Volume III (Stars on 45)
Encyclopedia
"Volume III" a.k.a. "Stars on 45 Volume 3" was 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
(UK title: Stars On 45 - The Album - Volume 2, US title: Stars on Longplay II).
The "Volume III" medley was the opening track on Longplay Album - Volume II and then had the title "Star Wars And Other Hits", in the UK it was named "Instrumental Medley" and in the US "Introductions"; the very same recording was consequently released under no less than five different titles throughout the world. The medley featured instrumental intros to hits from a wide variety of genres, from well known movie themes like "Star Wars" and "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly", 60's and 70's hits by The Stylistics
, Boney M., Eric Clapton
, The Village People and The Pointer Sisters to the overture from The Who
's musical Tommy and the main theme from Jeff Wayne
's musical version of "The War of the Worlds".
The slightly edited 7" version omitted two of the medley's nineteen titles - The Walker Brothers
' "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" and the overture from "Tommy" - while the 12" single, as opposed to previous 12" releases by Stars on 45, just featured the regular album version. The B-side of both editions was entitled "'Stars on' Theme" and was an alternate mix of an instrumental part of the album track "'45 Stars Get Ready".
"Volume III"/"Stars on 45 Volume 3" became Stars on 45/Starsound's third Top 20 single in the UK and Ireland, peaking at #17 and #11 respectively, and their third Top 10 single in the Netherlands.
Stars on 45
Stars on 45 was a Dutch novelty pop act that was briefly very popular in the United Kingdom, throughout 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 U.K. and Ireland it was known as Starsound...
, in the UK credited to 'Starsound'. It was the second single from the band's second full-length release Longplay Album - Volume II
Longplay Album - Volume II
Longplay Album – Volume II was 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'...
(UK title: Stars On 45 - The Album - Volume 2, US title: Stars on Longplay II).
The "Volume III" medley was the opening track on Longplay Album - Volume II and then had the title "Star Wars And Other Hits", in the UK it was named "Instrumental Medley" and in the US "Introductions"; the very same recording was consequently released under no less than five different titles throughout the world. The medley featured instrumental intros to hits from a wide variety of genres, from well known movie themes like "Star Wars" and "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly", 60's and 70's hits by The Stylistics
The Stylistics
The Stylistics are a soul music vocal group, and were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. They formed in 1968, and were composed of lead Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. All of their US hits were ballads, graced by the...
, Boney M., Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, The Village People and The Pointer Sisters to the overture from The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's musical Tommy and the main theme from Jeff Wayne
Jeff Wayne
Jeffry "Jeff" Wayne, born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, is a musician best known for Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, his musical version of H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds...
's musical version of "The War of the Worlds".
The slightly edited 7" version omitted two of the medley's nineteen titles - The Walker Brothers
The Walker Brothers
The Walker Brothers were an American 1960s and 1970s pop group, comprising Scott Engel , John Walker , and Gary Leeds...
' "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" and the overture from "Tommy" - while the 12" single, as opposed to previous 12" releases by Stars on 45, just featured the regular album version. The B-side of both editions was entitled "'Stars on' Theme" and was an alternate mix of an instrumental part of the album track "'45 Stars Get Ready".
"Volume III"/"Stars on 45 Volume 3" became Stars on 45/Starsound's third Top 20 single in the UK and Ireland, peaking at #17 and #11 respectively, and their third Top 10 single in the Netherlands.
Side A
"Volume III" (7" Mix) - 4:25- "Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
Main Title" (Williams) - "Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)" (Creatore, Perreti, Weiss)
- "Kung Fu FightingKung Fu Fighting"Kung Fu Fighting" is a disco song written by Jim Brusatto and Vivian Hawke performed by Carl Douglas, and composed and produced by Biddu. It was released as a single in 1974, at the cusp of a chopsocky film craze, and eventually rose to the top of the British and American charts, in addition to...
" (Douglas, Hawke) - "Layla" (Clapton, Gordon)
- "All Right NowAll Right Now"All Right Now" is a rock single by the English rock band Free. The song, released in mid-1970, hit #2 on the UK singles chart and #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "All Right Now" originally appeared on the album Fire And Water, which Free recorded on the Island Records label, formed...
" (Fraser, Rodgers) - "Fire" (Springsteen)
- "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" is a 1978 hit song for Rod Stewart. It was written by Stewart and Carmine Appice, and produced by Tom Dowd."Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" spent one week at the top of the British charts in December 1978 and four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, starting 10 February 1979...
" (Stewart, Appice) - "Ma BakerMa Baker"Ma Baker" is a 1977 disco hit single by German disco band Boney M. It was the first single of their second album Love for Sale and their third consecutive chart-topper in Germany and their best yet placing in the UK, peaking at #2 although only a minor single in the US .-The song:Frank Farian's...
" (Farian, Reyam, Jay) - "Y.M.C.AVillage PeopleVillage People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics....
" (Belolo, Morali, Willis) - "The Good, The Bad And The UglyThe Good, the Bad and the UglyThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles. The screenplay was written by Age & Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni and Leone, based on a story by Vincenzoni and Leone...
" (Morricone) - "Don't Stop 'Til You Get EnoughDon't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is a single by American recording artist Michael Jackson. Released under Epic Records on July 28, 1979, the song is the first single from Jackson's fifth studio album, entitled Off the Wall. Written by Jackson, it is in the key of B major and in common time...
" (Jackson) - "Theme From M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)Suicide Is Painless"Suicide Is Painless" is a song written by Johnny Mandel and Mike Altman , which is best known for being featured as the theme song for both the movie and TV series M*A*S*H. The actual title is "Song from M*A*S*H" ". Mike Altman is the son of the original film's director, Robert Altman, and was 14...
" (Mandel, Altman) - "Get OffGet Off"Get Off" was a hit song by Miami based Latin/disco band Foxy in 1978. Released from their LP of the same name, the song became a crossover hit. It spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart during the fall of that year and also peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot...
" (Driggs, Ledesma) - "Stars On 45" (Eggermont, Duiser)
- "Baker StreetBaker Street (song)"Baker Street" is a ballad written and first recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty. Released as a single in 1978, it reached #1 in Canada, #2 in the US, #3 in the UK, #1 in Australia and #9 in the Netherlands...
" (Rafferty) - "Bette Davis EyesBette Davis Eyes"Bette Davis Eyes" is a song written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon and made popular by American singer-songwriter Kim Carnes.-History:...
" (DeShannon, Weiss) - "Eve of the WarJeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the WorldsJeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is a 1978 concept album by Jeff Wayne, retelling the story of The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. Its format is progressive rock and string orchestra, using narration and leitmotifs to carry the story via rhyming melodic lyrics that express...
" (Wayne)
Side A
"Volume III" (12" Mix = album version) - 5:10- "Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
Main Title" (Williams) - "Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)" (Creatore, Perreti, Weiss)
- "Kung Fu FightingKung Fu Fighting"Kung Fu Fighting" is a disco song written by Jim Brusatto and Vivian Hawke performed by Carl Douglas, and composed and produced by Biddu. It was released as a single in 1974, at the cusp of a chopsocky film craze, and eventually rose to the top of the British and American charts, in addition to...
" (Douglas, Hawke) - "Layla" (Clapton, Gordon)
- "All Right NowAll Right Now"All Right Now" is a rock single by the English rock band Free. The song, released in mid-1970, hit #2 on the UK singles chart and #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "All Right Now" originally appeared on the album Fire And Water, which Free recorded on the Island Records label, formed...
" (Fraser, Rodgers) - "Fire" (Springsteen)
- "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" is a 1978 hit song for Rod Stewart. It was written by Stewart and Carmine Appice, and produced by Tom Dowd."Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" spent one week at the top of the British charts in December 1978 and four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, starting 10 February 1979...
" (Stewart, Appice) - "Ma BakerMa Baker"Ma Baker" is a 1977 disco hit single by German disco band Boney M. It was the first single of their second album Love for Sale and their third consecutive chart-topper in Germany and their best yet placing in the UK, peaking at #2 although only a minor single in the US .-The song:Frank Farian's...
" (Farian, Reyam, Jay) - "Y.M.C.AVillage PeopleVillage People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics....
" (Belolo, Morali, Willis) - "The Good, The Bad And The UglyThe Good, the Bad and the UglyThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles. The screenplay was written by Age & Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni and Leone, based on a story by Vincenzoni and Leone...
" (Morricone) - "Don't Stop 'Til You Get EnoughDon't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is a single by American recording artist Michael Jackson. Released under Epic Records on July 28, 1979, the song is the first single from Jackson's fifth studio album, entitled Off the Wall. Written by Jackson, it is in the key of B major and in common time...
" (Jackson) - "Theme From M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)Suicide Is Painless"Suicide Is Painless" is a song written by Johnny Mandel and Mike Altman , which is best known for being featured as the theme song for both the movie and TV series M*A*S*H. The actual title is "Song from M*A*S*H" ". Mike Altman is the son of the original film's director, Robert Altman, and was 14...
" (Mandel, Altman) - "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)" (Crewe, Gaudio)
- "Overture From Tommy" (Townshend)
- "Get OffGet Off"Get Off" was a hit song by Miami based Latin/disco band Foxy in 1978. Released from their LP of the same name, the song became a crossover hit. It spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart during the fall of that year and also peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot...
" (Driggs, Ledesma) - "Stars On 45" (Eggermont, Duiser)
- "Baker StreetBaker Street (song)"Baker Street" is a ballad written and first recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty. Released as a single in 1978, it reached #1 in Canada, #2 in the US, #3 in the UK, #1 in Australia and #9 in the Netherlands...
" (Rafferty) - "Bette Davis EyesBette Davis Eyes"Bette Davis Eyes" is a song written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon and made popular by American singer-songwriter Kim Carnes.-History:...
" (DeShannon, Weiss) - "Eve of the WarJeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the WorldsJeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is a 1978 concept album by Jeff Wayne, retelling the story of The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. Its format is progressive rock and string orchestra, using narration and leitmotifs to carry the story via rhyming melodic lyrics that express...
" (Wayne)
Chart peaks
| Chart (1981) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| The Netherlands | 10 |
| West Germany | 17 |
| UK | 17 |
| Ireland | 11 |