Gerhard Gundermann, from the Lausitz area of East Germany, was simultaneously a miner and a successful singer-songwriter. He died prematurely in 1998 at the age of 43. This paper investigates his use of literary and mythological reference in constructing a narrative persona in his songs. In particular it will look at his approach to the theme of 'the heroic' which runs as a common thread throughout his work.  This can be seen in his treatment of the unaccountability of Communist rulers in the GDR up till 1989 and in his search for solutions for civilisation in the 1990s faced with deindustrialisation, globalisation and the threat to the environment.