“Big Time” is a song by Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album “So”. It became his second top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 8. Gabriel described the song as a satire on the human desire for success. The lyrics follow a small-town man who becomes larger than life, with the ending featuring heavily processed vocals that deepen to emphasize his growing stature before abruptly cutting off.
“Big Time” features a distinctive bass sound created by Tony Levin and drummer Jerry Marotta, where Levin handled the fingerings while Marotta struck the strings with drumsticks. Inspired by this technique, Levin later developed funk fingers—small drumstick ends attached to his fingertips for live performances. Co-producer Daniel Lanois emphasized the importance of using digital instruments with intention and enthusiasm. He cited “Big Time” as an example of this approach done right, highlighting how the song’s Fairlight bass riff created a unique, robotic drive that wouldn’t have been achievable with a traditional played bass.
The drum parts were challenging to record, with Stewart Copeland’s lighter, poppier take ultimately chosen. His timing issues required meticulous sampling and editing by engineer Kevin Killen. The song also features The Memphis Horns, though on tour, their parts were played via an Akai sampler by keyboardist David Sancious, sometimes requiring Gabriel to extend his stage banter while floppy disks were swapped.
The “Big Time” music video featured a visual style similar to “Sledgehammer,” utilizing stop-motion claymation by David Daniels and strata-cut animation. Directed by Stephen R. Johnson and produced by Prudence Fenton, the video was shot at Peter Wallach Studios, with artist Wayne White also contributing to its creation.
7.3.25
SIMPLE MINDS - THEME FOR GREAT CITIES
Released: September 4, 1981
Album: Sister Feelings Call
Originally a 1981 demo by Mick MacNeil, “Theme For Great Cities” became an iconic instrumental track for Simple Minds, later embraced by the Balearic club scene through numerous dance remixes. It was one of three demos given to Jim Kerr, alongside tracks that evolved into “Sons and Fascination” and “Seeing Out the Angel”. Initially called “The Third Track” and later recorded as Dexy’s. Though originally considered for lyrics, Kerr decided it worked best as an instrumental, later calling it one of his best decisions.
The final mix was completed at Regent’s Park Studios, and despite initial uncertainty about leaving it wordless, Jim saw its power in instrumental form, influenced by Eno, Kraftwerk, Bowie, and Magazine. He named it “Theme For Great Cities” to evoke a futuristic, cinematic feel, possibly inspired by Philip K. Dick’s sci-fi stories.
“Theme For Great Cities” captures the band’s fascination with urban landscapes, movement, and futurism. Inspired by Glasgow’s decline and the great capitals of the world, Jim Kerr saw cities as places of self-discovery but also as symbols of technology overpowering humanity. The track, from “Sister Feelings Call” embodies an imagined future, with its electronic rhythms and synth-driven atmosphere evoking a Blade Runner-style cityscape.
“Sister Feelings Call” was conceived as a companion album to “Sons And Fascination”, featuring weaker, half-finished, or more ethereal tracks that the band didn’t want to discard. Originally, it was planned as a limited-edition bonus album, shrink-wrapped with “Sons And Fascination” for one month, before being sold separately in limited quantities and then deleted, but in reality, it became a budget release, initially bundled with “Sons And Fascination” and later sold separately remaining in circulation longer than intended. All “Sister Feelings Call” tracks were included on the “Sons And Fascination” cassette, and while a separate tape version appeared in 1986, no standalone CD was ever released. The first “Sons And Fascination” CD tried to include all “Sister Feelings Call” tracks but could only fit all but two.
PHILIP BAILEY & PHIL COLLINS - EASY LOVER
Llançament: 6 de novembre de 1984
Llistes: Regne Unit: #1 (4 setmanes) Estats Units: #2
“Easy Lover” és un duet de 1984 entre Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind & Fire) i Phil Collins (Genesis), escrit per Bailey, Collins i el baixista Nathan East. La cançó es va incloure en l’àlbum en solitari de Bailey, “Chinese Wall”, i es va convertir en un gran èxit internacional, assolint el número 1 al Regne Unit, Canadà, Països Baixos i Irlanda. Als Estats Units, va arribar al número 2 del Billboard Hot 100 durant dues setmanes al febrer de 1985, sent superada per “I Want to Know What Love Is” de Foreigner. “Easy Lover” va ser l’únic èxit en solitari de Bailey al Top 40 dels EUA, on va romandre 23 setmanes a la llista, incloent 7 setmanes al Top 10. El 1985, el videoclip de la cançó va guanyar l’MTV Video Music Award a la Millor Actuació en un Vídeo.
La col·laboració va sorgir espontàniament durant la gravació de “Chinese Wall” el 1984, àlbum que Phil Collins va produir i en el qual també va tocar la bateria. Tot i comptar amb un conjunt sòlid de cançons, Collins i Nathan East sentien que faltava un single clar, així que es van proposar escriure’n un. Inicialment, la cançó havia de ser una simple sessió d’improvisació, però la química entre Bailey i Collins la va transformar en un tema completament desenvolupat. El resultat va ser un himne pop-rock ple d’energia, marcat per una guitarra potent i la combinació entre el falsetto suau de Bailey i la veu característica i enèrgica de Collins.
Segons Philip Bailey, la cançó va sorgir d’un riff que Collins i East tocaven al piano. Bailey va començar a cantar-hi Choosy Lover, i després d’un dia sencer improvisant, van gravar una versió provisional. L’endemà, en escoltar-la, es van adonar que ja havien capturat la màgia de la cançó, així que van decidir conservar aquella primera gravació en lloc de tornar-la a enregistrar.
En una entrevista posterior, Collins va parlar sobre la col·laboració i el respecte que sempre havia sentit per Earth, Wind & Fire. Inicialment, el projecte va trobar alguna resistència, ja que Bailey rebia pressions dins de la comunitat musical afroamericana perquè no fes un àlbum “massa blanc”, però tots dos músics van superar aquests obstacles. Collins es va mostrar especialment orgullós del fet que “Easy Lover” trencava les barreres de gènere, afirmant:
“Això no és música negra ni música blanca. És una mena de color beix interessant.”
Amb el temps, la cançó va aconseguir credibilitat dins de l’escena hip-hop, amb molts artistes destacant el seu so únic. Collins l’ha interpretat sovint en directe, incloent-la en els seus discos en viu, com “Serious Hits… Live!” (1990) i el recopilatori “…Hits” (1998).
PHILIP BAILEY & PHIL COLLINS - EASY LOVER
Released: November 6, 1984
UK: #1 (4 weeks) US: #2
“Easy Lover” is a 1984 duet by Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind & Fire) and Phil Collins (Genesis), written by Bailey, Collins, and bassist Nathan East. The song was featured on Bailey’s solo album “Chinese Wall” and became a massive international hit, reaching #1 in the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, and Ireland. In the US, it peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in February 1985, held off the top spot by Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is”. “Easy Lover” became Bailey’s only solo US Top 40 hit, spending 23 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, including 7 weeks in the Top 10. It also won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Overall Performance in a Video in 1985.
The collaboration emerged spontaneously during the recording of Philip Bailey’s “Chinese Wall” album in 1984, which Phil Collins produced and played drums on. Despite a strong collection of songs, Collins and bassist Nathan East felt the album lacked an obvious single, so they set out to write one. Originally, the track was meant to be a simple jam session, but the chemistry between Bailey and Collins transformed it into a fully realized song. The result was a high-energy, guitar-driven pop-rock anthem, blending Bailey’s smooth falsetto with Collins’ distinctive, powerful vocals.
According to Philip Bailey, the song started with a riff Collins and East were playing on piano. Bailey began singing “Choosy Lover” over the chords, and after jamming all day, they recorded a rough version. The next day, they listened back and realized they had already nailed it, so they kept the original take instead of re-recording.
Collins later reflected on the song in an interview, mentioning how he had long admired Earth, Wind & Fire. The collaboration initially faced some resistance—Bailey was under pressure from some in the Black music community not to “make a white album”—but the musicians worked through it. Collins was especially proud of how the song defied genre labels, noting: “That ain’t Black music, and that ain’t White music. That’s kind of an interesting color of beige.”
The track gained Collins credibility in hip-hop circles, with many artists praising its unique sound. Collins has frequently performed Easy Lover in his live shows, featuring it on: 1990’s “Serious Hits… Live!” and 1998’s “…Hits” compilation.
6.3.25
DON McLEAN - AMERICAN PIE
Llançament: octubre de 1971
Estats Units: #1 (4 setmanes)
“American Pie” és una cançó de Don McLean, llançada el 1971 dins l’àlbum del mateix nom. Va esdevenir un èxit massiu, assolint el número u als Estats Units durant quatre setmanes a principis de 1972 i encapçalant les llistes a Austràlia, Canadà i Nova Zelanda. Al Regne Unit, va arribar al número dos en la seva publicació original i al número 12 quan es va reeditar el 1991. La cançó és coneguda per la seva lletra poètica i enigmàtica, sovint interpretada com una reflexió sobre els canvis culturals i musicals dels Estats Units. El 2017, la gravació original de Don McLean va ser inclosa al National Recording Registry de la Biblioteca del Congrés, reconeixent-la com a obra de gran significació cultural, històrica i estètica.
McLean va escriure la cançó com un record oníric d’esdeveniments passats, barrejant vivències personals amb moments històrics. La inspiració principal va ser la mort de Buddy Holly, notícia que McLean va conèixer com a repartidor de diaris amb només 13 anys el 1959. La cançó lamenta l’accident d’avió que va matar Holly, Ritchie Valens i The Big Bopper—un fet conegut com “The Day The Music Died”—però també funciona com una reflexió més àmplia sobre la pèrdua de la innocència i els grans canvis culturals dels anys 60. Inspirada en “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” de The Beatles, “American Pie” captura la visió de McLean sobre l’evolució de la música i la política d’aquella època.
Moltes frases de la cançó fan referència a figures i esdeveniments clau del món musical i polític. “The Jester” (El bufó) s’interpreta àmpliament com Bob Dylan, mentre que “The King” (El rei) probablement fa al·lusió a Elvis Presley. També hi ha referències a “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” de The Beatles, als Rolling Stones i a Janis Joplin, simbolitzant l’evolució del rock. A més, la lletra fa al·lusió a moments turbulents com les protestes de la Convenció Nacional Demòcrata de 1968 i els assassinats de la família Manson. McLean va preferir deixar el significat de la cançó obert a interpretacions, revelant-ne alguns detalls només quan va vendre el manuscrit original el 2015 i en un documental de 2022 per commemorar el 50è aniversari de la cançó.
DON McLEAN - AMERICAN PIE
Released: October 1971
US: #1 (4 weeks)
American Pie is a song by Don McLean, released in 1971 on the album of the same name. It became a massive hit, reaching number one in the US for four weeks in early 1972 and topping the charts in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. In the UK, it peaked at number two upon its initial release and reached number 12 when reissued in 1991. The song is known for its poetic and cryptic lyrics, often interpreted as a reflection on the changing cultural and musical landscape of America. In 2017, Don McLean’s original recording of the song was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, recognizing it as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
McLean wrote the song as a dreamlike recollection of events, blending personal memories with historical moments. It was inspired by the death of Buddy Holly, which McLean learned about as a 13-year-old paperboy in 1959. The song mourns the tragic plane crash that killed Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper—referred to as “The Day The Music Died”—but also serves as a broader reflection on the loss of innocence and the turbulent cultural shifts of the 1960s. Influenced by Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, American Pie captures McLean’s perspective on the changing music and political landscape.
Many lyrics allude to major figures and events in music and politics. “The Jester” is widely interpreted as Bob Dylan, while the “king” is likely Elvis Presley. References to The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Rolling Stones, and Janis Joplin highlight the evolution of rock music. Political turmoil, such as the 1968 Democratic National Convention protests and the Manson murders, is also woven into the lyrics. McLean deliberately left much of the song's meaning open to interpretation, only revealing details when he sold his original manuscript in 2015 and in a 2022 documentary celebrating the song's 50th anniversary.
5.3.25
LAS KETCHUP - ASEREJE (THE KETCHUP SONG)
Llançament: 10 de juny de 2002
Regne Unit: #1 (1 setmana)
“Aserejé” és el senzill debut del grup pop espanyol Las Ketchup, llançat el juny de 2002. La cançó té una versió en espanyol i una en spanglish, amb una tornada sense sentit que es manté inalterada a amdues versions. Va esdevenir un èxit internacional massiu, arribant al número u a almenys 20 països europeus, així com a Austràlia, el Canadà i Nova Zelanda. Tanmateix, als Estats Units només va arribar al número 54. El 2006, ja havia venut més de set milions de còpies a tot el món. El grup està format per les germanes Pilar, Lola i Lucía Muñoz, originàries d’Andalusia. El nom Las Ketchup és un homenatge al seu pare, un guitarrista flamenc conegut com El Tomate.
“Aserejé” es basa lliurement en el clàssic “Rapper’s Delight” de Sugarhill Gang, de 1979. El títol Aserejé imita la frase “I said a hip” d’aquella cançó, i la tornada és un galimaties en espanyol que recrea el ritme i el flux del rap. La lletra explica la història d’un jove elegant anomenat Diego, que entra en una discoteca on el seu amic DJ li posa la seva cançó preferida, “Rapper’s Delight”. Com que Diego no entén l’anglès, inventa la seva pròpia versió de la lletra, donant lloc a la tornada sense sentit.
L’èxit d’“Aserejé” no només es va deure a la seva melodia enganxosa, sinó també al seu ball característic, que consisteix en una sèrie de moviments coordinats de mans i braços. La coreografia comença fent onades amb les mans una sobre l’altra, seguit d’un moviment amb els polzes cap a les espatlles, després rotacions de braços des de la cintura fins a la cara, i finalment una posició amb una mà al front i l’altra darrere del cap mentre els genolls es toquen repetidament. Aquesta rutina sovint es va comparar amb la “Macarena” de Los del Río que es va convertir en un èxit a festes i esdeveniments de tot el món.
El videoclip d’”Aserejé” es va filmar a Palm Beach, a Estepona (Màlaga), concretament al bar Chiringuito. Al vídeo principal, Las Ketchup munten una actuació musical a la platja, servint begudes i atraient una multitud que va creixent. Quan arriba la tornada, el trio lidera el ball animant el públic a unir-se a la coreografia. El vídeo acaba amb el bar ple de gent ballant i celebrant.
A més, es van produir dues versions addicionals del videoclip: una ambientada en una discoteca futurista, on la banda persegueix un enamorat amb cabell afro, i una altra versió tipus karaoke, on el grup canta davant un fons blanc amb la lletra de la cançó a la pantalla.
LAS KETCHUP - THE KETCHUP SONG (ASEREJE)
Released: June 10, 2002
UK: #1 (1 week)
“The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)” is the debut single by Spanish pop group Las Ketchup, released on June 2002. It features both a Spanish and a Spanglish version, with a nonsensical chorus that remains unchanged. The song became a massive international hit, reaching number one in at least 20 European countries, as well as topping the charts in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. However, it only peaked at number 54 in the United States. By 2006, it had sold over seven million copies worldwide. The group is made up of Pilar, Lola, and Lucia Muñoz - three sisters from the Andalusia region of Spain. They took their name in honor of their father, a flamenco guitarist known as "El Tomate."
“The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)” is loosely based on the 1979 Sugarhill Gang hit “Rapper’s Delight.” The title “Aserejé” mimics the lyric “I said a hip” from “Rapper’s Delight,” and the song’s chorus is Spanish gibberish meant to imitate the rap’s rhythm and flow. The lyrics tell the story of a stylish young man named Diego who enters a nightclub, where his DJ friend plays his favorite song, “Rapper’s Delight.” Since Diego doesn’t understand the English lyrics, he makes up his own, resulting in the nonsensical chorus. The U.S. version of the song includes some English gibberish mixed in.
“The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)” became known not only for its catchy tune but also for its signature dance, which involves a series of coordinated hand and arm movements. The dance starts with waving the hands over each other, followed by a thumbs-over-the-shoulder motion, then arm rotations from the waist to face level. The final move involves placing one hand on the forehead and the other on the back of the head while knocking the knees together. This routine was often compared to the “Macarena”, another international dance craze by Los Del Rio that became a staple at parties and events worldwide.
The music video for Aserejé was filmed at Palm Beach in Estepona, Spain, specifically at the Chiringuito bar. In the main video, Las Ketchup set up a beachside musical show, serving drinks and drawing a growing crowd to their performance. As the chorus plays, the trio leads the signature Aserejé dance, joined by an enthusiastic audience. The video ends with a packed beach bar, full of people dancing and celebrating.
Two additional versions of the video were also produced: one set in a futuristic nightclub where the band pursues an afro-haired love interest, and another sing-along version featuring the group performing against a white background with on-screen lyrics.
