1) an American pop/rock ba… Read Full Bio ↴Starship is the name of more than one artist:
1) an American pop/rock band
2) trance act
3) UK powerpop
4) tech house group
5) 70s rock band with Micky Dolenz
1) Starship is an American pop/rock band best known for their hits "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" and "We Built This City" that operated from 1985 to 1989, reforming in 1992 although featuring just vocalist Mickey Thomas. In 1984, singer-songwriter Paul Kantner left the San Francisco, California group Jefferson Starship. His former bandmates wanted to continue with that name, but Kantner, as the last founding member of Jefferson Airplane, took legal action over the "Jefferson" name. Kantner settled out of court and signed an agreement that neither party would use the names "Jefferson" or "Airplane" unless all members of Jefferson Airplane, Inc. (made up of Bill Thompson, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen, and Jack Casady) agreed. The band then took the name "Starship". Keyboard player David Freiberg, who had been increasingly marginalized, left as well.
In contrast to Paul Kantner's more experimental and progressive rock direction, Starship moved towards a sleek arena rock direction reminiscent of contemporaries Foreigner and Journey. In 1985, the band, based primarily around dual vocalists Mickey Thomas and Grace Slick, released 'Knee Deep in the Hoopla' and immediately scored two #1 hits. The first was "We Built This City", written by the team of Bernie Taupin, Martin Page, Dennis Lambert, and Peter Wolf (producer), which was inspired by Bay Area rock n roll station KSAN-FM.
That song was trashed at the time by Kantner and later criticized by co-singer Grace Slick, and it was later declared to be the "worst song of all time" by Blender magazine. VH1 also named it the number-one "Most Awesomely Bad Song" on a top-50 countdown co-sponsored with Blender. However, it became something like a 'signature song' for Starship and has continued to receive major airplay. The band's second #1 was "Sara"; no previous incarnation of Jefferson Airplane/Starship had had a #1 hit. 'Knee Deep in the Hoopla' itself reached #7, went platinum, and spawned two more singles: "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" (#26), and "Before I Go" (#68).
In 1987, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" was featured in the film 'Mannequin' and hit #1, although only Slick and Thomas (plus Craig Chaquico's guitar solo) appeared on it. This song made Slick the oldest female vocalist to sing on a number-one Billboard Hot 100 hit, at the age of 47 (a record that she held until Cher broke it at age 53 in 1999 with "Believe".) The following year, with the new members Mark Morgan (keyboard) and Brett Bloomfield (bass) added. the band's song "Wild Again" (which reached #78 on the Billboard singles chart) was used in the movie 'Cocktail'.
By the time 'No Protection' was released, bassist Pete Sears had left. The album went gold and featured the hits "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (#1), "It's Not Over ('Til It's Over)" (#9), and "Beat Patrol" (#46). In addition, the last song on the album, "Set the Night to Music", would later become a huge hit when re-recorded as a duet between Roberta Flack and Maxi Priest.
Grace Slick left Starship in 1988, having become disillusioned with the band's drift towards a strongly commercial pop image and swearing never to perform with them again. The revamped Starship lineup, featuring Mark Morgan (keyboards) and Brett Bloomfield (bass), released 'Love Among the Cannibals' in 1989. Finding their commercial prospects waning, the group finally disbanded the following year.
In 1992, vocalist Mickey Thomas revived the band, originally using the name "Mickey Thomas' Starship". Gaining some praise for his live performances, he changed the name to "Starship featuring Mickey Thomas". Lately, the band often refers to itself simply as "Starship", though with Thomas being its only consistent member. In September 2013, the group released their first new studio material in over two decades, putting out the tune "It's Not the Same as Love".
Their official website can be found at www.starshipcontrol.com.
Don't Stop Believin'
Starship Lyrics
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She took the midnight train goin' anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere
A singer in a smokey room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlights people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night
Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlights people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night
Don't stop believin'
Hold on to the feelin'
Streetlights people
Don't stop believin'
Hold on
Streetlight people
Don't stop believin'
Hold on to the feelin'
Streetlights people
The lyrics of Starship's "Don't Stop Believin'" tell the story of two individuals who leave their mundane lives for something more exciting. The first verse introduces us to a small-town girl who is tired of the monotony of her life. She decides to take the midnight train to anywhere, hoping to find excitement and adventure. The second verse introduces us to a city boy from South Detroit who is also bored with his life. He takes the same midnight train with the same hopes of finding something more.
In the chorus, the lyrics encourage the listener to keep believing and holding on to the feeling of hope that they will find what they are looking for. The repeated phrase "streetlights people" is a poetic reference to the people who are out at night, searching for something meaningful under the glow of streetlights.
The third verse is about the universal struggle of working hard to achieve one's dreams. The lyrics suggest that everyone is looking for a thrill and willing to take chances to get it. The line "some were born to sing the blues" acknowledges that not everyone will succeed, but that doesn't stop people from trying.
Overall, the song is a reminder to keep believing in oneself and to never give up on the search for something more meaningful in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world
A girl who grew up in a small town and feels isolated in her environment.
She took the midnight train goin' anywhere
She left her small town home to go anywhere and experience new things.
Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit
A boy who grew up in the urban environment of South Detroit.
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere
He left the city of South Detroit in search of new experiences.
A singer in a smokey room
A performer singing in a room filled with smoke from cigarettes.
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
The room smelling of wine and inexpensive fragrance.
For a smile they can share the night
The singer performing in order to bring joy to others and make them forget their worries for the night.
It goes on and on and on and on
The night continues endlessly, with no clear end in sight.
Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
People who do not know each other waiting on the street.
Their shadows searching in the night
The silhouettes of people looking for something in the darkness.
Streetlights people, living just to find emotion
Individuals who live for the feeling of emotion, especially in the setting of city life illuminated by streetlights.
Hiding, somewhere in the night
Emotion is hiding in the darkness of the night.
Working hard to get my fill
Struggling to obtain all of the things making life fulfilling.
Everybody wants a thrill
All people yearn to experience excitement and thrills in life.
Payin' anything to roll the dice
People are willing to risk anything in order to take a chance and potentially win big.
Just one more time
One more opportunity to take a chance and win.
Some will win, some will lose
There are both winners and losers in life.
Some were born to sing the blues
There are people who seem destined to experience sadness and hardship.
Oh, the movie never ends
Life is a never-ending series of events and changes, like a forever-changing movie.
It goes on and on and on and on
Life continues endlessly, with no clear end in sight.
Don't stop believin'
Never give up hope and keep holding onto your dreams.
Hold on to the feelin'
Don't let go of the emotions that make life worth living.
Streetlights people
People living in the city, illuminated by the lights of the street.
Don't stop believin'
Never give up hope and keep holding onto your dreams.
Hold on
Keep a firm grip on the things that matter in life.
Streetlight people
People living in the city, illuminated by the lights of the street.
Don't stop believin'
Never give up hope and keep holding onto your dreams.
Hold on to the feelin'
Don't let go of the emotions that make life worth living.
Streetlights people
People living in the city, illuminated by the lights of the street.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jonathan Cain, Stephen Ray Perry, Neal Joseph Schon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind