Sister Act Lyrics
Sister Act
DELORIS:I don’t need a spotlight,
I don’t need a crowd,
I don’t need the great wide world
to shout my name out loud.
Don’t need fame or fortune,
nice as those things are,
I’ve got all I need
to feel like I’m a star.
I’ve got my sisters by my side.
I’ve got my sisters' love and pride.
And in my sisters' eyes
I recognize the star I want to be.
And with my sisters standing strong,
I’m on the stage where I belong.
And nothing’s ever gonna change that fact.
I’m part of one terrific sister act.
And yes, I love that spotlight!
Yes I crave acclaim!
I’ll admit I love the sound
when strangers scream my name.
All that glitz and glamour,
they’re all right no doubt.
But what are you left with
when the lights go out’
I’ll have my sisters with me still,
I’ll have my sisters, always will.
And with my sisters' love,
no star above will shine as
bright as me.
And as a sister and a friend,
I’ll be a sister ‘til the end,
and no one on this earth can
change that fact -
I’m part of one terrific sister act.
Song Overview
Review and Highlights
The title song isn’t a roof-lifter by accident. Alan Menken sets a steady backbeat under warm strings and rhythm guitar, then lets the brass glow when the lyric turns outward. Glenn Slater’s words balance self-knowledge with celebration. Patina Miller shapes the verses like testimony - verse to pre-chorus to a chorus that opens the door and invites the room in. Where earlier songs in the score chase disco sparkle, this one trades glitter for grounded uplift, and the modulation near the end lands like a decision made.
Highlights
- Verse 1 presents the pivot from individual ambition to communal identity, then the groove widens as ensemble support thickens.
- Call-and-response touches hint at gospel without leaving the pop frame, a Menken hallmark in this score.
- Key lift in the final refrain underlines resolve rather than volume for volume’s sake.
- Studio mix preserves stage energy - you can hear the “curtain call” DNA without it being the finale cut.
Creation History
Sister Act opened in London on June 2, 2009 at the London Palladium with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater. The Original London Cast Recording was issued in the UK in 2009 by Stage Entertainment, with a U.S. release handled by Ghostlight Records in March 2011. Album production is credited to Doug Besterman, Michael Kosarin, and Alan Menken. Recording and mixing took place at British Grove Studios in June and July 2009.
Song Meaning and Annotations
Plot
By late Act II, Deloris Van Cartier has tasted celebrity attention and the safety of hiding. Here she chooses something harder and truer - solidarity with the women who stood by her. The number functions as a vow to return to the convent family and finish what they began. Moments later the story races toward the chase, the rescue, and the celebratory papal performance that closes the show.
Song Meaning
The text reframes stardom as community. She still loves applause, but the center shifts. The message is simple: fame fades when the lights drop, love doesn’t. Musically, the steady midtempo groove keeps the confession grounded while the harmonic lift near the end frames a decision rather than a fantasy.
Annotations
“I’m part of one terrific sister act”
- Your gloss gets the heart of it: Deloris claims belonging. She may not be a nun by vows, but by action and love she counts.
Style and rhythm
Pop chassis, gospel sheen. Four-to-the-floor lightened by handclaps and brass flourishes, with choir stacks saved for emphasis rather than spectacle.
Emotional arc
Quiet claim - honest confession - open-armed chorus. The band doesn’t overpower her; it holds the lane while the lyric does the turning.
Context in the score
Earlier tracks flaunt disco and Philly-soul colors; this one sits closer to pop testimony, clearing space before the pure-celebration finale “Spread the Love Around.”
Key Facts
- Artist: Patina Miller (Original London Cast - Deloris Van Cartier)
- Writers: Alan Menken - music; Glenn Slater - lyrics
- Album: Sister Act (Original London Cast Recording)
- UK Release: 2009 - Stage Entertainment Ltd
- U.S. Release: March 22, 2011 digital, March 29, 2011 CD - Ghostlight Records
- Producers (album): Doug Besterman, Michael Kosarin, Alan Menken
- Recorded: British Grove Studios, London - June and July 2009
- Track #: 17 on the London cast album
- Language: English
- Genre: West End show tune with pop-gospel inflections
- Instrumentation (album forces): rhythm section, brass, strings, reeds, large ensemble chorus
Questions and Answers
- Who wrote “Sister Act” for the stage?
- Alan Menken composed the music and Glenn Slater wrote the lyrics.
- Where does this song fall in the show?
- Act II, just before the chase and the all-cast finale. It’s Deloris’ decision point.
- Who sings it on the London cast album?
- Patina Miller, leading the Original London Company as Deloris Van Cartier.
- When was the London album released in the U.S.?
- Ghostlight Records issued it digitally on March 22, 2011 and on CD March 29, 2011.
- What’s the musical vibe?
- Pop backbone with gospel lift - steady midtempo groove, brass accents, and ensemble support that blooms near the close.
Awards and Chart Positions
- Laurence Olivier Awards 2010: Original London production nominated for Best New Musical; Patina Miller nominated for Best Actress in a Musical; Sheila Hancock nominated for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical.
Additional Info
The London album was released in the UK in 2009 under Stage Entertainment, with international distribution later via Ghostlight. The digital booklet lists the recording team and confirms British Grove Studios as the site - a clue to why the record feels polished yet roomy. As for the narrative, the Wikipedia synopsis notes this title song as Deloris’ turning point before the final stand and the celebratory last number.