Feb. 24, 2004, 1:21PM `Stars' has universal meaning
Heights resident composes song as tribute to Columbia astronauts
By JOSEF MOLNAR
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
The calm morning of Feb. 1, 2003 -- a Saturday -- was shattered for many by news that the ill-fated Columbia Space Shuttle had disintegrated over the southwestern United States.
The collective wave of disbelief, shock and terror that enveloped the nation was made all the more real as television news stations replayed footage of clusters of debris resembling small comets plummeting to the ground. People around the world poured their condolences to the astronauts' families.
In Houston, the site of NASA Mission Control, which stood helplessly as the tragedy unfolded, Julian Samuel , with urging from his friends in the space program, soon decided to make his contribution to that process.
A graphic designer, songwriter and resident of the Heights, he knew he could contribute in one way: through music. His collaboration and research into the lives of the crew led to his song, "I See Stars Falling." A free digital copy of the song can be downloaded from www.starsfalling.com.
"The song was written with commentary and feedback from those people," he said, "because, in the end, I wanted something that would connect with them."
Although the process to create the song began like many others, the spirit of the event found a way into his music.
Samuel said he was deeply saddened by the tragedy, and decided to gain inspiration for the song by doing research into the crew and people in the program.
"When I became more and more involved, I read up on the astronauts and their families and learned about their hopes and dreams," he said. "It was really that process of doing research for the song that got me in touch with what it should be."
The slow, mournful lyrics, sung by Samuel and accompanied by piano and a synthesized orchestra, replay the events that unfolded that day. The final lines of the song take those final minutes and, like a slow-motion video, helps listeners who were not there to understand it for themselves.
Looked up this morning when I heard the sound/
Saw your spirit flying, never touched the ground/
Seven stars fell, but never touched the ground.
Ephimia Morphew, a research psychologist at NASA Ames Research Center in California, said the song has a strong impact for its listeners.
"It really hits home because, even though I'm not an astronaut, I have a real connection to it," she said. "The best part of the words is just how empathetic they are, and how poignant they are for someone who's in that field."
Samuel, who had very little formal training with a piano, said the year-long process of writing the lyrics, composing the music, and finally recording and arranging it led him to evolve as a composer, musician and a person.
"I worked at it much harder than I have before," he said, "much harder than anything I have in my life."
Morphew said although the song was written about a space crew, its universal meaning applies to military families who have lost their loved ones or who are concerned about their safety while they are stationed around the world.
"This is a big deal for people and their lives," she said. "I think it's appropriate for people who need to hear music that means something to them."
If you have a suggestion for a "Faces in the Crowd" profile, contact Harlesica Wooten at harlesica.wooten@chron.com or send a fax to 713-362-7552.
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