Stars
Studio album by
Janis Ian
ReleasedFebruary 1974
RecordedMarch 1972 – 1973
Studio914 Sound Studios
Sound Recorders, Los Angeles
Sound Studios, New York State
GenreFolk
Length35:31
LabelColumbia
ProducerBrooks Arthur
Janis Ian chronology
Present Company
(1971) 		Stars
(1974) 		Between the Lines
(1975)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Wilson and Allroy[2]
Rolling Stone Album Guide (1992)[3]

Stars is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Janis Ian, and the first of her seven for Columbia Records. Ian had previously had a three-year hiatus from the music industry since her 1971 album Present Company. In two years away from the music business, Ian wrote over 100 songs after moving to Los Angeles.[4] She returned to play at the Philadelphia Folk Festival on August 17, 1973,[5] and was signed by Columbia Records after several other companies rejected the songs she had written.[6]

While Stars was being recorded, the song "Jesse" became a hit for Roberta Flack.[7]

The album itself became Ian's most successful since her debut, peaking at number 63 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Janis Ian

One Side
No.TitleLength
1."Stars"7:12
2."The Man You Are in Me"2:59
3."Sweet Sympathy"2:42
4."Page Nine"3:07
5."Thankyous"2:40
Total length:17:40
Another Side
No.TitleLength
1."Dance with Me"3:18
2."Without You"2:04
3."Jesse"4:07
4."You’ve Got Me on a String"3:20
5."Applause"4:02
Total length:16:51

Personnel

Musicians

Orchestra

Charts

Chart (1974) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[8] 63
Australian (Kent Music Report)[9] 82

References

  1. ^ Lindsay Planner. "Stars – Janis Ian". All Music Group.
  2. ^ Wilson, David Bertrand. "Stars – Janis Ian". Wilson and Allroy’s Record Reviews. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  3. ^ DeCurtis, Anthony; George-Warren, Holly and Henke, James; The Rolling Stone Album Guide – Completely New Reviews: Every Essential Album, Every Essential Artist, p. 339 ISBN 0679737294
  4. ^ Basham, Tom; Basham, Peg (1977-02-13). "Janis Ian: At 25, entering Phase 3". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore.
  5. ^ "Weekly Calendar: Music". The Evening Sun. Baltimore. 1973-08-17.
  6. ^ Maynard, Joyce (1977-02-11). "Society's Child Back for Her Second Try to Grad Brass Ring". Des Moines-Register. Des Moines, Iowa.
  7. ^ Bernade, Scott R. (2003). Stars of David: Rock'n'roll's Jewish Stories. Brandeis University Press. p. 137-138. ISBN 1584653035.
  8. ^ "Janis Ian Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  9. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 145. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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