Big Spender
"Big Spender" is a song written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for the musical Sweet Charity, first performed in 1966. It is sung, in the musical, by the dance hostess "girls"; it was choreographed by Bob Fosse for the Broadway musical and the film.[1] It is "set to the beat of a striptease" as the girls "taunt" the customers.[2]
Shirley Bassey version
A hit version of the song by Shirley Bassey reached #21 in the UK Singles Chart in December 1967.[3] This version featured in the 2004 film The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, and in the 2005 film Nynne. The song has become one of Bassey's signature songs. She has performed the song numerous times, most notably for the 80th birthday of Prince Philip. She also sang it at the 2007 Glastonbury Festival.[4]
In December 2007 it was re-released in a new remixed version as a digital download. This was the third and final single released from the album Get the Party Started. The single features a remix from Pink Pound and two instrumental remixes that were not included on the album release. Unlike the previous two singles this track featured a remix of a previous released recording, the vocal track was taken from a session recorded in 1984 for the album I Am What I Am. There was no promotion undertaken for the single and no video was made to support the release.
Track listing
UK Digital remix single
- "Big Spender" (NorthxNWest remix) – 3:24
- "Big Spender" (Pink Pound remix) – 5:42
- "Big Spender" (NorthxNWest instrumental) – 3:24
- "Big Spender" (Pink Pound instrumental) – 5:42
Other versions
"Big Spender" has been covered by many artists, and has often appeared as a pop-culture reference in other works, including the following:
- Peggy Lee, who recorded the song in 1966. Her rendition became a hit on the US Easy Listening chart in that year.[5]
- Queen performed it live at Wembley Stadium on 12 July 1986, and also performed it live in the early 1970s.
- During the animated opening credits of The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), animator Richard Williams has a lineup of Pink Panthers in a parody of the hostess girls' staging; Henry Mancini quotes "Big Spender," seguing seamlessly into the "Pink Panther Theme."
- In Hou Hsiao-hsien's 1987 film Daughter of the Nile, the song plays twice from Lin Hsiao-fang's restaurant.
- Dionne Warwick and Debbie Boone performed the song on Boone's show One Step Closer in 1982.
- Bette Midler covered this song for her Peggy Lee tribute album Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook which was released in 2005.
- In an episode of British Asian sketch comedy show Goodness Gracious Me, the cast perform a parody of the song called "Big Spinster".
- In the "Two Bad Neighbors" episode of The Simpsons, Homer Simpson performed the song at a yard sale with new lyrics to reflect the merchandise he is promoting.
- In Grounded for Life Sean has it approved for his daughter Lily to perform "Big Spender" at her school talent show.
- The song "Roc-A-Fella Billionaires" by Freeway featuring Jay-Z samples Helen Gallagher's version of the song.
- In National Lampoon's European Vacation, Mrs. Griswold performs "Big Spender" with exotic dancing while Clark (her husband) video tapes it.
- The Pussycat Dolls Doll Domination Tour that started in 2009, featured Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta, and Kimberly Wyatt dancing "Big Spender", following by a performance by Melody Thornton.
- In the Discworld Noir computer game the 'Troll Saphire' performed a parody of "Big Spender", with the opening lyrics as "The minute you walked through the wall, I could tell that you were a troll of destruction"
- In "Dream On", a season 1 episode of Glee, a woman auditioning for Les Misérables sings this song. The song was performed again on the season 3 premiere "The Purple Piano Project" by Sugar (Vanessa Lengies), a student who can't sing.
- In Muriel Cigar commercials in the 1970s, sung by Edie Adams. A modified version of the tune entreated the viewer to "...spend a little dime with me", referring to the price of a Muriel Cigar.
- In the first episode of the Oxygen series, The Glee Project, the song is sung by Ellis, in order to be called back.
- In the late 1970s Tom Waits often used to perform Small Change/Big Spender as a medley with "Big Spender" Written by Coleman and Fields. Originally performed by Helen Gallagher, Thelma Oliver and The Girls in the musical "Sweet Charity " in 1965. Originally recorded by Shirley Bassey in 1967.
- In 2002 Christina Aguilera coverd this song in Roxy club at The Pussycat Dolls TV show.
References
- ^ Listing with plot synopsis and production notes tamswitmark.com, accessed March 17, 2009
- ^ Furia, Philip, America's Songs (2006), CRC Press, ISBN 0415972469, p. 287
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 44–45. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Needham, Alex.ReivewThe Guardian, 24 June 2007
- ^ Peggy Lee listing peggylee.com, accessed March 17, 2009
External links