90s alternative song about looking at the stars / stargazing

February 8, 2013 3:02 PM

In the mid-90s, an ex-boyfriend (if we can call him that) made me a mixed tape. There was this fantastic song on it. It was kind of a slow ballad (sorry don't know music terminology). All I can really recall was that there was a line about looking at the stars.

Would love to find this song again as it was one of my favorites.

He listened to music like Sebadoh (I've been searching their tracks to no avail), Fugazi (unlikely) and Dinosaur jr (definitely not them). He also listened to stuff that was a bit more pop like Veruca Salt (Definitely not them, as the singer in the song was male, but giving this information in case it helps).

posted by Milau to media & arts (12 answers total)

Low's Stars Gone Out, maybe? It is from 1996. Someone listening to Sebadoh & Dinosaur Jr. may have had Low on their radar. And they don't come much slower than 1990s Low.
posted by .kobayashi. at 3:08 PM on February 8

Gosh, this sounds like something I should know. Was it guitar-based music? Piano/keys? Acoustic, or electric? Nasal voice, deep voice? American accent or English? Country-twinged at all? A lot of Sebadoh fans got into bands like Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, etc... Being into indie rock, and having spent a good part of the mid-90s in lurve with a fellow indie rock fan, I *may* be able to help, given more information...
posted by pammeke at 3:10 PM on February 8

Was it by any chance Hum's Stars? I don't know that it was ballad-y but it's in that time frame.
posted by Nimmie Amee at 3:12 PM on February 8

Was it HUM ?
posted by robi at 3:13 PM on February 8

The Church, Under the Milky Way?
posted by fshgrl at 3:13 PM on February 8 [1 favorite]

The Church, "Under The Milky Way?"
posted by drjimmy11 at 3:15 PM on February 8

If You Miss Me by Trip Shakespeare talks about flying through the stars, not looking at them. But it is a terrific song.
posted by something something at 3:19 PM on February 8

It was Hum!

Ah yes! I've been trying to remember this song for weeks. And yes, he did also listen to Low.

All these songs bring back such good memories. I miss the 90s.
posted by Milau at 3:21 PM on February 8

I came in here to say "Stars" by Hum. Glad to see that was it. A great song that should be better known.
posted by John Cohen at 3:21 PM on February 8

Perhaps it wasn't that slow of a song. I remembered it "building up".
posted by Milau at 3:23 PM on February 8

It feels almost painfully slow in the beginning, but once the band kicks in it becomes a different song — energetic and heavy.
posted by John Cohen at 3:43 PM on February 8

Built to Spill-Big Dipper?
posted by dottiechang at 6:11 PM on February 8