Stars on Stevie

Last updated
"Stars on Stevie"
Stars On 45 - Stars on Stevie.jpg
Original Dutch single sleeve
Single by Stars on 45
from the album The Superstars
B-side "It's Not a Wonder, It's a Miracle"
ReleasedFebruary 1982
Recorded1981
Genre
Length5:19/7:42
Label CNR Records (NL)
CBS Records (UK)
Radio Records (US)
Songwriter(s) See track listing for each song.
Producer(s) Jaap Eggermont
Stars on 45 singles chronology
"Volume III"
(1981)
"Stars on Stevie"
(1982)
"The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band in the World"
(1982)

"Stars on Stevie" a.k.a. "Stars Medley" a.k.a. "Stars on 45 III: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder" is a song issued in 1982 by the Dutch studio group Stars on 45, in the UK credited to 'Starsound', in the US 'Stars On'. It was the first single from the band's third full-length release The Superstars (UK title: Stars Medley, US title: Stars on Longplay III) and was Stars on 45's fourth single release in both Europe and North America.

Contents

The "Stars on Stevie" medley featured a selection of songs made famous by Stevie Wonder, ranging from his first US hit "Fingertips" released in 1963 via classics like "Isn't She Lovely", "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", "Sir Duke" and "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" to his then most recent American charttopper "Master Blaster (Jammin)". The soundalike vocals were provided by established Dutch singer Tony Sherman (born Renold Shearman in Curaçao), who had started his career in music as early as in 1970 with Dutch-Caribbean funk band Reality and releasing a series of albums with them before going solo in the late 70s.

"Stars on Stevie" became the highest charting Stars on 45 single in the US since their first charttopping Beatles medley, peaking at #28 on Billboard's Hot 100. In the UK it became the group's fourth consecutive Top 20 hit, peaking at #14 in February 1982, slightly higher in Ireland at #10 and it was indeed a #20 hit in most parts of Europe. In the Netherlands "Stars on Stevie" reached #6, making it their fourth Top 10 hit within the space of twelve months.

The "Stars on Stevie" medley was re-issued in 1991 under the title "Stars on Stevie Megamix" on the German Arcade label to promote The Very Best of Stars on 45 and has since appeared on a number of other greatest hits compilations with the group; the only difference between these two versions however is the sound of a live audience that has been overdubbed throughout the "Megamix", in all other respects they are in fact identical.

Track listing 7" single

Side A

"Stars on Stevie" (7" Mix) - 5:19

All tracks written by Stevie Wonder unless otherwise noted

Side B

"It's Not A Wonder, It's A Miracle" (7" Mix) (Eggermont, Duiser) - 3:09

Track listing 12" single

Side A

"Stars on Stevie" (12" Mix = album version) - 7:42

All tracks written by Stevie Wonder unless otherwise noted

Side B

"It's Not A Wonder, It's A Miracle" (12" Mix) (Eggermont, Duiser) - 7:11

Charts

Related Research Articles

Stars on 45 was a Dutch novelty pop act that was successful in Europe, the United States, and Australia in the early 1980s. The group later shortened its name to Stars On in the U.S., while in the United Kingdom and Ireland it was known as Starsound. The band, which consisted solely of studio session musicians under the direction of Jaap Eggermont, formerly of Golden Earring, recorded medley recordings made by recreating hit songs as faithfully as possible and joining them together with a common tempo and underlying drum track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stars on 45 (song)</span> Single by Stars on 45

"Stars on 45" is a song medley issued in January 1981 by Dutch studio group Stars on 45. In some countries, including the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand, the band was credited as 'Starsound' and only the medley itself was named "Stars on 45".

<i>Long Play Album</i> 1981 studio album by Stars on 45

Long Play Album is the first album by the Dutch soundalike studio group Stars on 45, released on the CNR Records label in the Netherlands in 1981. In the US, the album was retitled Stars on Long Play, released on Atlantic Records' sublabel Radio Records and credited to 'Stars On'. In the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand the group was renamed 'Starsound' and the album itself was listed as Stars on 45 or Stars on 45 - The Album and released by CBS Records. In Spanish-speaking countries, both the group and the album were launched under a fourth name: Estrellas en 45. Stars on 45 was also one of the very few Western pop albums to be officially released in the Soviet Union and large parts of the Eastern Bloc on the state-owned Melodiya label, credited to Stars on 45 but the Russian title of the album translates as Discothèque Stars and in Czechoslovakia on the state-owned Opus label as "Stars on 45". In the Philippines, it was released under the title Stars on 45 Long Play Album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Was Made to Love Her (song)</span> 1967 single by Stevie Wonder

"I Was Made to Love Her" is a soul music song recorded by American musician Stevie Wonder for Motown's Tamla label in 1967. The song was written by Wonder, his mother Lula Mae Hardaway, Sylvia Moy, and producer Henry Cosby and included on Wonder's 1967 album I Was Made to Love Her.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Cherie Amour (song)</span> 1969 single by Stevie Wonder

"My Cherie Amour" is a 1969 song by Motown singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder. The song reached number 4 on the Billboard pop chart in August to be Wonder's third Top Ten hit. The song was co-written by Wonder, Sylvia Moy, and Henry Cosby; Cosby also served as producer of the song. At the end of 1969, the song was ranked number 32 for the year.

<i>For Once in My Life</i> (Stevie Wonder album) 1968 studio album by Stevie Wonder

For Once in My Life is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder on Motown Records, released in November 1968. Then eighteen years old, Wonder had established himself as one of Motown's consistent hit-makers. This album continued Wonder's growth as a vocalist and songwriter, and is the first album where he shares credit as producer. It featured four songs that hit the Hot 100 charts: "For Once in My Life" (#2), "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" (#9) and the modest hits "I Don't Know Why" (#39) and "You Met Your Match" (#35). It also marked the debut of the Hohner Clavinet on a Stevie Wonder album, which would become a mainstay on albums to come.

<i>My Cherie Amour</i> (album) 1969 studio album by Stevie Wonder

My Cherie Amour is an album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder released on the Tamla (Motown) label on August 29, 1969, his eleventh studio album. The album yielded a couple of Top 10 hits in the Billboard Hot 100, including the title track (#4) and "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" (#7), as well as Wonder's takes on the 1967 hit "Light My Fire" by The Doors, "Hello, Young Lovers" from The King and I and "The Shadow of Your Smile" from the 1965 film The Sandpiper. It reached #12 in the UK album chart and #34 in the Billboard 200 album charts.

<i>Stevie Wonder Live</i> 1970 live album by Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder Live is a 1970 live album by American musician Stevie Wonder on the Tamla (Motown) label. The second live collection by the singer-songwriter, it was released during the crossroads of Wonder's career as he was preparing to negotiate a new contract with Motown that gave him artistic control over his work.

<i>Stevie Wonders Original Musiquarium I</i> 1982 compilation album by Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I is a compilation album by R&B/soul musician Stevie Wonder that was released in 1982 by Tamla Records. It collects eleven Top 40 hit singles and five album tracks, including four previously unreleased tracks, from 1972 to 1982. The album peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, at No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart in the U.S., and went to No. 8 in the UK. It has been certified gold by the RIAA. The four new songs were issued as singles to promote the album, with "That Girl" and "Do I Do" reaching the top 10 and top 20 of the US pop chart and number one and two on the R&B chart, respectively.

<i>Longplay Album – Volume II</i> 1981 studio album by Stars on 45

Longplay Album – Volume II is the second album by the Dutch soundalike studio group Stars on 45, released on the CNR Records label in The Netherlands in August 1981. In the US the album was retitled Stars On Long Play II, released on Radio Records and credited to 'Stars On'. In the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand the album was listed as Stars on 45 Volume 2 or Stars on 45 - The Album - Volume 2, credited to Starsound and issued on CBS Records. Just like the first Stars on 45 album Longplay Album – Volume II was also officially released in the Eastern Bloc by state-owned czechoslovak label Opus, credited to Stars On 45 but under the title Stars on 45 - Volume II.

<i>The Superstars</i> 1982 studio album by Stars on 45

The Superstars is the third album by the Dutch soundalike studio group Stars on 45, released on the CNR Records label in The Netherlands in March 1982. In the US, the album was retitled Stars On Long Play III, released on Radio Records and credited to 'Stars On'. In the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, the album was instead titled Stars Medley, again credited to Starsound and released by CBS Records. Just like the first Stars on 45 album The Superstars was also issued in the Soviet Union and large parts of the Eastern Bloc by the state-owned label Melodiya, credited to Stars on 45 but released under the title Discotheque Stars 2.

<i>Stars on Frankie</i> 1987 studio album by Stars on 45

Stars on Frankie is the fourth and final album by the Dutch soundalike studio group Stars on 45, released on the CNR Records label in The Netherlands in 1987. The album was the first proper Stars on 45 project since The Superstars, released some five years earlier, during which time producer Jaap Eggermont had recorded three albums with spin-off group The Star Sisters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">More Stars</span> 1981 single by Stars on 45

"More Stars" a.k.a. "Stars on 45 Vol. 2" is a song issued in 1981 by the Dutch studio group Stars on 45, in the UK credited to 'Starsound'. It was the follow-up to the US and Dutch #1 and UK #2 single "Stars on 45". "More Stars" was later included on the band's second album Longplay Album - Volume II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volume III (song)</span> 1981 single by Stars on 45

"Volume III" a.k.a. "Stars on 45 Volume 3" is a song issued in 1981 by the Dutch studio group Stars on 45, in the UK credited to 'Starsound'. It was the second single from the band's second full-length release Longplay Album - Volume II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band in the World</span> 1982 single by Stars on 45

"The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band in the World" a.k.a. "Stars Medley" a.k.a. "Stars on 45 III: Rollin' Stars" is a song issued in 1982 by the Dutch studio group Stars on 45, in the UK credited to 'Starsound', in the US 'Stars On'. It was the second single from the band's third full-length release The Superstars.

<i>Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection</i> 1996 compilation album by Stevie Wonder

Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection is a double-disc compilation album by Stevie Wonder. It was also released as a single disc edition which contained 6 tracks not featured on the 2CD release. The Australian edition has a slightly different track listing.

<i>Live at the Talk of the Town</i> (Stevie Wonder album) 1970 live album by Stevie Wonder

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<i>The Michael Jackson Mix</i> 1987 compilation album by Michael Jackson

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This is the discography of Dutch novelty pop group Stars on 45, also known as Starsound in the UK and Stars On in the US.

References

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