Big Time (Peter Gabriel song)

"Big Time"
Single by Peter Gabriel
from the album So
B-side	"Curtains" (UK) "We Do What We're Told" (US)
Released	1986 (US) January 1987 (UK)
Format	7" 12" cassette CD
Recorded	1985
Genre	Funk rock[1][2] dance-rock[3]
Length	4:26
Label	Virgin
Writer(s)	Peter Gabriel
Producer(s)	Daniel Lanois
Peter Gabriel singles chronology
"Don't Give Up" (1986) "Big Time" (1986) "In Your Eyes" (1986)

"Big Time" is a song by English rock musician Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album So. It was his second top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at no. 8.^[4]

Music

"Big Time" alternates mode between A♭ minor (Aeolian) 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, and P. P. Arnold, Coral "Chyna Whyne" Gordon, and Dee Lewis, all of whom also sung on "Sledgehammer", performed backing vocals.

Personnel

• Stewart Copeland – drums
• Simon Clark – Hammond, CMI, bass
• Tony Levin – funk fingers
• Jerry Marotta – funk fingers
• David Rhodes – guitar
• Daniel Lanois – surf guitar
• Peter Gabriel – vocals, CMI, synthesizer, Prophet, Linn
• P. P. Arnold – backing vocals
• Coral Gordon – backing vocals
• Dee Lewis – backing vocals
• Wayne Jackson – trumpet, cornet
• Mark Rivera – alto, tenor and baritone saxophone
• Don Mikkelsen – trombone

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 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. Graphic designer Wayne White contributed to the creation of the video.

Song information

"Curtains" is the title of the B-side to the "Big Time" single, as well as the B-side to the "Don't Give Up" single. It was used many years later in several re-recorded versions in the 2004 Ubisoft game Myst IV: Revelation.

Track listing

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

1. Big Time (extended version)
2. Curtains
3. No Self Control
4. Across the river
5. Big Time (7" edit)

7" USA

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

12" USA

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

Remixes

Along with 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.

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1987) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 37 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 19 Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[7] 14 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 15 Germany (Official German Charts)[9] 38 Ireland (IRMA)[10] 11 Italy (FIMI)[11] 46 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 24 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 25 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 19 Poland (LP3)[15] 23 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[16] 13 US Billboard Album Rock Tracks[17] 3 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 8 US Cash Box[18] 8

Year-end charts Chart (1987) Position Canada (RPM Top Singles)[19] 91 US Billboard Hot 100[20] 75

Uses

• "Big Time" was one of the official theme songs of WrestleMania 22, a World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view event held on 2 April 2006 in Rosemont, Illinois.
• "Big Time" was used for the film Norbit, starring Eddie Murphy.
• "Big Time" was used for the film Big.
• "Big Time" is featured in the Wii video game, Imagine Fashion Party
• "Big Time" was used in the intro of the 2010 film Inside Job
• "Big Time" was used in the commercial theme of the NBA in 2012.
• "Big Time" was used for the animated film Postman Pat: The Movie.
• "Big Time" was used for the 1987 film Spaceballs.

Notes

1. Hermann, Andy (10 October 2002). "Peter Gabriel: Up". PopMatters. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
2. Randall, Mac (10 July 2002). "Gabriel, Beck and Miller Struggle With Gravity". The New York Observer. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
3. Grant, Steven; Robbins, Ira. "Peter Gabriel". Trouser Press. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
4. Dean, Maury (2003). Rock N' Roll Gold Rush. Algora. p. 160. ISBN 0-87586-207-1.
5. 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.
6. "Ultratop.be – Peter Gabriel – Big Time" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
7. "Radio 2 Top 30 : 25 april 1987" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
8. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0784." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
9. "Offiziellecharts.de – Peter Gabriel – Big Time". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
10. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Big Time". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
11. "Indice per Interprete: G" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Peter Gabriel - Big Time search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
13. "Dutchcharts.nl – Peter Gabriel – Big Time" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
14. "Charts.org.nz – Peter Gabriel – Big Time". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
15. "BIG TIME – Peter Gabriel" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
16. "Archive Chart: 1987-04-04" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
17. "So – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
18. CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MARCH 7, 1987 at the Wayback Machine (archived 6 October 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
19. "Top Singles – Volume 47, No. 12, December 26, 1987". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
20. "Top 100 Hits for 1987". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 5 October 2014.

External links

• Big Time at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
• Clip on YouTube
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics