CHuLoYo wrote:
It sounds like a direct rip of "Stairway to Heaven" to me.
Makes my blood boil.

Stuart Adamson.. What a sad loss.

Have never heard this. 

 carricknab wrote:


Sad songs can be uplifting.

This song is hard to track down for my personal collection! Not on Spotify or Apple Music, can't seem to find anywhere to buy it. RP and YouTube are the only sources. 

Having a casual awareness of Big Country...it is shocking to discover that this is actually them...far better than I would have imagined any of their stuff sounding...

 mrprmc71 wrote: liked Steeltown a lot and still do

...imagining Big (Sky) Country by Chris Whitley...

Loved Big Country back in the 80's but had not heard this before. A very pleasant surprise! The lyrics are very sad...

Thought this was going to be U2 - Discotheque when it started

My first hearing of this one. Very potent lyrically but musically I am not quite there yet. Recently, I dipped back into their first effort and wow, I had forgotten a few of those gems esp. Inwards and Chance. It was a very rewarding listen... 

 MattRudely wrote:


Better 

U1

going up one on my rating for this tune

6 >>>> 7

 dfphillips1 wrote:
 
I looked for it there too so that I could put it on my regular playlist. Glad to hear this song again today on RP though as it has been an ear worm of late. 

Back in the 80's I was a huge BC fan.
I bought everything. Singles, albums, 12 inches, rarities, saw them a handful of times.
However, as time moves on and tastes mature I lost touch with them.
I was sad when Stuart died and I still listen to the old stuff every now and then.
I've tried some of the later stuff but it never did it for me, but this... this is actually very good indeed. I'll be looking up more from this album.
Thanks RP.

A song by Stuart Adamson that later died of suicide. I love this song, but I imagine I can hear where he is going to. RIP Stuart.

WOW...Joe Marsala, Beach Boys, AC/DC & Big Country.

Now that's Eclecticity!!!!

Not on Spotify. Truly a shame

Thanks Bill for playing a variety of music from Big Country!
They've been one of my all-time favorite bands.

What's even better is that the first 5 notes are exactly the same as BtS's "Traces" that Bill plays 2 songs ahead of this...well done, Bill!

and btw, there are only so many notes that can be played...its not plagiarism, just a finite neck!

 Proclivities wrote:

 CHuLoYo wrote:
 
It would probably take more than two notes played on a similar-sounding keyboard to prove plagiarism.  

 kingart wrote:
 
A couple verses appear to be missing to me.

 

 SaeedS wrote:
 Jota wrote:
 
 harvey7 wrote:  
 
I believe Jota was referring to Richard Thompson (author of "Vincent Motorcycle") in his post, not Stuart Adamson.

This band was/is WAY underappreciated.

Jota wrote: 
Born of Scottish parents and lived in Fife from the age of 4 makes him More Scotish than English, and he seemed to like those Bagpipes!

I've been putting the finishes touches on a Western action screenplay, and I have long used this song as key thematic inspiration. As a matter of fact, the script and accompanying promo material are open on my laptop right now...  The track fits the images, story, tone and mood of the script like a glove. Oh but that some future collaborating producer would ever buy or get the rights...

I have a list of such soundtrack songs, many of which I have heard right here on RP.
Maybe I can list RP in the 'thank you' credits. 

Try Chance by them....

 CHuLoYo wrote: 
Do you honestly think these guys ever listened to Mike Oldfield - especially a 1998 release?

 SaeedS wrote: 
He's English.  Other than that I agree.

PLEASE do not play that scottish about the vincent motorcycle.... again. IT IS HORRIBLE- THANK YOU

The legacy of Stuart Adamson.
It give's me always goosebumps when i listen to this song!
RIP Stuart!

I think the lyrics are not complete

 

The start of this song is exactly the sound on Tubular Bells 3 (Mike Oldfield), 4th track. 
Big country's plagiarism? 

Wouldn't have guessed this was Big Country, but, then again, I don't follow them very closely.

Love the song, can't find it on iTunes..shame.

It's better to be nobody than to be nothing

 hempmandan wrote: 

There is this great song of The Crossing called The Storm...Love me some Big Country!!!

So good to hear this right now.

 Studrock wrote: 

I couldn't agree more. I saw them twice in NYC: once in the late 80's then again in the mid 90's. They were incendiary.I got the feeling that it wouldn't have mattered what venue they were in - or even if they were in someone's living room - their energy level was fused by the music and it *never* wavered from start to finish. I stood mesmerized - in sonic euphoria.

I have every big country album......unfortunately the radio only plays "in a big country". They were so much more than that song. Saw them live... At the palladium 1988 LA...".. One of the best shows ever.....and I've seen led zeppelin at the forum. The who at winter land. Yes at Oakland. Boston at Oakland...... I have been around..... " big country"  concert was at an equal level of all those acts.......ask anybody who was fortunate to see them live.........that show is etched in their mind.

 luvinlife wrote: 

Can't believe this is Big Country. I always associate them with the "bagpipe" style guitar in "in a big country". Very different. I think I like it.

Wow, what a track! I had never caught this one before... the quality of the vocals and everything, quite haunting... it's an 8 I think.

Agreed.  They opened for Bowie (presume the segue from Man Who Sold The World connected to this) on his Glass Spider tour and they were banging.  Bowie had Peter Frampton on guitar, by the way.  If anything, I enjoyed Big Country more.


luvinlife wrote: 

Wow, when that song hits you at the right time, it's a little dizzying.

Not just the song, but the events.

Reading this stuff it's like a scripted movie - this poignant song playing in the background to the sad story.
RIP.
 

we will never forget you stuart!!!! RIP!!! this song sonuds to me like he wants to sing it for his legacy!

 ick wrote:Wow, that is just too sad. "I wish U2 could have wrote the songs that he wrote"; talent sometimes isn't appreciated till it's gone. 
 

 Ntropy wrote: 
yeah - saw them live in early 80's, great live band

Nice song. First time I hear it.

Not my favourite BC but any BC is good BC

Hearing this makes me sad that Stuart Adamson didn't get the help he needed before taking his own life.  Waste of a life, waste of talent.  Bummer.

I thought it is BNL

 lmic wrote: 
Reminds me of Daniel Lanois

I got to see them back in the day.  They were just amazing - Their hit songs didn't capture their talent.  RIP, Stuart.

At their height I only ever seemed to hear the most commercial of their songs played on the mainstream radio,

As I never owned any of Big Country records I missed out on their less known but sometimes better tracks.

Never heard this before! Beautiful... Reminds me of Brian Ferry.

Love this tune.  I think of my wife when I hear it and how thankful I am for her.
RIP Stuart!

 chyk5 wrote: 
Agreed. Thanks RP, and thank you John for uploading it.

The quick reference to/lifting of Wade in the Water is a bit odd...

Thanks for occasionally playing something from my favourite band Big Country

Thanks for reintroducing me to later Big Country, Bill. I hadn't listened to them since high school. I really like this. R.I.P. Stuart...

?? I feel nothing.....

this makes me feel like I'm wearing concrete shoes

I don't hear many songs that should be a majestic soundtrack for a movie but I'd put this song into that category.

ClashVixen wrote: I dunno but someone should bring him some warm milk and a bed time story

I like this - and had to see who it was. I never would have guessed it was Big Country. Bill, thanks for introducing us to the deep cuts and the unknown bands.

I thought it was bland. It deserves a second listen tho.

kaupmees wrote: Agreed. Definitely not their sound.

NeilBlanchard wrote: Yeah, I agree with that comment.

Hello, Thanks John -- this is the first time I have heard this song! Very nice. Neil

Hmm. Cool. I've only known Big Country for, uhm, Big Country. I like this.

what is he whining about?

I find this song very moving. I guess different songs affect people differently. When I hear it, I think of my significant other, how I am so grateful for her presence in my life. The day her spirit (and the rest of her) came to me!

Marginally unimpressive

another winner from a band I've loved on the back burner for decades now. Peace Stuart

FYI: This album and its UK counterpart, Driving To Damascus, are both available as free MP3 downloads on EMusic, which is the outfit that offers you 50 free MP3s every time you upgrade your Winamp player. I don't think I like EMusic's paid service since it's a flat monthly fee, but the free MP3s are too good an offer to pass up. They also have a very good BC live album called Come Up Screaming, plus some rarities compilations that are a shameless attempt from the band's management to bleed every last penny from BC's still obsessive cult following. Avoid those albums at all costs, except for the song "Soldier Of The Lord" from Rarities VIII. That's an amazing song which, unfortunately, never made it past the rough demo stage. Emusic also has other RP artists available like Sea Ray, Neko Case, Belle And Sebastian, and lots more. Get your freebies then make your own call about whether it's worth paying for their service.

Jacksonstat wrote: I was thinking the same thing good upload

boring, commonplace

JohnErle wrote:It's because of you I bought this cd. Thanks!

Whoa. Wouldn't have guessed it was BC.

JohnErle wrote: All RP listeners are above average! Nice upload, I had completely missed this BC release but it is really nice.

sorry...singer sounds like he's waaaaaaaayyyyy too impressed with himself.

I've never thought this before about Big Country, but his vocals here remind me of the Barenaked Ladies. Maybe someone slipped something in my koolaid when I wasn't looking.

catmaven wrote: Listener Review Channel. It allows RP listeners to give a thumbs up or a thumbs down to additions to the playlist.

JohnErle wrote: I hadn't heard of the demise of Big Country (who were pretty popular in Britain when I was stationed there for 9 years in the 80s-90s). I found this on AMG's AllMusic.com - Too bad - the group will be (and has been, I am sure) sorely missed.

JohnErle wrote: So, you like BC... Thus the AV similarity. Nice . 8 right out of the chute. Good ear.

Would someone please define the acronym LRC for me? This song has good poetic lyrics, I know thanks to Mari. Wish the articulation could be better. Except for that, though, what a likeable song! I would class it as soft rock, but it has a little something extra . . . instrumentally, that I can't quite identify . . .

I have every Big Country album I could find and love 'em all. Hadn't heard this one yet and I'm glad to hear there's still Big Country to discover.

I had five or six previous Big Country CDs, but somehow I didn't find out about this one until several months ago. This song really stands out - I like the steady drive of the overall rhythm, the simplicity of the main riff and the song's structure. It's a good headphone song too, to pick up the keyboard arpegios (sp?) and percussion flourishes. No weak albums in this band's discography, IMHO.

JohnErle wrote: Thanks for the upload! A very sweet song.... RIP SA

My upload! Someone must have really liked this one, because I uploaded it last night and it was added to the playlist this morning without the formality of the LRC. I had a funny feeling RP would go for this track, but I've been wrong before. This is an excellent song from Big Country's outstanding final album, which was recorded in 2000, and easily the best thing they'd done since the mid 80's. In the UK it was known as Driving To Damascus, but in the US it was released as John Wayne's Dream and some songs were slightly remixed. Either version is excellent, and something the average RP listener might enjoy.