Starlight Dancer

Last updated
Starlight Dancer
Kayak Starlight Dancer European album cover.jpg
Cover of the European album
Studio album by
Kayak
Released1977
Genre Progressive rock
Label Vertigo (Europe)
Janus (North America)
Producer Jack Lancaster, Kayak
Kayak chronology
The Last Encore
(1976)
Starlight Dancer
(1977)
Phantom of the Night
(1978)
Alternative cover
Cover - starlight dancer.jpg
Cover of the North American compilation album
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg link
Progrographynot rated link

Starlight Dancer is a 1977 album by Dutch progressive rock band Kayak. [1] It was produced by Jack Lancaster and Kayak.

Contents

The North American release is very different from the original Dutch/European release with the same title. In fact it is a compilation of songs from Starlight Dancer and their previous album The Last Encore (1976). The American record company, Janus Records, used the title Starlight Dancer but the sleeve design of The Last Encore.

European version

This album is the only Kayak album with members Charles Louis Schouten (drums) and Theo de Jong (bass).

The song "Golddust" is the only song written by Max Werner that Kayak recorded. It features a guest appearance by Dutch keyboardist Rick van der Linden.

Only two songs of this release ("Turn the Tide" and "Starlight Dancer") were used on the North American release. "Want You to Be Mine" and "Irene" are also included, but these were in fact demo-versions, slightly different from the versions on the European album.

Until July 2010, the European version of Starlight Dancer was not released on CD in its own right. It was released as part of a double CD set called Three Originals. This double CD exists of the complete albums Starlight Dancer, Phantom of the Night and Periscope Life, plus five non-album bonus tracks. In July 2010, Universal/Mercury released the European album on a single CD.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ton Scherpenzeel, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Daughter or Son"3:40
2."Starlight Dancer"4:56
3."Want You to Be Mine"3:30
4."Letdown"2:46
5."Irene" (Instrumental)4:20
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Golddust" Max Werner 2:40
7."May"Scherpenzeel, D. Ireland4:25
8."Turn the Tide" 3:35
9."Dead Bird Flies Forever" 4:15
10."Sweet Revenge" 3:40
11."Where Do We Go from Here?" 4:50

North American version

The song "Ballad For a Lost Friend" is included on the album Kayak - The Golden Years of Dutch Music, released by Universal Music in 2015. In the Netherlands, the song was used as a single B-side. The North American album was not released on CD.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Want You to Be Mine" (demo version)Scherpenzeel4:46
2."Ballad For a Lost Friend"Scherpenzeel4:14
3."Turn the Tide" (from Starlight Dancer)Scherpenzeel3:34
4."Nothingness" (from The Last Encore)Scherpenzeel3:56
5."Still My Heart Cries For You" (from The Last Encore) Pim Koopman 4:34
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Starlight Dancer" (from Starlight Dancer)Scherpenzeel5:03
7."Love of a Victim" (from The Last Encore)Koopman2:48
8."Land on the Water" (from The Last Encore)Koopman2:28
9."Do You Care" (from The Last Encore)Koopman2:56
10."Back to the Front" (from The Last Encore)Scherpenzeel, Johan Slager 4:32
11."Irene" (instrumental, demo version)Scherpenzeel4:22

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>The Best of the Pink Floyd</i> 1970 greatest hits album by Pink Floyd

The Best of the Pink Floyd, also issued as Masters of Rock, is a compilation album of early Pink Floyd music, concentrating on singles and album tracks from 1967 to 1968.

Kayak (band) Dutch rock band

Kayak is a Dutch rock band formed by Ton Scherpenzeel and Pim Koopman in Hilversum in 1972. In 1973, their debut album See See the Sun was released, including three hit singles. Their popularity was mainly in the Netherlands, with their top hit "Ruthless Queen" reaching No. 6 on the Dutch charts in March 1979. They disbanded in 1982 after releasing nine albums.

Ton Scherpenzeel Musical artist

Ton Scherpenzeel is a Dutch keyboardist, composer, lyricist, and founding member of progressive rock band Kayak, together with Pim Koopman and Max Werner whom he met whilst at the Hilversum Muziek Lyceum. Scherpenzeel is the only Kayak member who has played on every Kayak album. Apart from composing the music, writing lyrics, and playing keyboards, he also plays accordion, occasional bass guitar (for instance on the entire Nostradamus album) and double bass. He also provides backing vocals and sings lead vocals on the song "Love's Aglow" on the original Merlin album. In 2021, Kayak released their 18th studio album, 'Out of This World'. Ton announced Nov/2021, that Kayak will embark on their 'Farewell Tour' (Spring/2022) throughout countries: The Netherlands, England, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. This will take place during the 50-year anniversary of the band. He did not rule out the possibility of occasional reunion performances. Scherpenzeel has a notable fear of flying, that has limited his touring to the European continent.. Subsequent to Kayak, Scherpenzeel was also occasional keyboardist of Camel, a British Progressive Rock band. Ton was the keyboardist on several Camel albums: Stationary Traveller (1984), Pressure Points: Live in Concert (1984), Dust and Dreams (1991), Rajaz (1999) and he performed live on Camel's 2003 Farewell Tour. He also played several years with Earth and Fire.

<i>Changesonebowie</i> 1976 compilation album by David Bowie

Changesonebowie is a compilation album by English musician David Bowie, issued through RCA Records in 1976. It collected songs from the 1969–1976 period, including the first LP appearance of "John, I'm Only Dancing". A "sax version" of this song, cut during the Aladdin Sane sessions in 1973, appeared on the first 1000 copies of the UK pressing. Later pressings of Changesonebowie featured the original version of the single that had been recorded and released in 1972. All US pressings of the LP contain this original version as well.

"Starless" is a composition by English progressive rock band King Crimson. It is the final track on their seventh studio album, Red, released on 6 October 1974.

<i>Stationary Traveller</i> 1984 studio album by Camel

Stationary Traveller is the tenth studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. Like much of Camel's output, it is a concept album, in this case centering on the trials of East German refugees attempting to cross the Berlin Wall from East Berlin into West Berlin. The album also touches on the theme of politics between the two different government ideologies. It is the last Camel album to be recorded on the Decca label.

<i>See See the Sun</i> 1973 studio album by Kayak

See See the Sun is the first album by the Dutch progressive rock band Kayak. It was originally released in 1973 and reissued with two bonus tracks in 1995, and again in 2012.

Pim Koopman Dutch musician

Wilhelmus Frederikus "Pim" Koopman was a Dutch musician best known as the drummer and percussionist of rock band Kayak.

<i>Royal Bed Bouncer</i> 1975 studio album by Kayak

Royal Bed Bouncer is the third album by Dutch progressive rock band Kayak, released in 1975. Their progressive approach from the first two albums was mixed with a more basic pop/rock sound. Nine of the ten songs were written by Ton Scherpenzeel, with Pim Koopman only contributing the instrumental "Patricia Anglaia". The album was produced by Gerrit-Jan Leenders and Kayak.

Max Werner Dutch musician (born 1953)

Max Werner is a Dutch musician. He was the lead singer, drummer, and percussionist of rock band Kayak.

<i>Phantom of the Night</i> 1978 studio album by Kayak

Phantom of the Night is the sixth studio album by Dutch Progressive rock band Kayak. "Ruthless Queen" was released as a single, becoming the band's biggest hit, nearing the top of the charts in the Netherlands.

<i>Periscope Life</i> 1980 studio album by Kayak

Periscope Life is the seventh album by the Dutch progressive rock band Kayak, originally released on LP in 1980. The first CD issue (1993) had 2 bonus tracks. In 1998, the album was part of the Double CD 3 Originals

<i>Merlin</i> (Kayak album) 1981 studio album by Kayak

Merlin is the eighth studio album by Dutch band Kayak. The first half of the original LP is a concept fantasy story about Merlin the Magician. The second half of the LP is a collection of individual songs.

<i>Coming Up for Air</i> (Kayak album) 2008 studio album by Kayak

Coming Up For Air is the 13th studio album by Dutch progressive rock band Kayak. It was released in 2008. The song "Undecided" was a single in The Netherlands, featuring the non-albumtrack "Beat The Clock".

<i>Kayak II</i> (album) 1974 studio album by Kayak

Kayak II is the second album by the Dutch progressive rock band Kayak. It was originally released in 1974 and reissued with a bonus track in 1995.

<i>The Last Encore</i> 1976 studio album by Kayak

The Last Encore is the fourth album by the Dutch progressive rock band Kayak. It was originally released in 1976 and issued on CD in 1995, with a re-release in 2002.

<i>Merlin – Bard of the Unseen</i> 2003 studio album by Kayak

Merlin - Bard Of The Unseen is the 11th studio album by the Dutch progressive rock band Kayak. This concept-album is a new version of side 1 of their 1981 album Merlin, with nine new songs added.

<i>Eyewitness</i> (Kayak album) 1981 live album (in studio) by Kayak

Eyewitness is an album by the Dutch progressive rock band Kayak. The original LP was released in 1981. The album was recorded 'live' in a recording studio, with some overdubs added later. To create a 'live' atmosphere, Kayak fans were invited later to cheer and clap to the already recorded songs. The CD release was transferred from the original tapes, so it doesn't have the audience participation. The album has three new songs: Eyewitness, Who's Fooling Who and Only You And I Know.

<i>Close to the Fire</i> 2000 studio album by Kayak

Close to the Fire is the 9th studio album by Dutch progressive rock band Kayak, released in 2000. It was a comeback album, the first since their split in 1982. The line-up was almost the same as the one that recorded the album Royal Bed Bouncer in 1975. Only guitarist Johan Slager was not involved. He was replaced by Rob Winter.

<i>Nostradamus – The Fate of Man</i> 2005 studio album by Kayak

Nostradamus – The Fate of Man is the twelfth studio album by the Dutch progressive rock band Kayak. The album charted only for three weeks.

References