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Won't you say? Will you tell?
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"Stars"
Stars
Information
Composer

Claude-Michel Schönberg

Lyricist

Herbert Kretzmer

Performers

Javert
Gavroche

Song Order
Previous

"The Robbery / Javert's Intervention" (musical)
"The Convent" (movie)

Next

"Look Down" (movie)
"Éponine's Errand" (musical)

"Stars" is the 19th song in Act I of the musical Les Misérables. It takes place after Javert unwittingly saves Valjean and Cosette from Thénardier and his gang's attempt to rob both of them, and subsequently discovers that Valjean, his old time rival, has surfaced once again, but has slipped through his grasp. He vows to complete his manhunt. The placement of the piece has been changed for various adaptations (musical, motion picture, etc.).

The majority of it is a solo piece, sung in its entirety by Javert, explaining some of his reasonings for pursuing the law the way he does, and reiterating his resolve to capture Valjean once and for all. It is one of the more well-known songs in the musical and is Javert's most important song. Gavroche has a verse explaining his dislike for Javert. It is also one of two pieces sung solely by Javert (the other being Javert's Suicide).

The lyrics were written by Herbert Kretzmer.

Lyrics[]

Javert:

There, out in the darkness,
A fugitive running
Fallen from God
Fallen from grace(Fallen from God)
God be my witness
I never shall yield
Till we come face to face

Till we come face to face


He knows his way in the dark
Mine is the way of the Lord
And those who follow the path of the righteous
Shall have their reward
And if they fall
As Lucifer fell
The flames
The sword!


Stars
In your multitudes
Scarce to be counted
Filling the darkness
With order and light
You are the sentinels
Silent and sure
Keeping watch in the night
Keeping watch in the night


You know your place in the sky
You hold your course and your aim
And each in your season
Returns and returns
And is always the same
And if you fall as Lucifer fell
You fall in flames!


And so it must be for so it is written
On the doorway to paradise
That those who falter and those who fall
Must pay the price!


Lord, let me find him
That I may see him
Safe behind bars
I will never rest
Till then
This I swear
This I swear by the stars!


Gavroche: That inspector thinks he's something
But it's me who runs this town!
And my theater never closes
And the curtain's never down
Trust Gavroche, have no fear
Don't you worry, auntie dear,
You can always find me here!

Progression[]

  • In the original Barbican version of the show and the London cast recording, at the song's ending, instead of Javert's final plea to God, there is a reprise of the chorus with slightly different words:

Scarce to be counted
Changing the chaos
To order and light
You are the sentinels
Silent and sure
Keeping watch in the night
Keeping watch in the night.

  • Furthermore, this version came immediately after The Bargain/The Thénardier Waltz of Treachery as in the film. It was nearly cut but after some discussion and negotiation by actor Roger Allam, it was instead moved to its present place during the show's edit for the original Broadway production.
  • In the Original London and Broadway musical versions: *Fallen from God. Fallen from grace* is changed to *Fallen from grace. Fallen from grace.* The original Broadway production maintained this lyrical variant until Michael McCarthy took over as Javert in 2003. The US tour also used this version until its closing in 2006. However, no replica production has used that variant since then.

Trivia[]

  • The song is known as "Sous les étoiles" in the 1991 Paris revival, "Estrellas" in the Spanish production, "Sterne" in the German production, "Gwiazdy" in the Polish production and "Ster" in the Dutch production.
  • Gavroche's part is not in the 2012 film and in 10th anniversary concert. The 25th anniversary concert and most productions of the musical since late 2000 maintain it, except for the line "don't you worry auntie dear" which is cut.
  • The song precedes "Look Down" in the 2012 film.

Videos[]

Stars-_Les_Miserables_1985_Previews

Stars- Les Miserables 1985 Previews

Roger Allam in the original previews, a different version of "Stars".

Les_Misérables_14-_Stars

Les Misérables 14- Stars

Les Misérables - Stars

Stars_-_Les_Misérables_-_10th_Anniversary_Concert

Stars - Les Misérables - 10th Anniversary Concert

Les Misérables (10th Anniversary Concert) - Stars

Russell_CROWE_STARS_from_Les_misérables._(_full_version_video)

Russell CROWE STARS from Les misérables. ( full version video)

Russell Crowe singing "Stars" in the 2012 film

Les_Miserables_25th_Anniversary-_Stars

Les Miserables 25th Anniversary- Stars





Stars_-_Earl_Carpenter

Stars - Earl Carpenter

Teatr_Muzyczny_ROMA-_Gwiazdy_(Musical_"Les_Miserables")

Teatr Muzyczny ROMA- Gwiazdy (Musical "Les Miserables")

Polish version of the song

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