"Starlight Express" is the final song of Act 1 of Starlight Express.
Rusty expresses his doubt in the Starlight Express – the god-like force that inspires Poppa – while imploring the Starlight to reveal itself and inspire him to victory.
Story[]
Rusty wants to win the race, to prove to everyone he's as good as them, but specifically to prove to the beautiful Pearl that he's the engine of her dreams. Poppa has won a place in the final and nominated Rusty to take his place - now he needs to find the confidence to prove himself.
Context[]
A version of "Starlight Express" has been sung in every production of the show, starting with the 1984 London production, which gave us the longest version, including a bridge section ("I can hear that train, here again...") not heard in later versions.
The Broadway production replaced the verse with different lyrics ("When the night is darkest" rather than "When your goodnights have been said"), and a melody recycled from the Act-2 song, "Only You". It also cut a bridge between the London version's verse and chorus, and introduced a rousing middle-8. This version became the template for the Bochum production.
The London production, however, retained its original verse melody until the production closed, although it removed the bridge and added the new middle-8 in the 1992 "New Starlight Express" rewrites. This version was used for other English-language productions until 2017, when the New York and Bochum versions became the standard.
Music[]
The "Starlight Express" motif is introduced during the overture by Control's mother, who sings it as a lullaby. It is also sung by Poppa (and Belle) to encourage Rusty to step up and race. The melody becomes more significant as a victory theme in Act 2.
The original London recording cuts from the Starlight Express intro to the full song. This creates a very smooth but misleading listening experience as the intro seems to run as a continuous scene into Rusty's solo, omitting 2 races and "Laughing Stock" and significant amounts of plot.
Original London 1984[]
| RUSTY: | When your good nights have been said |
| And you are lying in bed | |
| With the covers pulled up tight | |
| And though you count every sheep | |
| You get the feeling that sleep | |
| Is going to stay away tonight. | |
| That's when you hear it coming | |
| That is 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 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. |
Broadway 1987 & Subsequent US Productions[]
The Broadway Production did not record a cast album, but instead released a "Concept Album" which by modern standards would be considerd a "Pop Cover" or "Remix" album.
| RUSTY: | When the night is darkest, open up your mind |
| Dream begins, it's becoming clearer, | |
| Listen to the distance, listen and you'll find | |
| The midnight train is getting nearer | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? Yes or no? | |
| Starlight Express, answer me yes | |
| I don't want you to go | |
| Take me to the places I have never been | |
| Bring me home safely before I wake up | |
| 'Cause I believe in you completely though you may be unseen | |
| This is not the kind of thing that anyone could make up | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? Yes or no? | |
| Starlight Express, please answer me yes | |
| I don't want you to go | |
| You need a bigger world to help you | |
| If you draw on what is deep inside | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? Yes or no? | |
| Starlight Express, please answer me yes | |
| I don't want you to go | |
| My Starlight Express, please answer me yes | |
| I don't want you to go |
| RUSTY: | When the night is darkest, open up your mind |
| What can you see? Is it getting clearer | |
| Listen to the distance, listen and you'll find | |
| The midnight train is getting nearer | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? Yes or no? | |
| Starlight Express, answer me yes | |
| I don't want you to go | |
| Show me all the places I have never seen | |
| But bring me home safely before I wake up | |
| I don't want to stay there, just to say I've been | |
| Take me with you through the night, but get me back before daylight | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? Yes or no? | |
| Starlight Express, please answer me yes | |
| I don't want you to go | |
| And if you're there, and if you know, | |
| Then show me which way I must go? | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? Yes or no? | |
| Starlight Express, please answer me yes | |
| I don't want you to go | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Are you real, are you near? | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| I need you to be here! |
Japan/Australia Tour 1987 / 1990[]
The translation of the song lyrics featured in the 1987 programme. These lyrics were NOT what were sung live during the tour, which was sung in English, but instead were intended to give Japanese-speakers a guide to what was being said.
| ラスティ (Japanese): | 暗い夜に心を開けば | RUSTY (English): | If you open your heart on a dark night |
| 何が見える? ハッキリわかるかい? | What can you see? Do you see it clearly? | ||
| 耳を澄ませば - 遠く聞こえる | If you listen carefully, you can hear it in the distance | ||
| 夜行列車が近ずいてくる | The night train is approaching | ||
| スターライトエクスプレス | Starlight Express | ||
| キミは現実? それとも... | Are you real? Or... | ||
| スターライトエクスプレス、応えておくれ | Starlight Express, answer me | ||
| そのまま去って行かないで | Don't just go away | ||
| 行ったことのない土地を見せておくれ | Show me a place I've never been | ||
| そして目が覚める前に安全に連れ戻しておくれ | And bring me back safely before I wake up | ||
| そのまま居たくはないんだ | I don't want to stay there | ||
| みんなに自慢したいのさ、連れてっておくれ | I want to show off, take me with you, | ||
| でも夜明けまでには連れ戻しておくれ | But bring me back before dawn | ||
| スターライトエクスプレス | Starlight Express | ||
| キミは現実? それとも... | Are you real? Or... | ||
| スターライトエクスプレス、応えておくれ | Starlight Express, answer me | ||
| そのまま去って行かないで | Don't just go away | ||
| そこにいるなら、知ってるのなら | If you're there, if you know | ||
| どっちに行ったらいいか教えておくれ | Tell me which way I should go. | ||
| スターライトエクスプレス | Starlight Express | ||
| キミは現実? それとも... | Are you real? Or... | ||
| スターライトエクスプレス、応えておくれ | Starlight Express, answer me | ||
| そのまま去って行かないで | Don't just go away | ||
| スターライトエクスプレス | Starlight Express | ||
| キミは現実なの? | Are you real? | ||
| スターライトエクスプレス | Starlight Express | ||
| ここに来ておくれ | Come here |
Mexico 1997[]
Despite the Mexico Production of Starlight Express[1] Cast Recording was unable to release due to complications with the rights, audio of some songs from the live show have been recorded and made available via compartiendoaudios on YouTube.
| FERRO (Spanish): | Me acuesto y quiero soñar | RUSTY (English): | I go to sleep and want to dream |
| Mas veo el cielo brillar | More then to see the bright sky | ||
| Y comienzo a sentir | And I begin to feel | ||
| Que esa inmensa quietud | That immense silence | ||
| Me da una extraña inquietud | I get a strange uneasiness | ||
| Que no me dejará dormir | That sleep is not going to come to me | ||
| Es entonces cuando creo | That is when I think | ||
| Que escucho el ronroneo del... | That I hear the humming of the | ||
| Expreso astral, tren celestial | Starlight Express, celestial train | ||
| Por favor, ¿dónde estás? | Please, where are you? | ||
| Di si o no, di que eres real | Say yes or no, say you are real | ||
| Y no te vayas más. | And don't go any more | ||
| Si me pudieras llevar | If you can carry me | ||
| A donde nadie a ido | To where no one leaves | ||
| Iría tras de ti | I will go behind you | ||
| Y luego quiero volver | And later I want to return | ||
| Después del amanecer | After dawn | ||
| Y por fin decir: | And finally say: | ||
| ¡Ya fui! | I've been! | ||
| Creo en ti con mucho empeño | I believe in you persistently | ||
| Aunque puede ser que sueño, con él... | Although it could be that I'm dreaming of the | ||
| Expreso astral, tren celestial | Starlight Express, Celestial train | ||
| Por favor, ¿dónde estás? | Please, where are you? | ||
| Di si o no, di que eres real | Say yes or no, say you are real | ||
| Y no te vayas más. | And don't go any more | ||
| Si estás ahí, te puedo oír | If you're there, I can hear you | ||
| Tan solo dime dónde ir | Then only tell me where to go | ||
| Expreso astral, tren celestial | Starlight Express, Celestial train | ||
| Por favor, ¿dónde estás? | Please, where are you? | ||
| Di si o no, di que eres real | Say yes or no, say you are real | ||
| Y no te vayas más | And don't go any more | ||
| Expreso astral Tren celestial | Starlight Express, Celestial train | ||
| Y si estás por aquí | And say you're here | ||
| Expreso astral Di que eres real | Starlight Express, say you are real | ||
| Ven pronto hacia mí. | Come quickly to me |
Bochum, Germany 1988 Onwards[]
| RUSTY: | Wird es um mich dunkel, wird es in mir still |
| Seh' ich ein Licht leuten in der Ferne. | |
| Und hör' ich den Nachtzug, der mich holen will, | |
| Dann folge ich dem Zug der Sterne. | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Wo bist du? Sag' es mir. | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Ich brauche dich jetzt und wünsch' mit, du wärst hier. | |
| Nimm mich mit und zeig' mir, was ich noch nie sah, | |
| Bring' mich zurück, ich will dort nicht bleiben | |
| Und wenn ich erwache, weiß ich, du warst da, | |
| Ich gehe mit dir durch die Nacht, komm' wieder, eh' der Tag erwacht! | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Wo bist du? Sag' es mir! | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Ich brauche dich jetzt und wünsch' mir, du wärst hier. | |
| Wenn es dich gibt, dann zeige mir den Weg, | |
| Damit ich nicht verlier', | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Wo bist du? Holst du mich? | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Du weißt, ich brauche dich. | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Wo bist du? Sag' es mir. | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Ich bitt' dich komm' zu mir. |
| RUSTY: | Der Mond wirft Schatten auf's Dach, |
| Du liegst im Bett und bist wach, | |
| Endlos langsam fließt die Zeit. | |
| Du zählst das hundertste Schaf, | |
| Doch findest nicht in den Schlaf | |
| Und starrst nur in die Dunkelheit. | |
| Dann fühlst du ihn erscheinen, | |
| Den du schon so oft sahst in deinen Träumen: | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Wo bist du? Sag' es mir. | |
| Starlight Express, ich brauche dich jetzt. | |
| Und wünsch' mir, du wärst hier. | |
| Trag mich ins Weltall hinaus, | |
| Doch bring' mich wieder nach Hause | |
| Bevor der Tag erwacht. | |
| Flieg' mit mir himmelweit fort, | |
| Aber verlass' mich nicht dort, | |
| Bleib bei mir in der Nacht! | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Wo bist du? Sag' es mir. | |
| Starlight Express, ich brauche dich jetzt. | |
| Und wünsch' mir, du wärst hier. | |
| Wenn es dich gibt, dann zeige mir den Weg, | |
| Damit ich nicht verlier'! | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Wo bist du? Holst du mich? | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Du weißt, ich brauche dich. | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Wo bist du? Sag' es mir. | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Ich bitt' dich komm' zu mir. |
Boyband Lyrics 2003[]
For the German show's 15th Anniversary, the current Rusty and his understudies formed a "Rusty boyband" and released a pop arrangement of the title song.
Workshop 2017 & Wembley 2024[]
| RUSTY: | Listening in the darkness, waiting for a sign |
| I hope, I think, but I can’t be certain | |
| Hoping for a signal, hoping down the line | |
| Someone somewhere draws back the curtain | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? I wish I knew | |
| Starlight Express, answer me yes | |
| I need you to be true | |
| Take me to the places I have never been | |
| Bring me home safely before I wake up | |
| Help me to believe in all I’ve never seen | |
| This is not the kind of thing that anyone could make up | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? Yes or no? | |
| Starlight Express, answer me yes | |
| I don’t want you to go | |
| And if you’re there and if you know | |
| Then show me which way I should go | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? Yes or no? | |
| Starlight Express, answer me yes | |
| I don’t want you to go | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Are you real? Are you near? | |
| Starlight Express, answer me yes | |
| I need you to be here. |
| RUSTY: | When the night is darkest |
| Open up your mind | |
| The train begins it's becoming clearer | |
| Peering in the distance | |
| Listen and you'll find | |
| That midnight train is getting nearer | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? I wish I knew | |
| Starlight Express, answer me yes | |
| I need you to be true | |
| Take me to the places I have never been | |
| Bring me home safely before I wake up | |
| Help me to believe in what I’ve never seen | |
| This is not the kind of thing that anyone could make up | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? Yes or no? | |
| Starlight Express, please answer me yes | |
| I don’t want you to go | |
| And if you’re there and if you know | |
| Then show me which way I should go | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express | |
| Are you real? Yes or no? | |
| Starlight Express, answer me yes | |
| I don’t want you to go | |
| Starlight Express, Starlight Express, | |
| Are you real? Are you near? | |
| Starlight Express, answer me yes | |
| I need you to be here. |