The Belle Stars is an English group formed in 1980 in London and whose particularity is to be composed exclusively of women.
Originally, the group was called "The Bodysnatchers" and consisted of Stella Barker, Sarah-Jane Owen, Miranda Joyce, Penny Leyton and Judy Parsons. Who will be joined by Lesley Shone and Jennie Mathias, the latter as lead singer.
Their first Single "Hiawatha" was released in 1981 and enjoyed great acclaim. Little followed by the Single "Slick trick" which will meet the same fate. Same result in 1982 for the title “Another latin love song”.
We had to wait for the Single "Iko iko", cover of the Dixie Cups hit dating from 1965 to see the group finally land its first hit in 1982. Still the same year, new success when the title "The clapping song" came out, cover this time of the hit by Shirley Ellis and also dating from 1965. It is their first Single to enter the English Top20.
To end the year on a high note, last hit with the track "Mockingbird", this time taken again from a song dating from 1969 and performed by Inez and Charlie Foxx. After these various successes, the group's notoriety is on the rise.
It is a year later in 1983 that the girls will record their one and only mega hit with the enormous “Sign of the times”, a flagship Single which will touch the summits of the Charts and smash everything in its path on the old continent.
The eponymous debut album was released in stride and surfed on the success generated by the Singles that preceded it.
Unfortunately, no other Single that will be released subsequently, despite an obvious quality for some, will be able to compete with "Sign of the times" which will remain THE reference for this group of amazons, my faith very sympathetic.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
80s Decade :
Hiawatha 1981
Slick trick 1981
Another latin love song 1982
Iko iko 1982
The clapping song 1982
Mockingbird 1982
Sign of the times 1983
Sweet memory 1983
Indian summer 1983
The entertainer 1983
The reason 1983
80’s romance 1984
World domination 1986
2000s Decade :
Blame 2004
April fool 2004
Is this the night ? 2004
Tracks :
1981 ... very Ska beginnings. Normal when you are produced by the producers of Madness !
1981 ... it evolves slowly but surely. But the group still has to find its style and especially its sound because for the moment, it is a bit messy ...
1982 ... after Ska mode, here they are in Afro-Caribbean mode. Certainly, this little exotic side has charm but that is still not enough to make the difference
1982 ... we stay on Afro bases once again. But this time around, something really is happening. First hit !
1982 ... it's confirmed, this time it's gone for good. It will even be a 3 hits year !
1982 ... a 3rd 'little' hit to end a truly sumptuous year for girls ! A clear dynamic is now in place and the best is yet to come !
1983 ... the year 1982 saw them reveal themselves. 1983 will see them literally explode ! An exceptional year that begins with a title that will undoubtedly remain as their best. HU-GE !
1983 ... lower quality, certainly, but the least we can say is that it pulsates. If there is one qualifier concerning them, it is the word energy. And not just a little !
1983 ... and there you have it, a little sweetness and finesse. For a group of girls, it was somewhat lacking. Like what, they know how to do too !
1983 ... well, we suspected that the Intimist register is not necessarily their thing. It re-accelerates direct. 4th hit of the year, not bad all that !
1983...a title that will not be released as a Single but that it would have been a real shame to conceal. A relight was needed...
1984 ... only one small hit for this year. After 2 euphoric years, the group is losing speed, it's obvious. This does not prevent him from signing one of his best titles here !
1986 ... one last hit and then goes. The end of a great adventure for one of the best female groups on the planet. Tchao girls !
2004... when we thought the case was definitely over, here they are back almost 18 years later. But only with old songs that have been remixed or that hadn't been released when they were made...
2004 ... but that it is new made with old does not bother. As long as the quality is in order, we necessarily want more !
2004...it would have been a shame if these titles never saw the light. It is now done and we can only rejoice...
Wiki :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :