The points of discussion:
1) Do you love it or hate it?
2) Does it bring back memories?
3) Any relevant experiences involving the song?
4) What do you think the song is about?
Star People:
"Star People" is a club classic and it has the catchiest line "Maybe your momma gave you up boy, maybe your daddy didn't love you enough girl". It is one of the two real dance tracks in "Older" and has a stronger message than "Fastlove". The remixes of this track were released in America and were huge in the clubs, staying at #1 for two weeks, where dance tracks spend usually no more than one week at the top. (Take for example, last week's #1, Mariah Carey's "Honey" has quickly dropped out of #1.) It never made it to US pop radio and bubbled under the charts at #101 even with a multi-format release. "Star People" was also re-recorded and released as "Star People 97", a different track from the original. I'd love to hear everyone's comments on this song and its different formats.
Star People on the Charts:
UK: #2
US: #101 (Bubbled Under)
(name) Oscar
(email) [email protected]
Hello!
STAR PEOPLE is one of my least favorite of GM's songs. Of course that's not saying much since I love the man and his music so much!
Anyway, I don't like the vibes STAR PEOPLE gives off. GM comes across as being bitter about something. He makes stardom sound like it was something evil and dirty. Basically coming across saying if you're a star, you're messed up in the head. There's a lot of stars out there that I love. Some are messed up yes, but some are very admirable people like George. When I first heard the song, it dissapointed me that George had that kind of attitude. I guess he too is a star, and he too is a little messed up in the head.
Did you get up on the wrong foot baby?
Anyway, I love George's music. He is the most talented male vocalist I've ever heard. STAR PEOPLE doesn't make me think any less of him. STAR PEOPLE or no STAR PEOPLE, George is sexy in every way.
Bye
Oscar!!!
(name) Lisa Holmes
(email) [email protected]
I remember listening to Star People for the first time and thinking "Why has it taken so long for this song to be written?". This wasn't a criticism on Georges part, quite the contrary. To me it seemed like such a predictable song that should have been written years ago!
Lisa
(name) Steph
(email) [email protected]
One of the greatest pop songs of the 80's, what a harp back to Motown and the 50's and 60's... my most vivid memory of "Faith" is sitting in a car with friends going out on a Saturday night (I was 17) when it came on the radio and all of us singing at the top of our lungs (including those guys who repeatedly denied liking George Michael).
(name) Hagebeuk R.
(email) [email protected]
Ja, what shall I say. I am an amature DJ.... and a big fan. My problem sometimes is my need to play George Michael on every party I work on..... but most party's I work are dance party's where no one is waiting for a poetic, slow song.. So I am very glad with the various mixes of star people and fastlove. Now I can play the songs while I the crowd dances.
But at home, at night when I am relaxing star people is often skipped cause I think itt is no fun listening to it when you are not in the mood for dancing. I own 5 different singles of star people (Star People USA 7 track / Star People USA 4 track / Star People '97 European 2 track and the 3 track and of course the dance mixes released in europe.) The Unplugged version is the best according me.
I also think there is a similarity between star people and freedom 90. It gives some critics to the showbiss...
(Sorry for my bad english, I know the words but I always have trouble with expressing things. I often use dutch expression translated badly in english, I will try to do my best....or is it to give my best shot ?)
bye for now
(name) Kristine
(email) [email protected]
Hi!
Am I too late to discuss the song of the week? Hope not. Star People was
one of the songs that caught my ear when I was listening to the Older
album for the first time. I work at the radiostation (dance oriented) and
it was my "professional" reaction. A lot of SP remixes are on the air of
our station (and it's all my fault :0)). When I heard SP for the first time
I thought - it's one perfect song for remixing, so with every remix of the
song I was waiting for something better, and never got it. And now I know
why. It just can't get any better than it's album version.
I even think Star People Remixes is the one and only G's CD I could do without perfectly well. Just a bad habit to buy everything he releases... He got me!!! I really finally believe that we are the ones paying his bills.:0) But it's OK with me, otherwise I wouldn't do so.
So, in a few words, I like the album version. And don't know why do anybody (except DJs) need any other versions.
Kristine
(name) Bryan
(email) [email protected]
"Star People" is an important song for me. I guess since it's my favorite song on "Older". I didn't really appreciate "Older" until I really got into this song, and in effect the rest of the album. Before that, it was an album that collected dust (okay okay I was dumb). I honestly was disappointed with "Older" for a while. I still find it inferior to "Faith". I felt that it was so different and I really expected something along the lines of his older stuff. When I first saw the video for "Jesus To A Child", it was like "Is this George Michael?!". The only song I liked on the whole album was "Fastlove".
Anyways, my story is I heard "Star People (Forthright Club Mix)" earlier this year (March/April I think) and I bought the "Star People" US Maxi, nothing special since I like to buy maxi singles. I liked it and all, since it's a great dance track and I listened to all the mixes on the single. Wow. I loved the "Unplugged" version as well as the "Strangest Thing (Live)" track. Then I took the album and began listening to it a bit. The album track of SP grew on me and I began to enjoy the album version for its simplistic, yet so catchy production. I got into the other songs, because of "Strangest Thing", like "Spinning The Wheel" and I found it was an album that fit a certain mood of mine and I accepted the beauty I found in it. Some chain effect thing. But that's another story.
"Star People" remains my favorite song on "Older". I still love the club mixes but agreeing with Kristine, the album version takes the cake. It's no "Faith" people say... Why? It's "Older".
(name) Yorgo
(email) [email protected]
Dear G-Noters
Like many GM fans, I believe that the Older Album is a very rich and addictive CD, once you start listenning to it you just can't stop. The first time I've heard it I felt that the songs can't be written any better, but GM comes up with these wonderful remixes which in my opinion bring OLDER to a much BETTER status. When I first listened to STAR PEOPLE I really liked it, and I cosidered it one of my favourites, but then a couple of months ago STAR PEOPLE 97 came out, and WOW! it is a great remix. The lyrics GM has added like: "If I could live to be a hundred and one ....etc" are just ausome, and the beat that's in SP97 (and not in the original SP) are really worth it. So I would like to join the G-noters thank GM for his ever unique music, and say "you never stop amazing me...."
Sincerely Yours;
YORGO
(name) Ingjerd
(email) [email protected]
I have to put in a word about Star People, although it is difficult to talk about music in a foreign language. I hope it is not too late. SP is one of my favorites from "Older". I Actually like all the versions of it, exept for The Dance Mixes, but that is not my kind of music. I am especially fond of SP 97. It always manages to turn me into a good mood. It is like pushing a button, when I play this song I immediately feel happy and like dancing. The second part of the song, where he samples from The Gap Band, "Burn Rubber On Me" (or something like that) is defenitive the most catching part. And when you know he playes the bass himself, it gets even better (stupid?). There is one thing though, I would like to say about the instrumentation of the song . I think he tends to use too much synthesizer on this one (if that is what he does. I can be wrong, I do not have a very trained ear). The "guitar-solo" between the two main parts would have been much better with "the real" instrument. But I love it anyway. It was played a lot on the radio here in Norway for a while. Every time I entered a store with a radio on, they played SP97 (almost every time). Lately I find the album version better then before, and I love the unplugged version too, but mainley due to his performance on the show. In singing SP, he showes that he has the music AND the rythme in his body. To me he makes a strong appearance with this song. He is a great performer. I hope this made some sense , if not, I am sorry.
Ingjerd
(name) Anne
(email) [email protected]
I guess this post is a little different from the others about Star People. I do NOT like this song. I bought Older in the summer of 96 because I had fallen for Jesus to a child and Fastlove. It took me some short time to get to love the album, but today I really do. Just one thing, I could easily do without the album version of Star People. I usually programme the CD and leave that song out in the cold. So what is it I don�t like? I quite don�t know, maybe the chorus or just the melody.
But listen to this thing, when I bought Star People `97 I was amazed! This is such a cool song and the sampled part suits the rest of the song so perfectly. And the way George sings, the power in his voice. I LOVE this version, it makes you happy!
Just as I could do without the original version I could also do without the dance mixes but not without the `97 version, IT`S GREAT!
Anne