DESCRIPTION:
"Superstar" is a 1969 song written by Bonnie Bramlett, Leon Russell and Delaney Bramlett. It's been recorded many times, probably the most well known is the version by the Carpenters made in 1971. The composition grew out of the late 1969/early 1970 nexus of English and American musicians known as Delaney & Bonnie and Friends (Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, and various others). It was first called "Groupie (Superstar)", and was recorded and released as a B-side to the Delaney & Bonnie single "Comin' Home" in December 1969.The arrangement featured slow guitar and bass parts building up to an almost gospel-style chorus using horns.
In August 1970, the live album Mad Dogs and Englishmen was released, using performances recorded in March and June of that year. The song, now under the name "Superstar" appeared on it. The album became a huge hit, reaching number 2 on the Billboard pop albums chart and number 23 on the Billboard Black Albums chart.
Bette Midler began making regular appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in August 1970. During one such appearance, she sang "Superstar" in an understated arrangement that featured only a piano for accompaniment. Her recording of it appeared on her 1972 debut album The Divine Miss M.

"Superstar" became its biggest hit version for the Carpenters. Richard Carpenter was unaware of the Bramlett or Mad Dogs originals, but as he later wrote in a compilation album's liner notes: "I came home from the studio one night and heard a then relatively unknown Bette Midler performing this song on the Tonight Show. I could barely wait to arrange and record it. Richard's arrangement featured an oboe line at the start, followed by Karen's clear contralto voice set against a quiet bass line in the verses, which then built up to up-tempo choruses with a quasi-orchestral use of horns and strings. Produced by Richard with Jack Daugherty, it was recorded with members of the famed Los Angeles session musicians The Wrecking Crew. Karen Carpenter recorded her vocal in just one take (which in fact was the "work lead" normally used to guide the other musicians), using lyrics scribbled by Richard on a paper napkin. Since the song's subject was more risqué than usual for the clean-cut image of the Carpenters, Richard changed a lyric in the second verse from:
And I can hardly wait
To sleep with you again
To the somewhat less suggestive:
And I can hardly wait
To be with you again.They released it as a single in September 1971.
Richard would be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist for his efforts. "Superstar" would go on to appear on two mid-1970s Carpenters live albums as well as innumerable compilation albums.

In 1981, Karen spoke of the song: "For some reason that tune didn't hit me in the beginning, it's the only one. Richard looked at me like I had three heads, he said: 'Are you out of your mind?' When I heard his arrangement of it, I fell over and now it's one of my favorites too.She added that "Superstar", along with "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "I Need to Be in Love", were the songs that were most emotionally upsetting to sing. Richard later remembered that "Solitaire" was another song that Karen did not like at first.

Luther Vandross recorded "Superstar" in 1983. Released as a single the following year, it became an R&B hit, reaching number 5 on the Billboard Top R&B Singles chart.

American Idol contestant Ruben Studdard performed a Vandross-influenced "Superstar". Studdard would earn a 2004 Grammy Award nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Superstar", but lose out to his idol Vandross (who won for "Dance with My Father").

Some other artists who have recorded it:
American Spring (a group consisting of Brian Wilson's wife and sister-in-law) on their Spring album in 1972.
Raquel Welch performed the song with John Belushi (as Joe Cocker) on the April 24, 1976 broadcast of Saturday Night Live.
English singer Elkie Brooks, on her 1981 album Pearls.
Keely Smith recorded this in 1985 for her LP, I'm In Love Again, on Fantasy Records.
Jazz saxophonist David Sanborn covered the song from his 1995 album Pearls.
Usher's homage to the now-late Vandross' version, on the 2005 So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross album, for which he received a Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.