"When the Stars Go Blue" is a popular
alternative country song composed and originally recorded by solo artist and former
Whiskeytown band member
Ryan Adams. It was first released on his album Gold on September 25, 2001, and has been described as the "most gorgeous
ballad" on that album.[1] "When the Stars Go Blue" has been covered by many artists, including Irish band
the Corrs (featuring
Bono of
U2),
country music singer
Tim McGraw, and Norwegian artists
Venke Knutson and
Kurt Nilsen as a duo.
In 2006, the song was released by
Tim McGraw as the first single from his compilation album Tim McGraw Reflected: Greatest Hits Vol. 2. Heribert Severing, creator and writer of severing.nu, included McGraw's version of "When the Stars Go Blue" on his list of the top Country singles of 2006.[9]
Chart performance
"When the Stars Go Blue" debuted at number 35 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs for the week of March 18, 2006.
Norwegian singers
Venke Knutson and World IdolKurt Nilsen recorded a duet that appears in Venke Knutson's album 2005 Places I Have Been. The song was released as a single in Norway in February 2006, reaching number 14 on the
Norwegian Singles Chart.[18]
The song was performed by Blake Lewis on American Idol Season 6, originally airing on April 17, 2007.[21] His cover of the song made it to #92 of the pop charts in 2007.[22]
On July 16, 2006, Phil Lesh covered the song in the first set of a show at Charter One Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois.[citation needed] The show was made available for purchase via compact disc by
Phil Lesh and Friends.[citation needed] On April 5, 2014, Lesh covered the song in the first set of a show at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York.[citation needed]
^Lamb, Bill.
"When the Stars Go Blue". American Idol Season 6 - The Songs. About.com - The New York Times Company. Archived from
the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2012.