Big Time

Big Time is a song by Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album So. It was his second top-ten single along with Sledgehammer on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 8. The Police drummer Stewart Copeland played the drums on the track. 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.

[Intro] "Hi there" [Chorus] I'm on my way, I'm making it I've got to make it show, yeah So much larger than life I'm going to watch it growing [Verse 1] The place where I come from is a small town They think so small, they use small words But not me, I'm smarter than that I worked it out [Pre-Chorus 1] I've been stretching my mouth To let those big words come right out I've had enough, I'm getting out To the city, the big, big city I'll be a big noise with all the big boys There's so much stuff I will own And I will pray to a big god As I kneel in the big church [Chorus] Big time I'm on my way, I'm making it Big time Big time I've got to make it show, yeah Big time Big time So much larger than life Big time I'm going to watch it growing Big time [Verse 2] My parties have all the big names And I greet them with the widest smile Tell them how my life is one big adventure And always they're amazed [Pre-Chorus 2] When I show them round the house, to my bed I had it made like a mountain range With a snow-white pillow for my big fat head And my heaven will be a big heaven And I will walk through the front door [Chorus] Big time I'm on my way, I'm making it Big time Big time I've got to make it show, yeah Big time Big time So much larger than life Big time I'm going to watch it growing Big time [Outro] Big time My car is getting bigger Big time My house getting bigger Big time My eyes getting bigger Big time And my mouth Big time My belly's getting bigger Big time And my bank account Big time Look at my circumstance Big time And the bulge in my big, big, big Big, big, big, big Big, big, big, big Big, big, big, big