Star (Erasure song)

"Star"
Single by Erasure
from the album Wild!
B-side	"Dreamlike State"
Released	21 May 1990 (1990-05-21)[1]
Genre	Pop
Length	3:53
Label	Mute (UK) Sire (US)
Songwriter(s)	Vince Clarke Andy Bell
Producer(s)	Gareth Jones Mark Saunders Erasure
Erasure singles chronology
"Blue Savannah" (1990) "Star" (1990) "Chorus" (1991)
Music video
"Star" on YouTube

"Star" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released in May 1990 as the fourth European (and third American) single from the group's fourth studio album, Wild! (1989). Been described as a straightforward dance music track with disco elements, it was written by group members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell. The lyrical content clearly referencing nuclear war; Erasure's own form of protest song. When released, the track was remixed slightly for radio, bringing acoustic guitar elements and various background vocal parts forward in the mix. The accompanying music video was directed by John Maybury.^[2]

Chart performance

As the last single released from Wild!, it became Erasure's 12th consecutive top-20 hit on the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at number 11. It also peaked at number 33 in West Germany. In the United States, the song did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, although it became a popular club hit, climbing to number four on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

Critical reception

Steven McDonald from AllMusic felt the song is "another one of those rip-roaring Clarke/Bell compositions that's as much fun for the ears as it is for the feet". He described it as "stupendous".^[3] Bill Coleman from Billboard wrote, "Pop gem that should have kicked off campaign behind sorely overlooked Wild! album is finally issued with club-ready remixes. He added, "Well-edited "Trafalmadore Mix" should satisfy house-conscious jocks."^[4] Ian McCann from NME said, "With a bassline that sounds like it has just woken up with a hangover only to find that someone has been pouring Mescal on the cornflakes, the groove of 'Star' is delicious."^[5] Jaynie Senior from Number One remarked the "pure pop" of "Star".^[6] Christopher Smith from Talk About Pop Music stated that the song "returns us to more lively, energetic Erasure as the chorus comes in first then the song gathers pace with each successive verse and chorus."^[7] Troy J. Augusto from Variety complimented it as "hook-filled".^[8]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by English filmmaker and artist John Maybury.^[2] It was later published on Erasure's official YouTube channel in September 2014. The video had generated more than five million views as of January 2023.

Track listings

• 7-inch and cassette single (MUTE111; CMUTE111)

1. "Star"
2. "Dreamlike State"

• 12-inch single (12MUTE111)

1. "Star" (Trafalmadore mix)
2. "Star" (single mix)
3. "Dreamlike State" (The 12 Hour Technicolor mix)

• Limited 12-inch single (L12MUTE111)

1. "Star" (Interstellar mix)
2. "Star" (Soul mix)
3. "Dreamlike State" (The 24 Hour Technicolor mix)

• CD single (CDMUTE111)

1. "Star" (single mix)
2. "Dreamlike State"
3. "Star" (Trafalmadore mix)
4. "Star" (Soul mix)

• US cassette single (Sire 9 19837-4)

1. "Star"
2. "Dreamlike State"

• US CD maxi-single (21558-2)

1. "Star" (single mix)
2. "Star" (Trafalmadore mix)
3. "Star" (Interstellar mix)
4. "Dreamlike State" (The 24 Hour Technicolor mix)
5. "Star" (Soul mix)

* Also released on 12-inch vinyl (Sire 92-15580) and cassette (Sire 21558-4), minus "Star" (single mix).

Charts

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9]	34
Ireland (IRMA)[10]	11
UK Singles (OCC)[11]	11
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[12]	4
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[13]	4
West Germany (GfK)[14]	33

References

1. "New Singles". Music Week. 19 May 1990. p. 37.
2. "Star (single)". erasureinfo.com. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
3. McDonald, Steven. "Erasure – Star". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
4. Coleman, Bill (16 June 1990). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 85. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
5. McCann, Ian (19 May 1990). "Singles". NME. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
6. Senior, Jaynie (18 October 1989). "Albums". Number One. p. 43. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
7. Smith, Christopher (16 October 2019). "Review: 'Wild!' – Erasure". Talk About Pop Music. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
8. Augusto, Troy J. (23 November 1992). "Erasure". Variety. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
9. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 24. 16 June 1990. p. V. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
10. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Erasure". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
11. "Erasure: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
12. "Erasure Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
13. "Erasure Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Erasure – Star" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 24 July 2022.