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Big Time (Peter Gabriel song)

April 13, 2024

"Big Time" is a song by English rock musician Peter Gabriel from his fifth studio album So (1986). It was his second top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at no. 8.[5]

"Big Time"
Single by Peter Gabriel
from the album So
B-side
  • "We Do What We're Told" (US)
  • "Curtains" (UK)
ReleasedNovember 1986 (US)[1]
March 1987 (UK)[1]
Genre
Length4:26
Label
Songwriter(s)Peter Gabriel
Producer(s)
Peter Gabriel singles chronology
"In Your Eyes"
(1986) 		"Big Time"
(1986) 		"Red Rain"
(1987)
Music video
"Big Time" on YouTube

Recording edit

The song underwent many permutations before being finalized: Jerry Marotta remembers an early version of "Big Time", which he described as more intense and so far out from the released version that it "would not have been a hit."[6]

The song's bass guitar part is unique in that backing bassist Tony Levin and drummer Marotta teamed up to record it. Levin handled the fingerings while Marotta hit the strings with his drumsticks, resulting in a percussive sound; it was inspired by a technique developed by Gene Krupa in the 1940s or early 1950s.[7] Inspired by this sound, Levin later invented funk fingers, small drumstick ends that could be attached to the fingertips in order to reproduce it during live performances.[8]

The drum parts were a considerable challenge to record, with Marotta, Manu Katché and Stewart Copeland each playing a take over a click track from the LinnDrum.[6] Marotta originally recorded a drum part with a harder rock feel, but Gabriel instead opted for Copeland's "lighter, poppier approach".[8] Gabriel liked Copeland's drum take but felt that it did not quite lock in rhythmically.[6] He said, "I love Stewart's playing. He's not the world's best timekeeper, as he would be first to admit, but he can drive a track like very few others; it's always ahead of the beat, sits right up and forward, and his kit always sounds very alive."[9]

To get around the problem, engineer Kevin Killen mixed down Copeland's drum parts to mono, sampling sections of his playing that lined up best with the click track and flew them in a few bars at a time. Gabriel additionally wanted to bring in the drum fills, which were also meticulously sampled, and adjustments were done to the speed to get them to line up with the track.[6]

Critical reception edit

Cash Box said that the song "features Gabriel in a characteristic lyrical goldmine delivering a passionate, believable vocal."[10]Billboard called it a "dynamic, big-room funk-rocker" that recreates the old Memphis sound.[11]

Music video edit

The visual style was very similar to the "Sledgehammer" video, using stop motion claymation by David Daniels and strata-cut animation. The larger video was supervised by director Stephen R. Johnson and produced by Prudence Fenton. It was shot at Peter Wallach Studios. Artist Wayne White contributed to the creation of the video.

Track listing edit

7" UK

  1. "Big Time (7" edit)"
  2. "Curtains"

12" UK

  1. "Big Time (extended version)"
  2. "Big Time (7" edit)"
  3. "Curtains"

Cassette single UK

  1. "Big Time (extended version)"
  2. "Curtains"
  3. "No Self Control (live version)"
  4. "Across the River"
CD-single UK
No.TitleLength
1."Big Time (extended version)"6:14
2."Curtains"3:28
3."No Self Control"3:54
4."Across the River"7:12
5."Big Time (seven-inch version)"4:26
Total length:25:14

7" US

  1. "Big Time"
  2. "We Do What We're Told"

12" US

  1. "Big Time (dance mix)"
  2. "In Your Eyes (special mix)"
  3. "We Do What We're Told"

Remixes edit

Along with the two mixes found on different versions of the single, "Big Time" has been officially remixed by Electrokingdom in various mixes, including the version by Frenk DJ & Niky D. Although reputed to be more numerous, four mixes (Main Mix – Club Mix – Dub Mix – Acoustic Mix) can be downloaded on legal platforms.

Personnel edit

Credits adapted from the album So:[12]

Chart performance edit

In popular culture edit

"Big Time" was used in 2006 by WWE as the main theme for WrestleMania 22.[27] It is featured in the intro of the documentary film Inside Job (2010).[28]

The B-Side, "Curtains," was not released in digital format until 2004, when the 'Broad Mix' of the song was featured in the videogame Myst IV: Revelation, to which Peter Gabriel also lent his voice as an actor.[29]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Great Rock Discography". p. 314.
  2. ^ "Peter Gabriel – Big Time (4:24)". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 47. 22 November 1986. p. 79. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. ^ Randall, Mac (10 July 2002). "Gabriel, Beck and Miller Struggle with Gravity". The New York Observer. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  4. ^ Grant, Steven; Robbins, Ira. "Peter Gabriel". Trouser Press. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  5. ^ Dean, Maury (2003). Rock n' Roll Gold Rush. Algora. p. 160. ISBN 0-87586-207-1.
  6. ^ a b c d Killen, Kevin; Marotta, Jerry (9 July 2014). "Killen and Marotta". The Ethan Hein Blog (Interview). Interviewed by Ethan Hein. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  7. ^ Levin, Tony (1996). "Tony Levin: Around the World in a Disc". Innerviews (Interview). Interviewed by Anil Prasad. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  8. ^ a b Scarfe, Graeme (2021). Peter Gabriel: Every Album, Every Song. United Kingdom: SonicBond. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-78952-138-2.
  9. ^ "Peter Gabriel". Petergabriel.com. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 22 November 1986. p. 9. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Reviews". Billboard. 22 November 1986. p. 79. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  12. ^ So (booklet). Geffen. 1986. 9 24088-2.
  13. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 120. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  14. ^ "Peter Gabriel – Big Time" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  15. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0784." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  16. ^ "Peter Gabriel – Big Time" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  17. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Big Time". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  18. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 19, 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  19. ^ "Peter Gabriel – Big Time" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  20. ^ "Peter Gabriel – Big Time". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  21. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  22. ^ "Peter Gabriel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  23. ^ "Peter Gabriel Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  24. ^ . Cash Box. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012.
  25. ^ "Top 100 Singles of '87". RPM. Vol. 47, no. 12. 26 December 1987. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  26. ^ "Top 100 Hits for 1987". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  27. ^ . WWE. Stamford, Connecticut. 7 March 2006. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  28. ^ "Inside Job (2010) - Soundtracks - IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  29. ^ Ubisoft (22 August 2004). "Myst IV Revelation Features Original Peter Gabriel Song and Voice Talent". Business Wire.

External links edit

April 13, 2024
time, peter, gabriel, song, time, song, english, rock, musician, peter, gabriel, from, fifth, studio, album, 1986, second, single, billboard, peaking, time, single, peter, gabrielfrom, album, side, what, told, curtains, releasednovember, 1986, march, 1987, gen. Big Time is a song by English rock musician Peter Gabriel from his fifth studio album So 1986 It was his second top ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at no 8 5 Big Time Single by Peter Gabrielfrom the album SoB side We Do What We re Told US Curtains UK ReleasedNovember 1986 US 1 March 1987 UK 1 GenreFunk rock 2 3 dance rock 4 Length4 26LabelVirgin GeffenSongwriter s Peter GabrielProducer s Daniel Lanois Peter GabrielPeter Gabriel singles chronology In Your Eyes 1986 Big Time 1986 Red Rain 1987 Music video Big Time on YouTube Contents 1 Recording 2 Critical reception 3 Music video 4 Track listing 5 Remixes 6 Personnel 7 Chart performance 7 1 Weekly charts 7 2 Year end charts 8 In popular culture 9 References 10 External linksRecording editThe song underwent many permutations before being finalized Jerry Marotta remembers an early version of Big Time which he described as more intense and so far out from the released version that it would not have been a hit 6 The song s bass guitar part is unique in that backing bassist Tony Levin and drummer Marotta teamed up to record it Levin handled the fingerings while Marotta hit the strings with his drumsticks resulting in a percussive sound it was inspired by a technique developed by Gene Krupa in the 1940s or early 1950s 7 Inspired by this sound Levin later invented funk fingers small drumstick ends that could be attached to the fingertips in order to reproduce it during live performances 8 The drum parts were a considerable challenge to record with Marotta Manu Katche and Stewart Copeland each playing a take over a click track from the LinnDrum 6 Marotta originally recorded a drum part with a harder rock feel but Gabriel instead opted for Copeland s lighter poppier approach 8 Gabriel liked Copeland s drum take but felt that it did not quite lock in rhythmically 6 He said I love Stewart s playing He s not the world s best timekeeper as he would be first to admit but he can drive a track like very few others it s always ahead of the beat sits right up and forward and his kit always sounds very alive 9 To get around the problem engineer Kevin Killen mixed down Copeland s drum parts to mono sampling sections of his playing that lined up best with the click track and flew them in a few bars at a time Gabriel additionally wanted to bring in the drum fills which were also meticulously sampled and adjustments were done to the speed to get them to line up with the track 6 Critical reception editCash Box said that the song features Gabriel in a characteristic lyrical goldmine delivering a passionate believable vocal 10 Billboard called it a dynamic big room funk rocker that recreates the old Memphis sound 11 Music video editThe visual style was very similar to the Sledgehammer video using stop motion claymation by David Daniels and strata cut animation The larger video was supervised by director Stephen R Johnson and produced by Prudence Fenton It was shot at Peter Wallach Studios Artist Wayne White contributed to the creation of the video Track listing edit7 UK Big Time 7 edit Curtains 12 UK Big Time extended version Big Time 7 edit Curtains Cassette single UK Big Time extended version Curtains No Self Control live version Across the River CD single UKNo TitleLength1 Big Time extended version 6 142 Curtains 3 283 No Self Control 3 544 Across the River 7 125 Big Time seven inch version 4 26Total length 25 14 7 US Big Time We Do What We re Told 12 US Big Time dance mix In Your Eyes special mix We Do What We re Told Remixes editAlong with the two mixes found on different versions of the single Big Time has been officially remixed by Electrokingdom in various mixes including the version by Frenk DJ amp Niky D Although reputed to be more numerous four mixes Main Mix Club Mix Dub Mix Acoustic Mix can be downloaded on legal platforms Personnel editCredits adapted from the album So 12 Peter Gabriel vocals CMI Prophet Linn Stewart Copeland drums Simon Clark Hammond CMI bass Tony Levin Jerry Marotta drumstick bass David Rhodes guitar Daniel Lanois surf guitar Jimmy Bralower Linn kick Wayne Jackson trumpet cornet Mark Rivera alto tenor and baritone saxophone Don Mikkelsen trombone P P Arnold Coral Gordon Dee Lewis backing vocalsChart performance editWeekly charts edit Chart 1986 1987 PeakpositionAustralia Kent Music Report 13 37Belgium Ultratop 50 Flanders 14 19Canada Top Singles RPM 15 15Germany Official German Charts 16 38Ireland IRMA 17 11Netherlands Dutch Top 40 18 24Netherlands Single Top 100 19 25New Zealand Recorded Music NZ 20 19UK Singles OCC 21 13US Billboard Hot 100 22 8US Mainstream Rock Billboard 23 3US Cash Box 24 8 Year end charts edit Chart 1987 RankCanada Top Singles RPM 25 91US Billboard Hot 100 26 75In popular culture edit Big Time was used in 2006 by WWE as the main theme for WrestleMania 22 27 It is featured in the intro of the documentary film Inside Job 2010 28 The B Side Curtains was not released in digital format until 2004 when the Broad Mix of the song was featured in the videogame Myst IV Revelation to which Peter Gabriel also lent his voice as an actor 29 References edit a b Great Rock Discography p 314 Peter Gabriel Big Time 4 24 Billboard Vol 98 no 47 22 November 1986 p 79 ISSN 0006 2510 Randall Mac 10 July 2002 Gabriel Beck and Miller Struggle with Gravity The New York Observer Retrieved 5 October 2014 Grant Steven Robbins Ira Peter Gabriel Trouser Press Retrieved 5 October 2014 Dean Maury 2003 Rock n Roll Gold Rush Algora p 160 ISBN 0 87586 207 1 a b c d Killen Kevin Marotta Jerry 9 July 2014 Killen and Marotta The Ethan Hein Blog Interview Interviewed by Ethan Hein Retrieved 3 May 2022 Levin Tony 1996 Tony Levin Around the World in a Disc Innerviews Interview Interviewed by Anil Prasad Retrieved 3 May 2022 a b Scarfe Graeme 2021 Peter Gabriel Every Album Every Song United Kingdom SonicBond p 14 ISBN 978 1 78952 138 2 Peter Gabriel Petergabriel com Retrieved 3 May 2022 Single Releases PDF Cash Box 22 November 1986 p 9 Retrieved 7 August 2022 Reviews Billboard 22 November 1986 p 79 Retrieved 7 August 2022 So booklet Geffen 1986 9 24088 2 Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 illustrated ed St Ives N S W Australian Chart Book p 120 ISBN 0 646 11917 6 Peter Gabriel Big Time in Dutch Ultratop 50 Retrieved 5 October 2014 Top RPM Singles Issue 0784 RPM Library and Archives Canada Retrieved 5 October 2014 Peter Gabriel Big Time in German GfK Entertainment charts Retrieved 1 July 2014 The Irish Charts Search Results Big Time Irish Singles Chart Retrieved 5 October 2014 Nederlandse Top 40 week 19 1987 in Dutch Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 5 October 2014 Peter Gabriel Big Time in Dutch Single Top 100 Retrieved 5 October 2014 Peter Gabriel Big Time Top 40 Singles Retrieved 5 October 2014 Official Singles Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Retrieved 5 October 2014 Peter Gabriel Chart History Hot 100 Billboard Retrieved 2 April 2024 Peter Gabriel Chart History Mainstream Rock Billboard Retrieved 2 April 2024 CASH BOX Top 100 Singles Week ending MARCH 7 1987 Cash Box Archived from the original on 6 October 2012 Top 100 Singles of 87 RPM Vol 47 no 12 26 December 1987 Retrieved 13 May 2016 Top 100 Hits for 1987 The Longbored Surfer Retrieved 5 October 2014 WWE Takes Big Time Approach to Marketing Blitz for WrestleMania 22 WWE Stamford Connecticut 7 March 2006 Archived from the original on 17 April 2020 Retrieved 3 November 2019 Inside Job 2010 Soundtracks IMDb IMDb Retrieved 4 October 2022 Ubisoft 22 August 2004 Myst IV Revelation Features Original Peter Gabriel Song and Voice Talent Business Wire External links edit Big Time at Discogs list of releases Big Time at MusicBrainz list of releases Music video on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Big Time Peter Gabriel song amp oldid 1216912260, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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