In a Big Country
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| “In a Big Country” | |||||
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| Single by Big Country from the album The Crossing |
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| Released | 1983 | ||||
| Recorded | 1982-1983 | ||||
| Genre | Folk Rock | ||||
| Length | 4:44 | ||||
| Label | Mercury | ||||
| Writer(s) | Stuart Adamson, Mark Brzezicki, Tony Butler, Bruce Watson | ||||
| Producer | Steve Lilywhite | ||||
| Big Country singles chronology | |||||
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"In a Big Country" is one of the most famous and well-known songs by the rock band Big Country. The song is about friendship, love and dealing with the imperfections life throws at us in a positive way. This is best referenced by the lyrics, "I'm not expecting to grow flowers in the desert / but I can live and breathe and see the sun in winter time".
The song was released as a single in 1983 and was featured on the band's first studio album, The Crossing. The album was certified gold in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. It went on to be certified platinum in the UK and Canada. The album itself reached #18 on the Billboard 200 in 1983. The same year, the song peaked at #3 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and #35 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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[edit] Music video
The music video for the song follows the four band members as they track down an unspecified treasure, while constantly being persued and bested by who appears to be a rival treasure hunting female.
The first half of the video follows the band as they ride through lush green fields in Scotland on sports three wheelers and a motorbike while a woman watches them through binoculars. The group soon locates a black box emblazoned with the band's logo and a map. What is inside the box is never shown.
The woman lures them to her by starting a fire in a barn, the smoke drawing the band members attention. She (unintentionally comically) defeats all four with a single punch. They then consult their map and head off again.
The second half of the video takes place at sea as the band head toward a dock. They don wet suits and scuba gear and set out on a motorized inflatable raft. The woman, who has followed them, overtakes them on a jet ski. The band reach their destination at sea, but have apparently no luck in locating the treasure after attempting some underwater diving.
The video concludes with the woman trapped on a small island surrounded by a cliff with a rescue fire burning. The band appears overhead and lead singer Stuart tosses a rope down the cliff edge. He and drummer Mark descend. Stuart and the woman embrace (perhaps revealing they knew each other and had an ongoing relationship/rivalry) while Mark discovers the black box floating amongst the seaweed in the inlet.
Interspersed throughout the video, in between the action, the band is shown in flannel shirts and blazers performing the song onstage. The video ends on this note, with Stuart dancing and the rest of the band playing. The video itself appears to have little to do with the actual lyrics and meaning of the song.
[edit] Big Country as a one-hit wonder
The band is often described as a "one-hit wonder" for the popularity of "In a Big Country" in the United States, though they continued to have success in Europe and were a prolific touring band famous for their live shows more than their studio albums. Frontman Stuart Adamson once remarked about the song in an interview, part of which was shown on a VH1 special celebrating "one-hit-wonders" that,
| “ | If we're known for nothing more than just that one song, I'd be pretty happy with that. | ” |
[edit] Covers
"In a Big Country" has been covered by several artists over the years, including:
- moe.
- Keller Williams
- Dashboard Confessional
- Jimmy Gnecco
- Noel Sanger (remixed version)
- Face to Face
- Casbah Club (The band includes Big Country members Mark Brzezicki and Bruce Watson)
- Down By Law
- Mr. Blank (club remix)
- The Alarm
- Eef Barzelay
[edit] Chart positions
| Charts | Peak position |
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| UK Singles Chart | 17 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 35 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 3 |
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