Stars (Simply Red song)

"Stars" is a 1991 single by British soul and pop band Simply Red, released as the second single from their fourth album of the same name. Written by lead singer Mick Hucknell and produced by Stewart Levine, "Stars" became the first single from the album to crack the UK top 10, reaching number eight in December 1991. Outside the UK, "Stars" reached the top 10 in Denmark and Zimbabwe and peaked within the top 40 in more than 10 other countries. In the United States it climbed to number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the band's last appearance on the listing, and reached number eight on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

"Stars"
Single by Simply Red
from the album Stars
B-side
  • "Ramblin' on My Mind"
  • "Something Got Me Started" (Hurley's House Mix)
Released18 November 1991 (Europe)
January 1992 (North America)
Recorded1991
Genre
Length4:08
LabelEastWest Records America
Songwriter(s)Mick Hucknall
Producer(s)Stewart Levine
Simply Red singles chronology
"Something Got Me Started"
(1991)		 "Stars"
(1991)		 "For Your Babies"
(1992)
Music video
"Stars" on YouTube

In 2003, Q Magazine ranked "Stars" at number 241 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever".[1] The song was included on the band's compilation albums, Greatest Hits in 1996, Simply Red 25: The Greatest Hits in 2008 and Song Book 1985–2010 in 2013.

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Jon O'Brien called the song "wistful dreamy".[2] Billboard described it as a "midtempo crooner". Writing for CultureSonar, Ellen Fagan wrote, "This exquisite ballad references a couple who love one another but are unlikely to walk off into the sunset together for various reasons. Because of that, both are destined to walk away reeling. The video released with the song is a vintage '80s masterpiece of surrealism; the whole package emerges as a mournful tune with a yearning, otherworldly feel."[3] Dundee Courier noted it as a "slowie".[4] Music & Media commented that "the title track of their new album has numerous allusions, including references to Mick Hucknall's own road to fame and to the stars in the European flag. This soulful pop song confirms the position of the red-headed singer at the top, close to the galactic stars."[5]

Pop Rescue stated that Hucknall "hits those notes with perfection in the chorus, resulting in a wonderfully warm and catchy track."[6] Karla Peterson from The Press-Courier called it "swooning" and said the track is "one of the most open-hearted love songs Hucknall has ever written."[7] In 2014, Luke Turner from The Quietus noted that the song itself "holds up wonderfully." He added that "there's not a huge amount going on, but that's what makes it work: piano, terrific drums, layers of vocals, and a load of bonus hints of chorus snuck in amongst the verses."[8] In his review of the Stars album, Richard Paton from Toledo Blade described "Stars" as a "soulful groove".[9] Johnny Dee from Smash Hits said the song is "superb".[10]

Chart performance

"Stars" was a major hit in Europe, becoming one of Simply Red's most successful songs to date. It was a Top 10 hit in Denmark, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom, where the single peaked at number 8 in its third week on the chart. Additionally, it also was a Top 20 hit in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Switzerland. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Stars" peaked at number 19 on January 18, 1991. Outside Europe, the single went to number 8 in Zimbabwe, number 17 in Canada, number 29 in Australia, number 32 in New Zealand and number 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 2013, the song again charted, this time in Japan, where it peaked at number 49 on the Japan Hot 100. "Stars" received a silver record in the United Kingdom, with a sale of 200,000 singles.

Music video

The music video for "Stars" was released in November 1991 and features Hucknall wandering around a desert surrounded by large gold stars with close-ups of him and a woman. It was directed by Zanna[11] and edited by Marc Eskenazi. The video was uploaded to YouTube in April 2009. By August 2020, it had more than 72,4 million views.[12]

Track listing

CD single

  1. "Stars" – 4:11
  2. "Ramblin' on My Mind" – 2:11
  3. "Stars" (Comprende Mix) – 6:40
  4. "Something Got Me Started" (Hurley's House Mix) – 5:56

7" single

  1. "Stars" – 4:08
  2. "Stars" (PM-ized Mix) – 4:12

12" maxi

  1. "Stars" (Comprende Mix) – 6:40
  2. "Stars" (PM-ized Mix) – 4:12
  3. "Ramblin' on My Mind" – 2:11
  4. "Something Got Me Started" (Hurley's House Mix) – 5:56

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Covers

Olivia Ong, Singaporean bossa nova singer recorded a cover in 2010. It also appears on the 2016 album The Boy, The Rocket and the World by Alistair Griffin.

In November 2016, Olly Murs performed a cover of the song on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2.

Japanese group Kokua included a Japanese version of the song written by lead singer Shikao Suga on their 1st official album "Progress" out on sale 1 June 2016.[38]

References
  1. "Q - 1001 best songs ever (2003)".
  2. "Simply Red - 25: The Greatest Hits". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  3. "Holding Back Nothing: Simply Red's Top 10 Songs". CultureSonar. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  4. Dundee Courier. 9 January 1992. p. 12. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  5. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 30 November 1991. p. 12. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  6. "REVIEW: "STARS" BY SIMPLY RED (CD, 1991)". Pop Rescue. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  7. "Simply Red embraces soul, R 'n' B, reggae". The Press-Courier. 10 June 1992. p. 13. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  8. Turner, Luke (4 August 2014). "Absolved! The Quietus Writers' 50 Favourite Guilt-Free Pleasures". The Quietus. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  9. "SOUNDS: "STARS" Simply Red". Toledo Blade. 10 November 1991. p. 13. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  10. "Singles". Smash Hits. 15 April 1992. p. 52. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  11. "Simply Red: Stars (1991)". IMDb. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  12. "Simply Red - Stars (Official Video)". YouTube. 27 April 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  13. "Australian-charts.com – Simply Red – Stars". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  14. "Austriancharts.at – Simply Red – Stars" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  15. "Ultratop.be – Simply Red – Stars" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  16. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2054." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  17. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6828." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  18. "Top 10 Denmark" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  19. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  20. "Lescharts.com – Simply Red – Stars" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  21. "Offiziellecharts.de – Simply Red – Stars". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  22. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Stars". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  23. Radio Luxembourg Singles, 8 December 1991
  24. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  25. "Dutchcharts.nl – Simply Red – Stars" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  26. "Charts.nz – Simply Red – Stars". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  27. "Swedishcharts.com – Simply Red – Stars". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  28. "Swisscharts.com – Simply Red – Stars". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  29. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  30. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 30 November 1991. p. 22. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  31. "Simply Red Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  32. "Simply Red Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  34. "Simply Red Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  35. "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  36. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1992" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  37. "British single certifications – Simply Red – Stars". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Stars in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  38. http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/kokua/
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