Showbiz Sessions

Five for Fighting performs 'Superman'

John Ondrasik found the inspiration for his band's name, Five for Fighting, in hockey. "Hopefully there's a little passion and a little blood within the words, so hopefully it makes a little sense," he said.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Ask singer/songwriter John Ondrasik what Five for Fighting -- his band's name -- means, and he laughs.

"I don't need to tell hockey fans what 'five for fighting' means," he says, and doesn't elaborate. (For the record, it refers to the number of minutes a hockey player gets in the penalty box for fighting on the ice.)

The sports-obsessed Ondrasik, who's in his 30s, is really Five for Fighting all by himself. His backing band is an ever-changing group of friends and musicians. Ondrasik writes the songs, plays piano and guitar, and sings. The work has paid off: Five for Fighting's album, "America Town," has spawned a hit single, "Superman."

Given that it's taken him 15 years to find success in the music business, he finds the band name symbolic.

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Watch the band perform "Superman" Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

"Hopefully there's a little passion and a little blood within the words, so hopefully it makes a little sense," he tells CNN's Michael Okwu.

He also hopes that the album's mix of lyrical images and melodic arrangements helps bring some old-fashioned songwriting to the charts.

"I grew up with the Beatles, and I love U2. I love Nirvana. I love songwriters," he says. "So just the fact that a band like this, Five for Fighting, that deals with songs -- and maybe a little commentary and hopefully a little depth -- is getting that chance, hopefully it'll open the door for more songwriters because we're missing songwriters within pop music. We really are."

Five for Fighting performed "Superman" for this week's Showbiz Sessions.

Five for Fighting

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