| "Big Time" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Peter Gabriel | ||||
| from the album So | ||||
| B-side | "Curtains" (UK), "We do what we're told" (USA) | |||
| Released | January 1987 | |||
| Format | 7", 12", Cassette, CD | |||
| Recorded | 1985 | |||
| Genre | New Wave, Funk rock | |||
| Length | 4:26 (6:14 Extended version) | |||
| Label | Virgin | |||
| Writer(s) | Peter Gabriel | |||
| Producer | Daniel Lanois | |||
| Peter Gabriel singles chronology | ||||
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"Big Time" is a song by Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album So. It was his second top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #8.[1]
Contents |
"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.
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 Bruce Bickford), and strata-cut animation.
"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.
7" UK
12" UK
Cassette single UK
CD-single UK
7" USA
12" USA
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.