"Big Time" is a song by the English rock musician

Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...

from his fifth studio album '' So'' (1986). It was his second top-ten single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at no. 8.

Recording

The song underwent many permutations before being finalized;

Jerry Marotta Jerome David Marotta (born February 6, 1956) is an American drummer who resides in Woodstock, New York. He is the younger brother of Rick Marotta; Rick is also a drummer and composer. Career Marotta was a member of the bands Arthur, Hurley & ...

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". The song's

bass guitar The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...

part is unique in that backing bassist

Tony Levin Anthony Frederick Levin (born June 6, 1946) is an American musician and composer specializing in electric bass guitars, Chapman Stick and upright bass. He also sings and plays synthesizer. Levin is best known for his work with King Crimson (19 ...

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 Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973) was an American jazz drummer, bandleader, and composer. Krupa is widely regarded as one of the most influential drummers in the history of popular music. His drum solo on Benny Goodman ...

in the 1940s or early 1950s. 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. The drum parts were a considerable challenge to record - Gabriel requested that Marotta,

Manu Katché Manu Katché (born 27 October 1958) is a French drummer and songwriter of Ivorian descent. He has worked extensively as a session musician, notably with Sting and Peter Gabriel, and his solo albums as a bandleader are largely in the jazz fusio ...

and Stewart Copeland each play a take over a guide drum pattern from a

LinnDrum The LinnDrum, often erroneously referred to as the LM-2, is a drum machine manufactured by Linn Electronics between 1982 and 1985. About 5,000 units were sold. Development The LinnDrum was designed by the American engineer Roger Linn. It was ...

. Marotta recorded a drum part with a harder rock feel, but Gabriel instead opted for Copeland's "lighter, poppier approach". Gabriel liked Copeland's drum take but felt that it did not quite lock in rhythmically with the Linn. 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." To get around the timing problems, engineer Kevin Killen sampled and flew in sections of his playing that lined up best with the drum machine. Gabriel additionally wanted to incorporate Copeland's drum fills, which were also meticulously sampled and adjusted to align with the rest of the song.

Critical reception

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' said that the song "features Gabriel in a characteristic lyrical goldmine delivering a passionate, believable vocal". ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' called it a "dynamic, big-room funk-rocker" that recreates the old Memphis sound. The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' was more critical and labeled the song as the album's "biggest failure", arguing that it was "a satire on ego and ambition that says nothing we haven't heard from lesser observers many times before".

Music video

The visual style was very similar to the " Sledgehammer" video, using

stop motion Stop-motion (also known as stop frame animation) is an animated filmmaking and special effects technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exh ...

claymation Claymation, sometimes called clay animation or plasticine animation, is one of many forms of stop-motion animation. Each animated piece, either character or background, is "deformable"—made of a malleable substance, usually plasticine cl ...

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 served as the art director for the music video.

Track listing

7" US (Geffen 28503) # "Big Time" (4:24) # " We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)" (3:20) 7" US (Geffen 28503-DJ) # "Big Time" (Fade) (3:12) # "Big Time" (4:24) 12" US (Geffen 20600) # "Big Time" (Dance Mix)) (6:10) # "

In Your Eyes In Your Eyes may refer to: Film * ''In Your Eyes'', a 2004 film featuring Michael DeLorenzo * In Your Eyes (2010 film), ''In Your Eyes'' (2010 film), a Philippine romantic drama * In Your Eyes (2014 film), ''In Your Eyes'' (2014 film), a film writt ...

" (Special Mix) (7:14) # "We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)" (3:18) 7" UK (PGS-3) # "Big Time" (7" edit) # "Curtains" 12" UK (PGS3-12) # "Big Time" (extended version) # "Big Time" (7" edit) # "Curtains" Cassette single UK (PGT-312) # "Big Time" (extended version) # "Curtains" # " No Self Control" (live version) # "Across the River"

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album '' So'': *

– vocals, CMI,

Prophet In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...

, Linn * Stewart Copeland – drums * Simon Clark – Hammond, CMI, bass *

– drumstick bass * David Rhodes – guitar *

Daniel Lanois Daniel Roland Lanois ( , ; born September 19, 1951) is a Canadian record producer and musician. He has produced albums by artists including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, and Harold Budd ...

– surf guitar * Jimmy Bralower – Linn kick * Wayne Jackson – trumpet, cornet *

Mark Rivera Mark Rivera (born May 24, 1953) is an American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, musical director, and corporate entertainment provider who is mostly known for his work with Billy Joel. In addition to playing soprano, alto, tenor, a ...

– alto, tenor and baritone saxophone * Don Mikkelsen – trombone * P. P. Arnold, Coral Gordon, Dee Lewis – backing vocals

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

In popular culture

"Big Time" was used in 2006 by WWE as the main theme for WrestleMania 22. It is featured in the intro of the documentary film ''

Inside Job An inside job is a crime committed by a person in a position of trust, or with the help of someone either employed by the victim or entrusted with access to the victim's affairs or premises. Inside Job may also refer to: Books * ''Inside J ...

'' (2010). 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 Gabriel also lent his voice as an actor.

References

External links

* {{authority control 1986 songs 1987 singles Animated music videos Dance-rock songs Funk rock songs Geffen Records singles Peter Gabriel songs Song recordings produced by Daniel Lanois Songs about fame Songs written by Peter Gabriel Virgin Records singles Music videos directed by Stephen R. Johnson