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"Waiting for a Star to Fall" was released in June 1988 as the lead single from Boy Meets Girl's second studio album, Reel Life (1988). The song became a chart hit in several countries, reaching number five on the US BillboardHot 100, number one in Canada, number five in Ireland, and number nine in the United Kingdom. Since its release, it has been remixed and covered by many artists, including Cabin Crew and Sunset Strippers, who experienced concurrent success with their reworkings in 2005.
"Waiting for a Star to Fall" was written by Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill, and was inspired by an actual falling star that Rubicam had seen during a Whitney Houston concert at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The duo did not initially consider recording the song themselves, instead submitting it to Arista's CEO Clive Davis, in the hope that he would decide to use it on Houston's second studio album, Whitney. Even though Rubicam and Merrill had written Houston's previous hit "How Will I Know", Davis rejected "Waiting for a Star to Fall", suggesting that it did not suit her.[2] This then inspired Merrill and Rubicam to create Houston's 1987 hit "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)". Meanwhile, "Waiting for a Star to Fall" was then offered to and recorded by Belinda Carlisle for her 1987 release Heaven on Earth, at the insistence of her label, but Carlisle disliked it and refused to include it on the album.[3] This version has, however, circulated on an unofficial compilation of that album's outtakes.[4]
The tenor saxophone solo on the Boy Meets Girl version was provided in a session recording early in the career of Andy Snitzer, who later found success as a solo artist.[5]
Merrill and Rubicam decided to record the song themselves for their second album Reel Life. Released as a single on June 10, 1988,[citation needed] it became a hit in the United States, reaching number one on the BillboardAdult Contemporary chart and number five on the BillboardHot 100.[6][7] Issued in the United Kingdom on November 14, 1988, the song reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart during January 1989, having entered the chart in December 1988.[8][9] It remains their sole top-40 hit in the UK.[10] The song also reached number 35 on Australia's ARIA Singles Chart in April 1989.[11] After the song was used as the closing theme to the 1990 movie Three Men and a Little Lady, the single was re-released with a new picture sleeve featuring the actors of the film. The re-release peaked at number 76 in the UK.[10]
Johnny Loftus of AllMusic remarked that the song was "just a classic", and that "the urgency as it drives toward its chorus is a clinic for durable songwriting."[12]
The video for the song, directed by Australian director Claudia Castle, features scenes of Merrill and Rubicam singing it on a beach and inside a house.[13] Also featured are scenes of a group of children playing with bubbles, including the couple's young daughter Hilary.[4]
The song has been covered and remixed several times. The most commercially successful versions came in 2005, when Australian musical group Cabin Crew remixed the song as "Star to Fall" (or "Star2Fall") but were refused the sampling of the original lyrics by Sony BMG. Liking what Cabin Crew had done, however, George Merrill agreed to re-record the vocals.[43] Meanwhile, Sony BMG had British musical group Sunset Strippers remix the original track under the title "Falling Stars". Both versions peaked within the top five of the UK Singles Chart in March 2005.
In December 2012, a rock version of the song was released by the band Lionville on their album Lionville II.[81]
In December 2013, a stripped back indie version of the song was released by the English band Young Kato. It was featured on the Made in Chelsea soundtrack.[82]
Also in December 2013, a folk cover of the song by Icelandic singer Yohanna surfaced on the Internet.[83]
In March 2014, a folk cover of the song by English singer Diana Vickers surfaced on the Internet.[84]
In September 2017, Australian singer George Maple interpolated the song as part of her single "Hero".[85]
On December 31, 2020, the international rock/metal musical project "At The Movies" released a cover version of the song on YouTube.[86]
^Billboard Staff (April 15, 2025). "The 100 Best Songs of 2005: Staff Picks". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2025. ...Boy Meets Girl's "Waiting for a Star to Fall" [is one] of the most undeniable mega-pop hits of the '80s...
^Waiting for a Star to Fall (US cassette single sleeve). Boy Meets Girl. RCA Records. 1988. 8691-4-RS.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Waiting for a Star to Fall (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Boy Meets Girl. RCA Records. 1989. R10D-108.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Waiting for a Star to Fall (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Boy Meets Girl. RCA Records. 1988. PT 49520.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Waiting for a Star to Fall (UK CD single liner notes). Boy Meets Girl. RCA Records. 1989. PD49520.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Waiting for a Star to Fall (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Boy Meets Girl. Hollywood Records. 1991. HWD2, 570 003-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Waiting for a Star to Fall (US 12-inch single sleeve). Boy Meets Girl. Hollywood Records. 1991. HWD2T.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Waiting for a Star to Fall (UK CD single liner notes). Boy Meets Girl. Hollywood Records. 1991. HWD2CD, 570 003-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Reel Life (US CD album liner notes). RCA Records. 1988. 8414-2-R.
