Starlight Dancer

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Starlight dancer
Starlight dancer cover
Studio album by Kayak
Released 1977
Label Janus Records
Producer Jack Lancaster, Kayak
Professional reviews
Kayak chronology
The last encore Starlight dancer Phantom of the night

Starlight Dancer is a 1977 album by Dutch progressive rock band Kayak. It was produced by Jack Lancaster and Kayak. It was released on the Janus label (JXS 7034).

[edit] Track Listing (North America)

Side 1

  1. "I Want You To Be Mine" - 4:46 (T. Scherpenzeel)
  2. "Ballad For A Lost Friend" - 4:14 (T. Scherpenzeel)
  3. "Turn The Tide" - 3:34 (T. Scherpenzeel)
  4. "Nothingness" - 3:56 (T. Scherpenzeel)
  5. "Still My Heart Cries For You" - 4:34 (P. Koopman)

Side 2

  1. "Starlight Dancer" - 5:03 (T. Scherpenzeel)
  2. "Love Of A Victim" - 2:48 (P. Koopman)
  3. "Land On The Water" - 2:28 (P. Koopman)
  4. "Do You Care" - 2:56 (P. Koopman)
  5. "Back To The Front" - 4:32 (T. Sherpenzeel/J. Slager)
  6. "Irene" - 4:22 (T. Scherpenzeel)

There is much confusion about this particular album. This is due to the fact that the North American release is very different from the original Dutch/European release with the same title. The North American release is in fact a compilation of songs from two European Kayak LP's: "The Last Encore" (1976) and "Starlight Dancer" (1977). To add to the confusion, the American record company Janus Records used the title "Starlight Dancer", but the sleeve design of "The Last Encore".

The original Dutch release of "Starlight Dancer" (released on the Vertigo label) contains the following songs:

  1. "Daughter Or Son" (T. Scherpenzeel)
  2. "Starlight Dancer" (T. Scherpenzeel)
  3. "Want You To Be Mine" (T. Scherpenzeel)
  4. "Letdown" (T. Scherpenzeel)
  5. "Irene" (T. Scherpenzeel)
  6. "Golddust" (M. Werner)
  7. "May" (T. Scherpenzeel/D. Ireland)
  8. "Turn The Tide" (T. Scherpenzeel)
  9. "Dead Bird Flies Forever" (T. Scherpenzeel)
  10. "Sweet Revenge" (T. Scherpenzeel)
  11. "Where Do We Go From Here?" (T. Scherpenzeel)

Only 2 songs of this release ("Turn The Tide" and "Starlight Dancer") were used on the North American release. That LP also contains "Want You To Be Mine" and "Irene". But these were in fact demo-versions, slightly different from the versions on the European LP.

Six songs on the North American LP come from the European LP "The Last Encore".

The song "Ballad For A Lost Friend" is a not included on any Kayak album at all in Europe. In Holland, the song was used as a single b-side.

This LP (the European version) is the only Kayak album with members Charles Louis Schouten (drums) and Theo de Jong (bass). In 1978, singer Max Werner changed to drums. Peter Scherpenzeel, Ton's younger brother, replaced De Jong on bass.

The song "Golddust" is the only Max Werner-written song that Kayak recorded. This song features a guest appearance by Dutch keyboardist Rick van der Linden.

The North American LP was not released on CD.

The European "Starlight Dancer" LP was never released on CD in its own right. But it is part of a double CD set called "Three Originals". That double CD exists of the complete albums "Starlight Dancer", "Phantom Of The Night" and "Periscope Life", plus the non-album bonus tracks:

  1. "Theme From "Spetters""
  2. "Ballad For A Lost Friend"
  3. "Ivory Dance"
  4. "I Want You To Be Mine" (Demo/USA version, but with different ending)
  5. "Irene" (Demo/USA version)

[edit] Band Members

  • Johan Slager - Electric and acoustic guitars, vocals
  • Ton Scherpenzeel - Piano, clavinet, organ, string ensemble, mellotron, accordion, synthesizers, double bass, vocals
  • Max Werner - Vocals, mellotron, percussion
  • Theo De Jong - Bass guitar on the songs from the Dutch Starlight Dancer album
  • Bert Veldkamp - Bass guitar on the other songs
  • Charles Louis Schouten - Drums on the songs from the Dutch Starlight Dancer album
  • Pim Koopman - Drums on the other songs