Los Angeles is a great place to be young and starstruck. You might meet a future Oscar winner at your cruddy day job, or get hit on by a faded star at a gas station.

The thing I must enjoyed about being young in LA was the energy. People from all over the country — shoot, from all over the world — flock to that filthy desert oasis for the same reason. They’re stars, they just know it.

So with all of that future stardom just waiting to be discovered, is it any wonder that there are so many songs about stars? From Johnny making a record that went straight up to number one to letting those who might not know it now that baby I’m a star, there are songs-a-plenty from which to choose.

Here are a few from my stacks. Most are truly deep cuts, but I threw in a couple that are more familiar, too:

“Rock ‘n’ Roll Star,” Oasis. The Gallagher brothers were true superstars, maybe not so much in the US, but in their native UK they were huge. I caught them in a club-sized show in Las Vegas toward the end of their career, and met people who’d traveled from England just for that gig. Crazy talk.

“Rock Star,” Hole. If you don’t own Live Through This, pick up a copy. If you own any other Hole albums, I’m sorry.

“Rock Star,” Fishbone. I will be preaching the gospel of Fishbone on my deathbed. What do these guys need to do to get some love?

“Superstar,” The Carpenters. I love the Sonic Youth version, but nothing beats the haunting original.

“Riding With A Movie Star,” L7. More early ’90s goodness? I’m on a roll today.

“I’m in Love With A German Film Star,” The Passions. This one pops up on new wave compilations pretty frequently, and for good reason: It’s a tasty cut.

“So You Want To Be (A Rock ‘N’ Roll Star),” Patti Smith Group. Pick your favorite version. They’re all good.

“Star,” David Bowie. I could make a list just of Bowie songs about stars and stardom, but if I have to pick just this one I’ll take this Ziggy-era cut.

Well, how about it, superstars? Got some additions for me? I’m listening.

—photo Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons