Only You (Starlight Express)

It is performed by the protagonist, Rusty, a young steam locomotive and his true love, the observation car, Pearl.

The German lyrics resolved the issue of lacking context, the song was titled "Allein im Licht der Sterne" (Alone, in the Starlight).

In 2008 the second version of "Only He" was included in the German production, now titled "Nur Mit Ihm" (Only with Him) to distinguish from the earlier "Du Allein".

Variations on the sequence have been used within songs such as Our Last Summer by ABBA, Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft by Klaatu, Don't Walk Away from Xanadu and Easy Like Sunday Morning by Lionel Richie (similar to 'Poppa's Blues', which uses a traditional blues chord sequence and bassline).

The commonly known opening verse of "Only He" – "look at me, a woman, calm and in control/ No silly girl whose head's always turning" is in fact from the single release version of the song, and are obviously out of context when sung by Pearl, who is exactly a silly girl whose head is turned by each attractive male that passes her.

"Only You" cuts this first verse, Pearl starting at the chorus "Only You/ have the power to move me" The second version of "Only He" has lyrics re-worked from the original.

The most glaring contextual nonsensities in the show have appeared at this point in the plot, including Don Black's "Back then was when we touched the Starlight".

Rusty and Pearl have a minimal relationship at the beginning of the show, they have no significant past other than a tentative agreement to race together.

This song is one of the few from Starlight Express to have spoken lines, acting as a bridge passage in the music between Rusty's first verse and the first chorus sung as a duet: Choreography and blocking is, of course, entirely dependent on production and the capabilities of the set.

At Rusty's entrance, Pearl turns away from him, she can't immediately face him from shame at how she's hurt him.

But the spoken lines give her the confidence to turn to face him, and to skate with him, before finishing with their fisted hands touching, to show that they are 'coupled'.