Stars (Simply Red song)

"Stars" is a song by British soul and pop band Simply Red, released in November 1991 as the second single from their fourth album of the same name (1991). Written by lead singer Mick Hucknall and produced by Stewart Levine, it became the first single from the album to enter the UK top 10, reaching number eight in December 1991. Outside the UK, "Stars" reached the top 10 in Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, and Zimbabwe. In the United States, it climbed to number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the band's last appearance on the listing.

"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

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 described the song as "wistful dreamy".[3] Billboard magazine viewed it as a "midtempo crooner". Jan DeKnock from Chicago Tribune felt that the group's "move into a funkier groove" suited them well, especially on the "charmingly upbeat" "Stars" and "Something Got Me Started".[4] 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."[5] A reviewer from Dundee Courier deemed it a "slowie".[6] Dave Tianene from Milwaukee Sentinel remarked that the song features "a delicately soulful vocal".[7]

Pan-European magazine Music & Media found that it has numerous allusions, including references to Mick Hucknall's own road to fame and to the stars in the European flag. They added, "This soulful pop song confirms the position of the red-headed singer at the top, close to the galactic stars."[8] In an retrospective review, Pop Rescue stated that Hucknall "hits those notes with perfection in the chorus, resulting in a wonderfully warm and catchy track."[9] Karla Peterson from The Press-Courier declared it as "swooning" and "one of the most open-hearted love songs Hucknall has ever written."[10] In 2014, Luke Turner from The Quietus remarked 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."[11] Richard Paton from Toledo Blade complimented it as a "soulful groove".[12] Johnny Dee from Smash Hits said it is "superb".[13]

Chart performance

"Stars" became a top-10 hit in Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom, where the single peaked at number eight during its third week on the UK Singles Chart. It entered the top 20 in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Switzerland, as well as the top 30 in France and the top 40 in Sweden (32). On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Stars" peaked at number 19 on 18 January 1991. Outside Europe, the single reached 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 charted in Japan, where it peaked at number 49 on the Japan Hot 100. "Stars" received a platinum record in the United Kingdom, with sales and streams of over 600,000 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[14] 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.[19]

Studios

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[48] Platinum 600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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. DeKnock, Jan (14 November 1991). "Recordings". Chicago Tribune.
  5. Fagan, Ellen (20 December 2018). "Holding Back Nothing: Simply Red's Top 10 Songs". CultureSonar. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  6. Dundee Courier. 9 January 1992. p. 12.
  7. Tianene, Dave (25 October 1991). "Simply Red gambles and wins". Milwaukee Sentinel.
  8. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 30 November 1991. p. 12. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  9. "Review: "Stars" by Simply Red (CD, 1991)". Pop Rescue. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  10. Peterson, Karla (10 June 1992). "Simply Red embraces soul, R 'n' B, reggae". The Press-Courier. p. 13. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  11. Turner, Luke (4 August 2014). "Absolved! The Quietus Writers' 50 Favourite Guilt-Free Pleasures". The Quietus. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  12. Paton, Richard (10 November 1991). "Sounds: "Stars" Simply Red". Toledo Blade. p. 13. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  13. Dee, Johnny (15 April 1992). "Singles". Smash Hits. p. 52. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  14. "Simply Red: Stars (1991)". IMDb. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  15. 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)
  16. 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)
  17. 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)
  18. 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)
  19. 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)
  20. "Simply Red – Stars". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  21. "Simply Red – Stars" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  22. "Simply Red – Stars" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  23. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2054." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  24. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6828." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  25. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 3. 18 January 1992. p. 30. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  26. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 3. 18 January 1992. p. 30. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  27. "Simply Red – Stars" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  28. "Simply Red – Stars" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  29. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Stars". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  30. "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 29 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Simply Red".
  31. Radio Luxembourg Singles, 8 December 1991
  32. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  33. "Simply Red – Stars" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  34. "Simply Red – Stars". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  35. "Simply Red – Stars". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  36. "Simply Red – Stars". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  37. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  38. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 30 November 1991. p. 22. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  39. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 14 March 1992. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  40. "Adult Contemporary". Billboard. 21 March 1992. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  41. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1992/RR-1992-03-27.pdf
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  43. "Simply Red Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  44. "1991 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. 11 January 1992. p. 20.
  45. "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Retrieved 31 July 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  46. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1992" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  47. "1992 The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 52. 26 December 1992. p. YE-38. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  48. "British single certifications – Simply Red – Stars". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
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