Moving to Mansfield, Nottinghamshire at a young age, he made his stage debut in pantomime at the age of four. In the early 1960s he became known as Shane Fenton, and with his backing group, The Fentones, had a handful of hits in the UK singles chart. His band based their sound on that of The Shadows. He also appeared in Billy Fury's movie, Play It Cool.
During the early 1970s, he became Alvin Stardust, as he tried to cash in on the Glam Rock bandwagon. His biggest hit was "My Coo-Ca-Choo" in 1973; and he had four other chart successes with the hits - "Jealous Mind", "You, You, You", "Red Dress" and "Good Love". In total, he amassed seven Top Ten entries, in a chart span lasting almost 25 years.
Alvin Stardust was part of the Green Cross Code road safety campaign with his famous tagline of "You must be out of your tiny minds" directing children to look both ways before they cross the road.
In 1985, Stardust participated in A Song for Europe, the UK qualifying heat of the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song The Clock on the Wall. He finished in third place behind Vikki and Kerri Wells.
Moving into musical theatre, Stardust starred in the UK tour of Godspell and played Uriah Heep in David Copperfield - The Musical and Sir Billy Butlin in The Butlin Story at the London Palladium.
In 2005 Stardust starred as the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, also at the London Palladium.
Stardust has numerous television appearances to his credit, and continued to tour as a performer and vocalist
Died October 23 2014 after a short illness, aged 72.
Pretend
Alvin Stardust Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It isn't very hard to do
And you will find happiness without
An end if you pretend
Remember anyone can dream
And nothin's bad as it may seem
The little things you haven't got could be
You'll find a love you can share
One you can call your own
Just close your eyes you'll be there
You'll never be alone
And if you sing this melody
You'll be pretending just like me
The world is mine it can be yours my friend
So why don't you pretend
You'll find a love you can share
One you can call your own
Just close your eyes you'll be there
You'll never be alone
And if you sing this melody
You'll be pretending just like me
The world is mine it can be yours my friend
So why don't you pretend
So why don't you pretend
So why don't you pretend
So why don't you pretend
The song "Pretend" by Alvin Stardust is a cheerful and upbeat tune that encourages listeners to adopt a positive, happy outlook on life, even in the midst of difficult times. The lyrics urge the listener to pretend to be happy, even if they are feeling blue, and to focus on the good things in life instead of dwelling on what they may lack. The song suggests that by adopting a positive attitude and pretending to be happy, one can open themselves up to experiencing real joy and finding love.
The opening lines of the song, "Pretend you're happy when you're blue/ It isn't very hard to do," set the tone for the rest of the lyrics, which emphasize the importance of mental attitude and perspective. The message of the song is clear: by pretending to be happy and focusing on what you do have instead of what you don't, you can find fulfillment and happiness in life.
In addition to its uplifting message, "Pretend" is notable for its catchy melody and upbeat tempo. The song features driving drums, bright guitar riffs, and a lively horn section that help to create an energetic and uplifting atmosphere. Overall, "Pretend" is a feel-good song that encourages listeners to look on the bright side of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Pretend you're happy when you're blue
To fake a smile when you’re sad
It isn't very hard to do
It is effortless to put on a facade
And you will find happiness without An end if you pretend
You’ll experience joy endlessly if you continue to deceive yourself
Remember anyone can dream
Don’t forget that anyone has the ability to imagine
And nothin's bad as it may seem
Things aren’t as terrible as they appear to be
The little things you haven't got could be A lot if you pretend
Pretending can help you regard the things you do possess more profoundly
You'll find a love you can share
You can discover a companion to share your life with
One you can call your own
Someone you can claim and say belongs to you
Just close your eyes you'll be there
By merely shutting your eyes, you’ll have the feeling of that someone’s presence
You'll never be alone
You’ll never feel alone
And if you sing this melody
If you join in singing this tune
You'll be pretending just like me
You, too, will be pretending just like I am
The world is mine it can be yours my friend
I have the world under my control, and so can you my friend
So why don't you pretend
So, why not act like everything's alright?
So why don't you pretend
So, why not pretend?
So why don't you pretend
Why not just pretend?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: KOSTAS LAZARIDES, RAUL MALO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Emile g
Pretend you're happy when you're blue
It isn't very hard to do
And you will find happiness without
An end if you pretend
Remember anyone can dream
And nothin's bad as it may seem
The little things you haven't got could be
A lot if you pretend
You'll find a love you can share
One you can call your own
Just close your eyes you'll be there
You'll never be alone
And if you sing this melody
You'll be pretending just like me
The world is mine it can be yours my friend
So why don't you pretend
You'll find a love you can share
One you can call your own
Just close your eyes you'll be there
You'll never be alone
And if you sing this melody
You'll be pretending just like me
The world is mine it can be yours my friend
So why don't you pretend
So why don't you pretend
So why don't you pretend
So why don't you pretend
NotMarkKnopfler
Ha! I was 10 in 1981 when this record hit the charts! I begged my mum to get it for me, and bless her - she did! I remember bopping around the living room with her to this tune. Pretending was something my mum and I had to do a lot of back in '81. It was just us and we were as poor as church mice - poor in money, but there was always plenty of love to go 'round. We had a record player, though and were happy! Miss you mum - sleep well my lovely. Until we meet again x
Gary John Maddison
Sounds really good times n memories to me,keep Smiling Maybe 😊😂
Joelle-JS Simoen
I was 6 or 7 maybe back in time and loved that song too .When the songI was aired on the Belgian radio 📻 (am from Brussels) ,I also used to dance all over the appartement 🕺along with my twin.We had sooo much fun !!!!
Gerry Finn
I had nothing either.but i had my mum although she gone since 2017
Tissa Dodangoda
you seem to be a very kind person - bless you!
Gerry Finn
@Tissa Dodangoda u sound ok too tissa. Yz
The Power Station
Rest in Peace Alvin Stardust 🙏. I loved this song when it came out. I was the same age as the kids in the video. I love the guitar break.
harvey1954
It is my favorite guitar solo. I emailed Shane shortly before he died and asked him who did it. He said it was the guitarist in Matchbox.
MIKE UK
@harvey1954 Good to know that. I had always believed that it was the late, great Big Jim Sullivan. I love the guitar in "Buzz, buzz, a diddle-it"!
Erik Konstantin Plesner
The sound of my teenage years. Those were the days .... this was the music. Thank you for the music. RIP , man.