Song written and composed by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff, originally recorded by Mariah Carey in 1992 and released in 1993
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"Hero" is a song by American singer Mariah Carey, released on October 18, 1993, via Columbia Records as the second single from her third studio album, Music Box (1993). The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff. While writing the song, Carey did not connect to its style or sound; subsequently it was offered to Gloria Estefan, who then was intended to sing it for the soundtrack of the film of the same title (1992). However, after being convinced by Sony executive Tommy Mottola to keep it for herself, she changed some of the lyrics to more precisely fit her personality. Lyrically, the song is regarded as one of Carey's most inspirational and personal ballads, with its protagonist declaring that even though people may feel discouraged or down at times, in reality, they are "heroes" if they look inside themselves and see their own inner strength; in time, it will help them "find the way".