Superstar

“Superstar” is the Carpenters song that briefly interrupts Cushla’s drive with music before she rejects its point of view. The moment turns on a small reversal: she begins by singing along, then hears the song differently and cuts it short.

The Radio Encounter

After the news bulletin ends, the radio forecast promises an Indian summer, with a hot spell following the school holidays. At the bottom of the road, Cushla glances toward St Dallan’s and recalls Gerry’s report that a girl from Ballyclare named Bride has replaced her there. She changes the station, and “Superstar” is playing. The everyday sequence of weather, the school, and the radio places the song amid the practical details of her drive rather than setting it apart as a formal performance.

Recognition and Rejection

Cushla sings along as the song builds toward its chorus. Then she realizes that it is written from the perspective of a despondent groupie. That recognition changes her response: she says, “Fuck up, Karen,” and switches the radio off. The abrupt command follows an instant of participation, making the song’s effect short-lived but sharply defined. It has drawn Cushla into singing before its perspective prompts her to stop; the scene records that change without explaining her reason for addressing Karen or assigning the moment a larger meaning.