Single:
Superstar entered the Australian singles chart* on 28 June 1971 and peaked at #32.
Album:
The song is on Colleen Hewett which entered the Australian albums chart* on 27 November 1972 and peaked at #28.
Songwriters:
Bonnie Bramlett, Leon Russell
Producers:
Lewis Young Productions (Johnny Young, Kevin Lewis)
Record label of Australian release:
Festival
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Wikipedia:
Hewett started her solo music career in 1970, appearing regularly on TV pop music series Bandstand. She signed with Festival Records and her debut single, which was a cover version of Delaney and Bonnie’s track Superstar was released in June 1971.
Read more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colleen_Hewett
Milesago:
In 1971 Colleen recorded her debut single, a superb cover of the Leon Russell-Delaney Bramlett song Superstar. This song has a fascinating history – it was originally recorded under the title Groupie by Delaney & Bonnie, but it was released as the B-side of their single Comin’ Home in 1969 and did not become a hit. It became well-known thanks to Joe Cocker’s landmark Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour in 1970 because backing singer Rita Coolidge sang it during the show. In August 1970, Bette Midler performed it on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show and Cher recorded a version released in late 1970, but it was Colleen’s Australian recording that first became a hit.
Colleen’s soaring performance captures the heartbreaking quality of the piece and it is arguably far superior to Karen Carpenter’s rather muted take on the song, released well after Colleen’s version had become a Top 40 hit all over Australia.
Read more: www.milesago.com/artists/hewett.htm
Lyrics:
Long ago, and oh, so far away
I fell in love with you before the second show
Your guitar, it sounds so sweet and clear
But you′re not really here, it’s just the radio
Don′t you remember, you told me you loved me baby?
You said you’d be coming back this way again, baby
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh baby
I love you, I really do
Click for full lyrics
Find more songs to enjoy: Bang a Gong song finder
New to Bang a Gong? Click HERE to learn more about us.