Song 15 - Stars by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel

What song is this you may ask, as the readers may not now this song, but they will know the musical it's from, Les Miserables, which first came to the West End Stage in 1985. The musical's premiere was in 1980 in Paris, being based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo.  The song, "Stars" is the 19th song in act one of the musical and  is mainly a solo for Javert, who finds out that his most hunted rival Valjean is still alive and the lyrics open up his personal feels for his determination to capture Valjean and why he is passionate about upholding the law.   It is a strong lyric for a determined character and it is interesting that Javert only has two solo, Stars and his own suicide song; both of which are essential songs for character and plot alike.

This is where we see as in novel, how important the choice of songs are for musical and the story telling, if you have seen either the musical or the film, Javert's character doesn't appear to be a hero at the start of the movie.  Javert is a man on a mission to get Valjean back behind bars again and yet, he finds himself in the hands of to Valjean's mercy in the second act; which shatters Javert because it changes his own perception of right and wrong. I am probably not doing the musical any justice because it is one of the most powerful musical I have seen and I think I was moved from the beginning of the opening music right the way through to the end.

I remember listening to the music of Les Miserables from the late 1980s when my dad and sister came back to with the double album LP of the original West End cast after a shopping trip. It had the young Michael Ball playing the young Marius on the original recording. Up to this purchase, I knew the musical of Andrew Lloyd Webber but this music was different to the Cats and The Phantom of the Opera tapes we had.  I remember too the trip we had with the School to go and see Les Miserables in Manchester. This was the first time that I had seen a musical without parents; the first  time I had been to Manchester; and the first time I had willing sat in the gods at the theatre (something I refuse to do now). There was also a bit of me that was very excited that I was getting to see it before my family.

To listen to it
Stars, sung by Philip Quast at the 10th anniversary concert
Album: Les Miserables, original song track 1985.

Song 12 - Stars by Erasure

I know feel completely stupid writting up this blog post about Erasure's "Stars" as I have just read something about how the song is a protest against nuclear war and yet up till tonight I hadn't seen that. It is really clear with this lyric "We go waiting for the stars, To come showering down, From Moscow to Mars, Universe falling down." This has always been one of my favourite dancing songs from the pop duo and Erasure knows how to get my toes tapping.

Written in 1990 for their Pop Album "Wild", which was their fourth album. I remember either borrowing and buying the album on cassette from one of my school friends. The song has an amazing introduction before Andy Bell's vocal comes over the top of the synthpop beat of Vince Clarke. I remember reading articles with Erasure in Smash Hits and I think Andy Bell was the first pop-star where I was aware that he was gay as he would openly talk about it with interviewers. Although known as a pop duo, some of their slower songs from their albums are heartbreaking and I think sometimes I think I forget how important a band they were for me growing up. I think it was the album before "Wild", The Innocents" which first really started my listening relationship with Erasure; it takes me back to my yellow bedroom in Braco and my red & black tape recorder that was a Christmas Present from my parents.

Erasure is a band who can make you dance and also bring issues into their songs. I know this will not be their only song in the Jukebox.

To have yourself a dance listen to the track here;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU4xdsMbQ28

Written by Andy Bell and Vince Clarke, 1990
Album: Wild