Waiting for a Star to Fall

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Script error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". "Waiting for a Star to Fall" is a song by American pop music duo Boy Meets Girl in 1988, written by the duo's members, Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill. They wrote the song after witnessing a falling star at a Whitney Houston concert and originally offered the song to Houston, but Arista Records CEO Clive Davis rejected it. American singer Belinda Carlisle then recorded a demo of the song but refused its inclusion on her 1987 album Heaven on Earth, so Rubicam and Merrill decided to record and release the song themselves.

"Waiting for a Star to Fall" was released in June 1988 as the lead single from Boy Meets Girl's second studio album, Reel Life (1988). The song became a chart hit in several countries, reaching number five on the US Billboard Hot 100, number one in Canada, number five in Ireland, and number nine in the United Kingdom. Since its release, it has been remixed and covered by many artists, including Cabin Crew and Sunset Strippers, who experienced concurrent success with their reworkings in 2005.

Background

"Waiting for a Star to Fall" was written by Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill, and was inspired by an actual falling star that Rubicam had seen during a Whitney Houston concert at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The duo did not initially consider recording the song themselves, instead submitting it to Arista's CEO Clive Davis, in the hope that he would decide to use it on Houston's second studio album, Whitney. Even though Rubicam and Merrill had written Houston's previous hit "How Will I Know", Davis rejected "Waiting for a Star to Fall", suggesting that it did not suit her.[1] This then inspired Merrill and Rubicam to create Houston's 1987 hit "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)". Meanwhile, "Waiting for a Star to Fall" was then offered to and recorded by Belinda Carlisle for her 1987 release Heaven on Earth, at the insistence of her label, but Carlisle disliked it and refused to include it on the album.[2] This version has, however, circulated on an unofficial compilation of that album's outtakes.[3]

The tenor saxophone solo on the Boy Meets Girl version was provided in a session recording early in the career of Andy Snitzer, who later found success as a solo artist.[4]

Release and reception

Merrill and Rubicam decided to record the song themselves for their second album Reel Life. Released as a single on June 10, 1988,Script error: No such module "Unsubst". it became a hit in the United States, reaching number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and number five on the Billboard Hot 100.[5][6] Issued in the United Kingdom on November 14, 1988, the song reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart during January 1989, having entered the chart in December 1988.[7][8] It remains their sole top-40 hit in the UK.[9] The song also reached number 35 on Australia's ARIA Singles Chart in April 1989.[10] After the song was used as the closing theme to the 1990 movie Three Men and a Little Lady, the single was re-released with a new picture sleeve featuring the actors of the film. The re-release peaked at number 76 in the UK.[9]

Johnny Loftus of AllMusic remarked that the song was "just a classic", and that "the urgency as it drives toward its chorus is a clinic for durable songwriting."[11]

Music video

The video for the song, directed by Australian director Claudia Castle, features scenes of Merrill and Rubicam singing it on a beach and inside a house.[12] Also featured are scenes of a group of children playing with bubbles, including the couple's young daughter Hilary.[3]

Track listings

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Personnel

Personnel are lifted from the Reel Life liner notes.[21]

  • George Merrill – writing, lead vocals, acoustic piano, synthesizers, bass, drum programming
  • Shannon Rubicam – writing, backing vocals
  • Susan Boyd – backing vocals
  • John Goux – guitars
  • Joe Mardin – synthesizers
  • Denny Fongheiser – drums
  • Michael Jochum – additional drums
  • Andy Snitzer – saxophone

Charts

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Certifications

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Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States June 10, 1988 Template:Hlist RCA Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
United Kingdom November 14, 1988 Template:Hlist [7]
January 9, 1989 CD [39]
Japan January 21, 1989 Mini-CD [40]

Covers and remixes

Script error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Script error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". The song has been covered and remixed several times. The most commercially successful versions came in 2005, when Australian musical group Cabin Crew remixed the song as "Star to Fall" (or "Star2Fall") but were refused the sampling of the original lyrics by Sony BMG. Liking what Cabin Crew had done, however, George Merrill agreed to re-record the vocals.[41] Meanwhile, Sony BMG had British musical group Sunset Strippers remix the original track under the title "Falling Stars". Both versions peaked within the top five of the UK Singles Chart in March 2005.

Charts

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Other covers

  • The track "In My Arms" by British electronic musician Mylo sampled the song and was featured on Mylo's album Destroy Rock & Roll. His version also samples Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes" and made it to number 15 in the United Kingdom in 2005.[78]
  • In December 2012, a rock version of the song was released by the band Lionville on their album Lionville II.[79]
  • In December 2013, a stripped back indie version of the song was released by the English band Young Kato. It was featured on the Made in Chelsea soundtrack.[80]
  • Also in December 2013, a folk cover of the song by Icelandic singer Yohanna surfaced on the Internet.[81]
  • In March 2014, a folk cover of the song by English singer Diana Vickers surfaced on the Internet.[82]
  • In September 2017, Australian singer George Maple interpolated the song as part of her single "Hero".[83]
  • On December 31, 2020, the international rock/metal musical project "At The Movies" released a cover version of the song on YouTube.[84]

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/ASI "Boy Meets Girl Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  6. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/HSI "Boy Meets Girl Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  7. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ a b Template:Digits/7501/ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  9. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ a b "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Boy Meets Girl – Waiting for a Star to Fall". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
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  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Boy Meets Girl – Waiting for a Star to Fall" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Waiting for a Star to Fall". Irish Singles Chart.
  28. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Boy Meets Girl – Waiting for a Star to Fall" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  29. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Boy Meets Girl – Waiting for a Star to Fall". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  30. ↑ Sweden Charts Archive. January 14, 1989.
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Boy Meets Girl – Waiting for a Star to Fall" Template:In lang. GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  34. ↑ Template:Digits/7501/ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
  42. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Cabin Crew – Star to Fall". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
  44. ↑ "Issue 786" ARIA Top 50 Dance Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  45. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Cabin Crew – Star to Fall" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  46. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Cabin Crew – Star to Fall" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
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  48. ↑ "Cabin Crew: Star to Fall" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  49. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Cabin Crew – Star to Fall" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  50. ↑ "Cabin Crew – Star to Fall" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  51. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
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  53. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Star to Fall". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  54. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Script error: No such module "Unsubst".Template:Cbignore
  55. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Cabin Crew – Star to Fall". Top Digital Download. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  56. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 13, 2005" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  57. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Cabin Crew – Star to Fall" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  58. ↑ Template:Digits/41/ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  59. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Cabin Crew – Star to Fall". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  60. ↑ Template:Digits/7501/ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  61. ↑ Template:Digits/104/ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  62. ↑ Template:Digits/130/ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
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  64. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  65. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Sunset Strippers – Falling Stars (Waiting for a Star to Fall)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  66. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
  67. ↑ "Issue 785" ARIA Top 50 Dance Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  68. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Sunset Strippers – Falling Stars (Waiting for a Star to Fall)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  69. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Sunset Strippers – Falling Stars (Waiting for a Star to Fall)". Tracklisten. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
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  71. ↑ "Sunset Strippers – Falling Stars (Waiting for a Star to Fall)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  72. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Falling Stars". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  73. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Script error: No such module "Unsubst".Template:Cbignore
  74. ↑ Template:Digits/41/ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  75. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Sunset Strippers – Falling Stars (Waiting for a Star to Fall)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  76. ↑ Template:Digits/7501/ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  77. ↑ Template:Digits/104/ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  78. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  79. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
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  81. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  82. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
  83. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
  84. ↑ Template:Replace on YouTubeScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

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External links

Template:Boy Meets Girl Script error: No such module "Authority control".

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