Peak
2
Weeks
26
Score
4,782
Chart Year
1981
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"Theme from The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not)" is a song composed by Mike Post with lyrics by Stephen Geyer, and sung by American singer Joey Scarbury. It serves as the theme song for the 1980s television series The Greatest American Hero.[1] The track was later included on Scarbury's 1981 debut album America's Greatest Hero. The theme song became a popular hit during the run of The Greatest American Hero. "Believe It or Not" entered the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 on June 13, 1981, eventually peaking at No. 2 during the weeks ending August 15–22, 1981, kept off the top spot by "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, and spending a total of 18 weeks in the top 40. On the Adult Contemporary chart, "Believe It or Not" went to number 3.[2] It also peaked at the number one position on the Record World chart.[3] In the season 8 episode of Seinfeld titled "The Susie", an answering machine message consists of a parody of "Believe It or Not".[4] As a tribute to the Seinfeld episode, the song appeared in a 2021 TV commercial for Tide that aired during CBS' telecast of Super Bowl LV on February 7, 2021 starring Jason Alexander, whose character George Costanza recorded the parody lyrics as his answering machine message. The song was also used in the intro for internet personality The Cinema Snob during the beginning of his career. The song was later dropped from his intros.
Look at what's happened to me I can't believe it myself Suddenly I'm up on top of the world It should have been somebody else Believe it or not, I'm walkin' on air I never thought I could feel so free Flyin' away on a wing and a prayer Who could it be? Believe it or not it's just me Just like the light of a new day It hit me from out of the blue Breaking me out of the spell I was in Making all of my wishes come true Believe it or not, I'm walkin' on air I never thought I could feel so free Flyin' away on a wing and a prayer Who could it be? Believe it or not it's just me This is too good to be true Look at me falling for you Believe it or not, I'm walkin' on air I never thought I could feel so free Flyin' away on a wing and a prayer Who could it be? Believe it or not it's just me Believe it or not, I'm walkin' on air I never thought I could feel so free Flyin' away on a wing and a prayer Who could it be? Believe it or not it's just me Believe it or not, I'm walkin' on air I never thought I could feel so free Flyin' away on a wing and a prayer Who could it be? Believe it or not it's just me
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 9, 1981 | 85 | 41 |
| 2 | May 16, 1981 | 73 | 53 |
| 3 | May 23, 1981 | 62 | 64 |
| 4 | May 30, 1981 | 49 | 77 |
| 5 | Jun 6, 1981 | 44 | 82 |
| 6 | Jun 13, 1981 | 27 | 99 |
| 7 | Jun 20, 1981 | 20 | 106 |
| 8 | Jun 27, 1981 | 12 | 114 |
| 9 | Jul 4, 1981 | 9 | 117 |
| 10 | Jul 11, 1981 | 8 | 118 |
| 11 | Jul 18, 1981 | 7 | 119 |
| 12 | Jul 25, 1981 | 4 | 122 |
| 13 | Aug 1, 1981 | 3 | 123 |
| 14 | Aug 8, 1981 | 3 | 123 |
| 15 | Aug 15, 1981 | 2 | 124 |
| 16 | Aug 22, 1981 | 2 | 124 |
| 17 | Aug 29, 1981 | 3 | 123 |
| 18 | Sep 5, 1981 | 10 | 116 |
| 19 | Sep 12, 1981 | 12 | 114 |
| 20 | Sep 19, 1981 | 15 | 111 |