Big Thing is the fifth studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. It was released on 17 October 1988 by EMI Records. Produced by the band, Jonathan Elias and Daniel Abraham, it continued the sonic musical change the band explored with their previous album Notorious (1986).
| Big Thing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 17 October 1988[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1987–1988 | |||
| Studio | Davout (Paris) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:48 | |||
| Label | EMI | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Duran Duran chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Big Thing | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [3] |
| PopMatters |   [4] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
Unlike Notorious which was funk and R&B oriented, Big Thing strives for a more diverse approach. Side 1 consists of intense techno tracks with synthesized bass lines and rhythmic guitar riffs, while Side 2 leans towards a more avant-garde feel with a post modern atmosphere. The band features drummer Sterling Campbell and guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, who previously started work with the band on Notorious after the departure of Andy Taylor. Both would become members of the group in 1989.
The album was a moderate commercial success, reaching number 15 on the UK Albums Chart and number 24 on the US Billboard 200. The album received mixed reviews by critics, but some praised the experimental compositions and the band's evolving musical style. The album would be spearheaded by two top 20 hits: the first, "I Don't Want Your Love", which went to number 14 in the UK and number 4 in the US, with the second single "All She Wants Is" reaching number 9 in the UK and number 22 in the US, the last of Duran Duran's top 10 hits during the 1980s.
Like Notorious, the album would develop a cult following for the band's changing musical direction. A CD reissue (with one bonus track) was released in 1994. The album was reissued again by EMI in 2010.[6]
Singles
edit- "I Don't Want Your Love" (September 1988) #14 UK, #4 US
- "All She Wants Is" (December 1988) #9 UK, #22 US
- "Do You Believe in Shame?" (April 1989) #30 UK, #72 US
Promotional singles
edit- "Official Bootleg: LSD Edit" (as the Krush Brothers)
- "Big Thing" (UK and Mexico only)
- "Too Late Marlene" (Brazil only)
Track listing
edit1988 original release
editAll songs written and arranged by Duran Duran.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Big Thing" | 3:41 |
| 2. | "I Don't Want Your Love" | 4:06 |
| 3. | "All She Wants Is" | 4:34 |
| 4. | "Too Late Marlene" | 5:08 |
| 5. | "Drug (It's Just a State of Mind)" | 4:36 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Do You Believe in Shame?" | 4:23 |
| 7. | "Palomino" | 5:19 |
| 8. | "Interlude One" | 0:32 |
| 9. | "Land" | 6:12 |
| 10. | "Flute Interlude" | 0:32 |
| 11. | "The Edge of America" | 2:37 |
| 12. | "Lake Shore Driving" | 3:03 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Drug (It's Just a State of Mind)" (Daniel Abraham mix) | 4:20 |
As neither of the UK CDs show the track listings the difference between them can be identified by the catalogue numbers. These are:
- 0777 7 909582 7 (UK: CDDDB 33) Original 12 track CD
- 0777 7 898342 2 (UK: CDPRG 1007) 1994 reissue with bonus track
2010 reissue
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Big Thing (Nocymb)" | 3:41 |
| 2. | "I Don't Want Your Love" | 4:06 |
| 3. | "All She Wants Is" | 4:34 |
| 4. | "Too Late Marlene" | 5:08 |
| 5. | "Drug (It's Just a State of Mind)*" | 4:18 |
| 6. | "Do You Believe in Shame?" | 4:23 |
| 7. | "Palomino" | 5:19 |
| 8. | "Interlude One" | 0:32 |
| 9. | "Land" | 6:12 |
| 10. | "Flute Interlude" | 0:32 |
| 11. | "The Edge of America" | 2:37 |
| 12. | "Lake Shore Driving" | 3:03 |
- "Drug" as included here is actually the Daniel Abraham mix included on previous releases, which is how the song was originally meant to be included on the album. The version which appeared on the original album, remixed by Joe Dworniak and Duncan Bridgeman, is included on disc two, labelled "remix".
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Don't Want Your Love" (7" mix) | 3:47 |
| 2. | "All She Wants Is" (45 mix) | 4:36 |
| 3. | "I Believe/All I Need to Know" (full version) | 6:21 |
| 4. | "The Krush Brothers LSD Edit" | 3:30 |
| 5. | "God (London)" | 1:40 |
| 6. | "This Is How a Road Gets Made" | 0:47 |
| 7. | "Palomino" (edit) | 3:30 |
| 8. | "Drug (It's Just a State of Mind)" (remix) | 4:36 |
| 9. | "Big Thing" (7" mix) | 3:53 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 10. | "I Don't Want Your Love" (Big mix) | 7:24 |
| 11. | "All She Wants Is" (US master mix) | 7:19 |
| 12. | "Big Thing" (12" mix) | 6:40 |
| 13. | "All She Wants Is" (Eurohouse mix) | 7:34 |
- Tracks 3, 9 and 12 are previously unreleased.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Introduction/God" | 1:57 |
| 2. | "Big Thing" | 4:10 |
| 3. | "I Don't Want Your Love" | 4:48 |
| 4. | "Hungry Like the Wolf" | 4:28 |
| 5. | "Do You Believe in Shame?" | 4:39 |
| 6. | "All She Wants Is/Planet Earth" | 5:47 |
| 7. | "This Is How a Road Gets Made/Winter Marches On" | 4:20 |
| 8. | "Palomino" | 5:47 |
| 9. | "Too Late Marlene" | 5:52 |
| 10. | "Girls on Film" | 3:43 |
| 11. | "Notorious" | 4:54 |
| 12. | "Skin Trade" | 5:58 |
| 13. | "Is There Something I Should Know?" | 4:56 |
| 14. | "The Wild Boys/Drug" | 8:02 |
| 15. | "Band Introduction/Save a Prayer" | 7:48 |
| 16. | "The Reflex" | 4:03 |
| 17. | "Rio" | 3:41 |
| 18. | "The Edge of America" | 9:42 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 19. | "I Don't Want Your Love" | |
| 20. | "All She Wants Is" | |
| 21. | "Do You Believe in Shame?" |
Japanese bonus disc
editToshiba EMI also released Big Thing in a two-disc set, which featured not only the complete album, but a five-song live CD, Previously released as Duran Goes Dutch (US promo EP, 1987):
- "Notorious" (live)
- "Vertigo (Do the Demolition)" (live)
- "New Religion" (live)
- "Hungry Like the Wolf" (live)
- "American Science" (live)
Personnel
editDuran Duran
- Simon Le Bon – lead vocals
- Nick Rhodes – keyboards
- John Taylor – bass guitars
Additional musicians
- Warren Cuccurullo – guitars (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12)
- Steve Ferrone – drums (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 6, 9)
- Chester Kamen – guitars (tracks: 2, 3)
- Sterling Campbell – drums (tracks 3, 5, 7, 12)
Technical
- Jonathan Elias – co-producer
- Daniel Abraham – co-producer and mixer
- Ted Jensen – mastering
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[22] | Silver | 60,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[23] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ "BPI".
- ^ AllMusic review
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
- ^ Bergstrom, John (21 October 2010). "Duran Duran: Notorious / Big Thing". PopMatters. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ Sheffield, Rob (2004). "Duran Duran". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ "Big Thing [2-CD/DVD] – Duran Duran". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Duran Duran – Big Thing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "RPM100 Albums" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 8. 10 December 1988. p. 11. ISSN 0033-7064 – via World Radio History.
- ^ Lwin, Nanda (1999). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Duran Duran – Big Thing" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 47. 19 November 1988. p. 26. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Duran Duran – Big Thing" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 29 May 2022. Select "Album" in the "Tipo" field, type "Duran Duran" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
- ^ デュラン・デュランのアルバム売り上げランキング [Duran Duran's album sales ranking] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Duran Duran – Big Thing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Duran Duran – Big Thing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Duran Duran – Big Thing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "Duran Duran Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2024. 30. hét". MAHASZ. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ "British album certifications – Duran Duran – Big Thing". British Phonographic Industry. 1 November 1988. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "American album certifications – Duran Duran – Big Thing". Recording Industry Association of America. 20 December 1988. Retrieved 15 January 2019.