This song is written from the perspective of Jimmy Olsen, a character in the Superman comic books. Olsen is a young photographer who in this song is envisioned with a case of depression, as he feels overshadowed by his co-workers, Clark Kent and Lois Lane. It's one of the few Superman songs that isn't about the man in the red suit.
The album title also has a Superman theme: kryptonite is substance from Superman's home planet that takes away his powers. Explaining the phrase "pocket full of kryptonite," lead singer Chris Barron said: "No matter who you are, how good-looking you are, how strong you are or what nationality you are, somewhere in your soul there's a kernel of uniqueness, goodness and beauty. The pocket full of kryptonite is a metaphor for the gem at the bottom of every soul."
A band composition, this was the third Spin Doctors single. It reached its peak chart position in America in October 1993, more than two years after the album was released.
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