Nina Simone - Stars lyrics

Nina Simone

Stars

(Janis Ian)

I was never one for singing what I really feel

Except tonight I'm bringing everything I know that's real

Stars, they come and go, they come fast or slow

They go like the last light of the sun, all in a blaze

And all you see is glory

Hey but it gets lonely there when there's no one here to share

We can shake it away, if you'll hear a story

People lust for fame like athletes in a game,

we break our collarbones and come up swinging,

some of us are downed

some of us are crowned, and some are lost and never found

But most have seen it all,

they live their lives in sad cafes and music halls

They always come up singing

Some make it when they're young,

before the world has done its dirty job

and later on someone will say

"You've had your day, now you must make way"

But they'll never know the pain of living with a name you never owned

or the many years forgetting what you know too well

That the ones who gave the crown have been let down

You try to make amends without defending

Perhaps pretending you never saw the eyes of grown men of twenty-five

that follow as you walk and ask for autographs

Or kiss you on the cheek and you never can believe they really loved you

Some make it when they're old

(Perhaps they have a soul they're not afraid to bare

or perhaps there's nothing there)

Stars, they come and go, they come fast they come slow

They go like the last light of the sun, all in a blaze

And all you see is glory

But most have seen it all,

they live their lives in sad cafes and music halls

They always have a story

Some women have a body men will want to see

and so they put it on display

Some people play a fine guitar, I could listen to them play all day

Some ladies really move across the stage and gee, they sure can dance

I guess I could learn how, if I gave it half a chance

But I always feel so funny when my body tries to soar

And I seem to always worry about missing the next chord

I guess there isn't anything to put up on display

Except the tunes, and whatever else I say

But anyway, that isn't really what I meant to say

I meant to tell a story, I live from day to day

Stars, they come and go, they're coming fast they come slow

They go like the last light of the sun, all in a blaze

And all you see is glory

But most have seen it all,

who live their lives in sad cafes and music halls

And we always have a story

So if you don't lose patience with my fumbling around

I'll come up singing for you, even when I'm down