Big Time (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Big Time


Artist = Peter Gabriel
from Album = So
B-side = "Curtains", "Across the River"
Released = January 1987
Format = 7", 12", CD
Recorded = 1985
Genre = Pop Rock
Length = 4:26 (6:14 Extended version)
Label = Geffen
Writer = Peter Gabriel
Producer = Daniel Lanois
Last single = "Don't Give Up"
(1986)
This single = "Big Time"
(1987)
Next single = "In Your Eyes"
(1987)"Big Time" is a song by Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album "So" (see 1986 in music). It was his second top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #8.cite book |title= Rock N' Roll Gold Rush |last= Dean |first= Maury |authorlink= Maury Dean |coauthors= |year= 2003 |publisher= Algora |location= |isbn= 0-87586-207-1 |pages= 160 |url= ] "Big Time" deals with a man's efforts to achieve success - but his vision of success is quite peculiar - and naive.

Music

"Big Time" alternates Keys between A♭ Minor (used in the Chorus) and A♭ Dorian (during the Verses) and is Played at the speed of 116 bpm. The song's bass guitar part is unique in that backing bassist Tony Levin and then-backing drummer Jerry Marotta teamed up for the main bassline. Using one of Levin's fretless basses, Levin handled the fingerings while Marotta hit his drumsticks on the strings, which is why the bass part sounds percussive. Inspired by this sound, Levin later invented Funk Fingers, which were little drumstick ends that could be attached to the fingers to achieve a similar bass guitar effect in concert. Police drummer Stewart Copeland plays drums on the song.

Music video

Gabriel, successful after his smash hit "Sledgehammer", used the similarly-up-tempo "Big Time" to create another visually stunning video. The visual style was very evocative of the "Sledgehammer" video, using stop motion, claymation, and strata-cut animation to show Gabriel leaving his small town for the big city.

Track listing

ingle

At least three version of Big Time have appeared.

UK basic single
# "Big Time" (7" Version) – (4:26)
# "Curtains" – (3:28)

UK version under three formats : 12" vinyl record, CD and a
# "Big Time (Extended version)" – (6:12)
# "Curtains" – (3:28)
# "No Self Control" – (3:54)
# "Across the River" – (7:12)
# "Big Time" (7" Version) – (4:26) [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:zfd6vwvta9yk Track Listing] [Allmusic|AllMusic.com]

US version as a 12" vinyl record
# "Big Time" (US dance mix) - (6:10)
# "In Your Eyes" (Special mix) - (8:55)

Remixes

Along the two mixes found on different versions of the single, Big Time has been officially remixed by Electrokingdom. Although reputed to be more numerous, four mixes (Main Mix - Club Mix - Dub Mix - Acoustic Mix) can be downloaded on legal platforms.

An unofficial mix of Gorillaz's Dare and Big Time has appeared, especially on Youtube.

Other

* "Big Time" was the official theme song of WWE WrestleMania 22, a professional wrestling pay-per-view event held on April 2, 2006 in Chicago, Illinois.
* "Big Time" was used for the film "Norbit", starring Eddie Murphy.
* "Big Time" was used in the trailer for the film "Big".

Notes

External links

*MusicBrainz album|id=d76b326d-f841-40e3-90cc-bec5a4b4df79|name=Big Time
* [http://www.wwe.com/content/media/video/promos/ppv_promos/2006/wm22/bigtimemusicvideo?section=%2Fshows%2Fwrestlemania%2F "Big Time" music video] at [http://www.wwe.com WWE.com]