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"Big Time"
Single by Peter Gabriel
from the album So
B-side	"Curtains", "Across the River"
Released	January 1987
Format	7", 12", CD
Recorded	1985
Genre	New Wave, Funk rock
Length	4:26 (6:14 Extended version)
Label	Geffen
Writer(s)	Peter Gabriel
Producer	Daniel Lanois
Peter Gabriel singles chronology
"Don't Give Up" (1986) "Big Time" (1987) "In Your Eyes" (1987)

"Big Time" is a song by Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album So (see 1986 in music). It was his second top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #8.^[1] "Big Time" deals with a man's efforts to achieve success.

Music

"Big Time" alternates keys between A♭ minor (used 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. The song was also used as the theme for WWE's WrestleMania 22 in April 2, 2006.

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 evocative of the "Sledgehammer" video, using stop motion, claymation, and strata-cut animation to show Gabriel leaving his small town for the big city.

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

Single

At least three versions of Big Time have appeared.

UK basic single

1. "Big Time" (7" Version) – (4:26)
2. "Curtains" – (3:28)

UK version under three formats : 12" vinyl record, CD and a

1. "Big Time (Extended version)" – (6:12)
2. "Curtains" – (3:28)
3. "No Self Control" – (3:54)
4. "Across the River" – (7:12)
5. "Big Time" (7" Version) – (4:26)^[2]

US version as a 12" vinyl record

1. "Big Time" (US dance mix) - (6:10)
2. "In Your Eyes" (Special mix) - (8:55)

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.

Other

• "Big Time" was one of the official theme songs of WrestleMania 22, a professional wrestling pay-per-view event held on April 2, 2006 in Rosemont, Illinois.
• "Big Time" was used for the film Norbit, starring Eddie Murphy.
• "Big Time" was used in the trailer for the film Big.
• "Big Time" was used for the film Spaceballs
• "Big Time" is featured in the Wii video game, Imagine Fashion Party

Notes

External links

• Big Time at MusicBrainz
• "Big Time" music video at WWE.com