of fiction with the term "sidekick" being shortened from "side kicker" in the 1850s. A heroic duo is formed of one hero - Sherlock Holmes, King Arthur, Frodo Baggins, Han Solo - and one side kick - John Watson, Merlin, Samwise Gamgee, Chewbacca. Sometimes the hero lives up the title of hero and other times the sidekick is the one exhibiting strength and lifting the hero through conflict. The hero gets the glamour and the sidekick gets a feeling of thanks. This is the dynamic that Tom Smith examines in the song Sidekick. The song is a jaunty tune performed by Mr. Smith singing over a Garageband track. Lyrically, it sounds like the grumbling of an undervalued sidekick, more in line with four-color comics than classical literature.

Sidekick was released on Tom Smith's 2007 album, iTom 4.0: Smith and Legend.

Sidekick on Google Play



Sidekick lyrics

I'm the hero's sidekick and I've got a lot to say
None of it's intelligent, I just get in the way
But I'll do one useful thing to help him save the day
I'm the hero's sidekick and I'm okay

When the hero needs me, I will be right by his side
Unless of course I've wet myself before I run and hide
Still, I'll probably help him out just when it seems he's died
I'm the hero's sidekick and I've got my pride

He would have a girlfriend if he noticed her
But they do this stupid little dance
She'll end up with me, of that I'm pretty sure
If he weren't so obsessed I'd had no chance

When the villain has us where he wants us in the end
I'll do something stupid against which he must defend
Leaving him wide open for a shot from my best friend
I'm the hero's sidekick or so I pretend

Maybe then I'll get a scene where I don't die alone
Or perhaps I'll live and we'll both see how much we've grown
All I've done since Volume One is argue, piss and moan
Won't someone give me a franchise of my own?

I'm the real hero, I'm the one folks want to see
Second fiddle or banana ain't my destiny
What's that, then? That means the villain's coming after me
I'm the hero's sidekick and that's all I need to be

Him. Him. He's the hero. All him. Not me. I was just standing here. I've never seen him before in my life. I was waiting for a bus. I have no idea who this guy is.