De Engelse singer/songwriter George Michael (1963-2016) was op zijn best tijdens het MTV Unplugged concert in 1996. Hier zingt hij zijn heerlijke uptempo nummer Star People, waarin hij zich afzet tegen het materialisme van bepaalde sterren in de show business. Michael suggereert dat hun gedrag om gezien te willen worden voortkomt uit onzekerheid of een moeilijke jeugd. En raad ze aan zich uit te spreken over wat hen overkomen is en te stoppen met hun hypocriete gedrag. Dat indirecte dwepen er mee is wel genoeg geweest volgens hem en leidt tot niets, vooral omdat wanneer alle aandacht verdwijnt er niets meer overblijft.

Let vooral ook op de interactie met de fantastische groep achtergrondzangers & zangeressen. Over hen schreef ik eerder in mijn bericht over het lied Freedom 90 uit hetzelfde concert.

Star People
Maybe your mama gave you up boy.
I said, maybe your daddy
didn’t love you enough girl.

Maybe your mama gave you up boy.
It’s the same old same old.
Maybe your daddy
didn’t love you enough girl.

Star people.
Counting your money
until your soul turns green.
Star people.
Counting the cost
of your desire to be seen.

I do not count myself among you.
I may be living in a dream.
It’s just there’s seem so many of you.
Can’t help but hope
there’s a difference between
you and me.

(Ah-ah-ah, ah, you’re a star)
Ooh, I’m talkin’ to you, yeah.
(Ah-ah-ah)
And you should go far.

I said,
Maybe your mama gave you up boy.
It’s the same old same old.
Maybe your daddy
didn’t love you enough girl.
How much is enough?

Star people.
Never forget your secret’s safe with me.
Just look at all the wonderful people.
Trying to forget
they had to pay for what you see.

It’s a dream,
with a nightmare stuck in the middle.
(Middle)
But listen brother,
where would you be
without all of this attention?
You’d die, I’d die,
we’d die, wouldn’t we?
Well wouldn’t we?

(You’re a star)
Ooh, I’m talkin’ to you, yeah.
(Ah-ah-ah)
Talkin’ to you.
You’re a star.

I said,
Maybe your mama gave you up boy.
It’s the same old, same old.
Maybe your daddy
didn’t love you enough girl.
How much is enough?

You only wanted them to love you.
You may have been living in a dream.
And there’s a demon’s tower above you.
You bite your tongue,
when you really wanna scream.

(Baby, mama. Maybe.)
Look at me
(Baby, daddy. Maybe.
How much is enough?)

Hey! Talk about your mother.
Talk about your father.
Talk about the people
who have made you what you are.
Talk about your teacher.
The bully boy who beat you.
Talk about the people who have paid
for that new sports car.

(Maybe your mama gave you up boy)
You’re a big, big, big thing.
Star.
(maybe your daddy didn’t love you enough girl)
Say, how much is enough?

Did you get up on a bad foot baby?
Do you have a little tale to tell?
Did you get up on a bad foot,
bad, bad foot?
Is that why you’re a star?
(Maybe your daddy didn’t love you enough girl)
Is that what makes a star?
Hey, hey.
How much is enough?

(Did you get up on a bad foot baby?
Do you have a little tale to tell?)
Yeah
(How much is enough?)
How much is enough?
(Did you get up on a bad foot baby?)
Do you have a little tale to tell?
(How much is enough?)
Please.

So nothing comes for nothing baby.
(Do you have a little tale to tell?)
That fame and fortune’s heaven sent.
(How much is enough?)
And who gives a fuck
about your problems darling.
(Do you have a little tale to tell?)
‘Cause you can pay the rent.
(How much is enough?)
How, how, how much is enough?

(Maybe your mama gave you up boy)
Yeah, say how much is enough?
(Maybe your daddy didn’t love you enough girl)
Say, how much is enough?