Song 11 - Little Star by Stina Nordenstam

As we have broken the barrier of 10 songs, I feel that I am now on the way of putting 500 songs in the Jukebox (!) I think for the next few songs I am going to try and do the songs by theme if only to help make some order on the blog; and I think I am going to with stars. The most obvious song that everyone sings about stars is "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star, How I wonder what you are?" If you didn't learn that as a child you were robbed. Stars are important part of life, something to gaze at - whether you are looking at the stars in the sky or stars of the screen, it is unsurprising that stars make up a high portion of song titles.

"Little Star" by Stina Nordenstam first came to my ear when Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet was released in 1996. A modern day adaption of Romeo and Juliet set in Venice Beach, but keeping the Shakespearian dialogue.  I remember how loud the movie was when we saw it in the Cameo Cinema in Edinburgh (or perhaps the sounds was due to was the hangover I had from this night before).  Romeo and Juliet has a soft place in my heart as I studied it for Higher English. For anyone who knows the play in any depth, there are many references to stars throughout the prose. Here is one of the most famous quotes:

"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she. . . .
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.” 

The song itself, for me, captures an intimate mood between two lovers waking up together at the start of their romance. The voice of Stina has an original softness to it and stands out against some of the louder tunes on the soundtrack. It is also different from Gabrielle's "Kissing You" which became an instant hit off the soundtrack. Stina Nordenstam is a Swedish artist who could be labeled as a one hit wonder as I don't know any other records by her but this is a beautiful song to have on any jukebox. 

But like any song, you can decide for yourself by listening here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JNb93N3-ek

Written by Stina Nordenstam, 1994.
Albums: And she closed her eyes (1994) and Romeo and Juliet (1996)