For other versions of this number, see Only He (disambiguation)
"Only He" is the original show-stopping 11th hour solo for Pearl the Observation Car, when she realises that Rusty is the only one for her. But has she left it too late to tell him?
Context[]
During the fighting in the Championship Final race, Pearl has been injured by Electra, and her life put at risk by Greaseball uncoupling her at speed. It was only through the selfless act of Rusty turning away from the race to save her that she has survived. Now, alone and convinced she's caused Rusty to lose the race, she reflects on her actions. At the end of the number, Rusty finds her and together they sing a reprise - "Only You".
Single version[]
Technically and emotionally demanding, the song was written as a showcase for Stephanie Lawrence, who released it as a single (Polydor, 1984) with unfortunately little chart success.
Many of the big numbers in the original production of Starlight Express were written and recorded with half an eye on chart success, following the phenomenal hit of "Memory" from Cats some 3 years earlier. Unfortunately, possibly because of the conscious effort to create "a hit", no single song from Starlight Express stood out and achieved the public recognition so desired.
The familiar version of "Only He" released on the Original Cast Recording and as a single was not, in fact, quite the same as the version used in performance. The first verse was re-written to scan out of the context of the show, unfortunately the replacement lyrics are in direct contradiction to the context of the show.
Actual performance lyrics:
- Known him for a lifetime, knew him not at all
- Thought there was nothing special about him
- Suddenly I see him shining like a star
- And don't know how to live without him
Single release lyrics:
- Look at me, a woman, calm and in control,
- No silly girl whose head's always turning,
- Nobody would guess that deep inside my soul,
- a brand new flame is burning.
It is apparent immediately how the single release lyrics do not work in context, Pearl is in every way a "Silly girl whose head's always turning", first by Electra, then Greaseball, even distracted by the suave National Engines choosing race partners. Equally the "Known him for a lifetime, known him not at all" describes perfectly Pearl's established friendship with Rusty, while never having realised that he was a potential love interest.
Lyrics[]
Original London Lyrics[]
| PEARL: | Look at me a woman, |
| Calm and in control | |
| No silly girl | |
| Whose head's always turning | |
| Nobody would guess that | |
| Deep inside my soul | |
| A brand new flame | |
| Is burning | |
| Only he, | |
| Has the power to move me | |
| And together we'd make | |
| The whole world move in sympathy | |
| But I couldn't see before, | |
| That only he, | |
| Has the power to move me | |
| Take me, hold me, mold me, | |
| Change me and improve me | |
| It's not funny anymore | |
| Only he can make my burden light | |
| Only he can make a wrong seem right | |
| Only he can make the shadows bright | |
| And make the darkness gleaming white | |
| He | |
| Him and me | |
| Only he has the power | |
| To move me | |
| All the nights I've wasted | |
| Dreaming of the time | |
| When I'd discover the one | |
| To guide me | |
| Searching the horizon, | |
| Didn't realize | |
| That all the time | |
| He was beside me | |
| Only he | |
| Has the power to move me | |
| And together we'd make | |
| The whole world move in sympathy | |
| Hope and pray that I'm in time | |
| Only he can stand and wait that long | |
| Stand by me while I was going wrong | |
| What if he couldn't wait? | |
| Have I left it too late? | |
| Only he | |
| Has the power to move me | |
| And together we'd make | |
| The whole world move in sympathy | |
| Him and me we'd be sublime | |
| Can he see or will he never guess | |
| That next time I'm gonna answer yes | |
| Does he know if he comes back today, | |
| This time I'm gonna make him stay? | |
| He | |
| Only he | |
| Only he has the power | |
| Every day, | |
| Every hour | |
| He moves me! |
Videos[]
