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Starlight Express©
‘Starlight Express’ follows a boy’s dream in which a train set comes to life. The actors traditionally perform on roller skates.
Words by Richard Stilgoe Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Song Lyrics View: Normal
When your goodnights have been said and you are lying in bed
With the covers pulled up tight;
And though you count ev’ry sheep you get the feeling that sleep
Is going to stay away tonight.
That’s when you hear it coming,
That’s when you hear the humming
Of the midnight train, here again;
Can’t explain that midnight train, that midnight train.
Starlight Express, you must confess are you real,
Yes or no?
Starlight Express, answer me yes,
I don’t want you to go.
Want you to take me away but bring me back before daylight,
And in the time between
Take me to everywhere but don’t abandon me there,
Just want to say I’ve been.
I believe in you completely,
Though I may be dreaming sweetly,
I can hear the train, here again
Can’t explain that midnight train, that midnight train.
Starlight Express, you must confess are you real,
Yes or no?
Starlight Express, answer me yes,
I don’t want you to go.
Starlight, Starlight Express.
Starlight Express, answer me yes,
I don’t want you to go.
Starlight Express, you must confess are you real,
Yes or no?
Starlight Express, answer me yes,
I don’t want you to go.
Song Information
‘Starlight Express’ follows a boy’s dream in which a train set comes to life. The actors traditionally perform on roller skates.
Vocal range a 13th
Accompaniment Accompanied
Key stage KS2
Style Musical theatre
Subject Physical education
Vocal format Two-part
Lyrics/Song Sheets
Teaching Song Guides
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Song Writer Biography
Richard Stilgoe
Richard Stilgoe is well known as a singer/songwriter, lyricist and broadcaster. In 1985 he founded and continues to run the Orpheus Trust, which devises and runs music programmes designed to help people with physical disabilities. He played an instrumental role in enabling the Trust to open a purpose built centre, part-funded by lottery funds and opened in 1998 to enhance and develop further the Trust’s work. Its students now appear all over the country, including the Royal Opera House, the Notting Hill Carnival and the Glastonbury Festival. He also presents the Stilgoe Saturday Concerts at the Royal Festival Hall and was High Sheriff of Surrey in 1998-99.
In the 1980s he was involved in the writing of Cats, Starlight Express and Phantom of the Opera, all of which continue to play all over the world. Schools continue to perform his musicals Bodywork and Brilliant the Dinosaur and a new work, Exit Allan, was performed at the International Festival of Musicals at Cardiff in October 2002. He has presented the Schools Proms since 1988, and passed his 200th appearance on Countdown.
Richard has two Tony nominations, three Monte Carlo Prizes, a Prix Italia, an Honorary Doctorate and an O.B.E. He was recently President of the Lord’s Taverners.
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Audio and copyright information
Audio Information
The audio tracks were recorded specially for the Sing Up programme by Innocent Voices, mixed and mastered and with a backing track by Erwin Keiles.
Copyright Information
All copyright music in the Sing Up programme is used by permission. The songwriters and/or copyright holders have been remunerated under due licensing arrangements. Find out more about copyright by visiting the UK Music and Sound Rights websites.
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© Crown Copyright 2010
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