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Stars (Simply Red song)

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"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 (1991-11-18)[1]
StudioCondulmer (Venice, Italy)
Genre
Length4:08
LabelEastWest
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

"Stars" is a 1991 song by British soul and pop band Simply Red, released as the second single from their fourth album of the same name (1991). Written by lead singer Mick Hucknall 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, Italy, Luxembourg 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.

Q Magazine included "Stars" in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever" in 2003.[2] The song was featured 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 viewed the song as "wistful dreamy".[3] Billboard magazine described it as a "midtempo crooner". Writing for CultureSonar in 2018, 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."[4] A reviewer from Dundee Courier deemed it a "slowie".[5]

Pan-European magazine Music & Media noted that it "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."[6] Pop Rescue stated that the singer "hits those notes with perfection in the chorus, resulting in a wonderfully warm and catchy track."[7] Karla Peterson from The Press-Courier called it "swooning" and "one of the most open-hearted love songs Hucknall has ever written."[8] In 2014, Luke Turner from The Quietus noted that the song itself "holds up wonderfully", adding 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."[9] Richard Paton from Toledo Blade described it as a "soulful groove".[10] Johnny Dee from Smash Hits said it is "superb".[11]

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, Italy (number two), Luxembourg and the United Kingdom, where the single peaked at number eight 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 made it to number eight 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 gold record in the United Kingdom, with sales and streams of over 400,000 units.

Music video

The accompanying 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[12][better source needed] and edited by Marc Eskenazi.

Track listings

  1. "Stars" – 4:08
  2. "Stars" (PM-ized mix) – 4:12
A1. "Stars" (Comprende mix)
A2. "Stars" (PM-ized mix)
B1. "Ramblin' on My Mind"
B2. "Something Got Me Started" (Hurley's house mix)
  1. "Stars"
  2. "Ramblin' on My Mind"
  3. "Stars" (Comprende mix)
  4. "Something Got Me Started" (Hurley's house mix)

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the Stars album booklet.[17]

Studios

Charts and certifications

References

  1. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 16 November 1991. p. 21. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Q - 1001 best songs ever (2003)".
  3. ^ O'Brien, Jon. "Simply Red - 25: The Greatest Hits". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  4. ^ Fagan, Ellen (20 December 2018). "Holding Back Nothing: Simply Red's Top 10 Songs". CultureSonar. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  5. ^ Dundee Courier. 9 January 1992. p. 12. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  6. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 30 November 1991. p. 12. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  7. ^ "REVIEW: "STARS" BY SIMPLY RED (CD, 1991)". Pop Rescue. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  8. ^ Peterson, Karla (10 June 1992). "Simply Red embraces soul, R 'n' B, reggae". The Press-Courier. p. 13. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  9. ^ Turner, Luke (4 August 2014). "Absolved! The Quietus Writers' 50 Favourite Guilt-Free Pleasures". The Quietus. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  10. ^ Paton, Richard (10 November 1991). "SOUNDS: "STARS" Simply Red". Toledo Blade. p. 13. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  11. ^ Dee, Johnny (15 April 1992). "Singles". Smash Hits. p. 52. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  12. ^ "Simply Red: Stars (1991)". IMDb. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  13. ^ Stars (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Simply Red. EastWest Records. 1991. YZ 626, 9031-75801-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Stars (UK cassette single sleeve). Simply Red. EastWest Records. 1991. YZ 626 C.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Stars (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Simply Red. EastWest Records. 1991. YZ626T, 9031-75802-0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ Stars (UK CD single liner notes). Simply Red. EastWest Records. 1991. YZ 626 CD, 9031-76150-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ Stars (UK CD album booklet). Simply Red. EastWest Records. 1991. 9031-75284-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ "Simply Red – Stars". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  19. ^ "Simply Red – Stars" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  20. ^ "Simply Red – Stars" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  21. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2054." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  22. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6828." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  23. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 3. 18 January 1992. p. 30. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  24. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 3. 18 January 1992. p. 30. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  25. ^ "Simply Red – Stars" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  26. ^ "Simply Red – Stars" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  27. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Stars". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  28. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 29 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Simply Red".
  29. ^ Radio Luxembourg Singles, 8 December 1991
  30. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  31. ^ "Simply Red – Stars" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  32. ^ "Simply Red – Stars". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  33. ^ "Simply Red – Stars". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  34. ^ "Simply Red – Stars". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  35. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  36. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 30 November 1991. p. 22. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  37. ^ "Simply Red Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  38. ^ "Simply Red Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  39. ^ * Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  40. ^ "Simply Red Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  41. ^ "1991 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. 11 January 1992. p. 20.
  42. ^ "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  43. ^ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1992" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  44. ^ "1992 The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 52. 26 December 1992. p. YE-38. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  45. ^ "British single certifications – Simply Red – Stars". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
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