Wise Music Tune of the Week: Superstar (Groupie)

'Superstar (Groupie)' is an emotional ballad originally written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell with input from Rita Coolidge. It was first recorded in 1969 by Delaney & Bonnie, but it gained widespread fame when The Carpenters released their iconic version in 1971, retitled simply "Superstar."

The song tells the story of a groupie who has a brief, intimate encounter with a rock star and is left longing for a deeper connection. Its melancholic lyrics—“Don’t you remember you told me you loved me baby?”—speak to the loneliness and disillusionment that often lurk beneath fame and infatuation.

Though many artists have covered it (including Luther Vandross and Sonic Youth), The Carpenters' version remains the most definitive—transforming what could have been a salacious story into a poignant, universally resonant love song about fleeting passion and enduring heartbreak.

Listen here. 

Hear more from Wise Music Creative here and listen to previous Tunes of the week here.