Big Star is often cited as a prime example of power pop. Drawing upon pop music traditions — especially The Beatles, The Byrds, The Kinks, The Zombies, Badfinger, The Who, Moby Grape, The Beach Boys and Free — Big Star's music was lyrical, powerful, and at times melancholic pop for the post-1960s generation. Their approach not only recalled the British Invasion groups but the spare, relaxed style of Stax Records, the Memphis soul label, as well as the edgy rockabilly of early Sun Records. In an era of singer-songwriters and heavy-metal groups, they played melodic, concisely written songs. Their reputation, negligible in 1974 beyond a small coterie of admirers, has steadily grown, and they are today considered one of pop's classic groups.
Big Star was formed in 1971 in Memphis, Tennessee, United States by guitarist/vocalist Chris Bell, bassist Andy Hummel, drummer Jody Stephens, and guitarist/vocalist Alex Chilton. All four at times contributed to the songwriting and lead vocals, with Chilton and Bell singing and writing the majority of the early songs as a team modeled after Lennon and McCartney's collaborative style. Chilton, a former teen pop idol, and Bell had a musically fruitful but difficult relationship. The band's first two albums had a string of great reviews but sold almost nothing, not helped by Stax's struggle to know how to sell a bunch of white guys playing retro rock. The failure to break through was a huge blow to Chilton and Bell, and their relationship deteriorated, and by the time their third album Third/Sister Lovers came around, Bell had left to pursue a solo career that was cut short by his untimely death.
Chilton and Stephens have toured since 1993 under the Big Star name with Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow of The Posies in the band. This lineup released the album In Space in 2005.
After the EP Live Tribute to Alex Chilton was released in June 2011, Stephens wrote on the Ardent blog that the tribute performance in May 2010 was the last performance for Big Star as a band.
On March 17th, 2010, Alex Chilton passed away in a New Orleans hospital at the age of 59. Big Star was scheduled to play at SXSW that week. Andy Hummel died of cancer in Weatherford, Texas, on 19 July 2010 .
Big Star has gained more recent exposure with bands like Superdrag, Weezer, R.E.M., The Replacements, Primal Scream, the Posies, Bill Lloyd and the dB's citing them as an influence. Three of Big Star’s albums, Radio City, #1 Record, and Third/Sister Lovers were included in Rolling Stone magazine’s "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" in 2003.
Big Star's biggest champions have been Teenage Fanclub who have been involved in re-issuing some of their work and even named one of their albums after one Big Star's most affecting songs, "thirteen". It was a song covered live on occasion by Elliott Smith who was clearly influenced by Chilton's vocal style (the similarities in the higher vocal register are notable there and on Give Me Another Chance and I'm in Love with a Girl). The Bangles also scored a hit in the 80s with their cover of "September Gurls". Cheap Trick have recorded several covers of "In The Street" for use as the theme song for the sitcom That '70s Show.
Paul Westerberg wrote and recorded ( with his band, The Replacements) the song "Alex Chilton", which contains the line, "I never travel far, without a little Big Star." Westerberg lists Chilton as one of his greatest influences, and has covered "September Gurls" live, both solo and with his band.
O Dana
Big Star Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I worry whether this is my last life
And girl, if you're listening
I'm sorry, I can't help it
Oh Dana, oh Dana, come on
I'm forevermore fighting with Steven
We do our goo-goo-koos
But we know
And strung out twice
Oh Dana, oh Dana, come on
We seldom know what things are
Two illusions going very far
Oh Dana, oh Dana, come on
I got busted across the bridge
They rounded up every soul
Now never the East Side
She says,"don't give a girl a chance"
She's not afraid to take a chance
Oh Dana, oh Dana, come on
She's got a magic wand
That says play with yourse
If before other ones
Oh Dana, oh Dana, come on, come on
Oh, oh Dana, Dana come on
The lyrics to Big Star's song O Dana are cryptic and difficult to interpret with complete certainty. The song seems to describe a sense of frustration and confusion, perhaps concerning a conflict with another band member named Steven, and a complicated relationship with a woman named Dana. The line "I rather shoot a woman than a man" is especially disconcerting, but could be interpreted as a reference to feeling more vulnerable around women or feeling like he has to be more aggressive to prove his masculinity.
The singer seems to be grappling with the idea of mortality and wondering if this is his last life. He fears he may not have enough time to figure out the meaning of things and seems to be searching for clarity. Despite this introspection, he still seems to be caught up in petty arguments with Steven, using baby talk ("goo-goo-koos") to describe their fights.
The line "She's got a magic wand that says play with yourse" is also confusing, but could be interpreted as Dana having control over the singer's sexual desires or perhaps being manipulative in some way. Overall, the song is a jumbled mixture of personal strife and philosophical musing, with the repeated refrain of "Oh Dana, oh Dana, come on" expressing a plea for clarity or understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
I rather shoot a woman than a man
I have a strong opinion on gender equality, resulting in contemplating taking desperate measures
I worry whether this is my last life
I'm uncertain about life after death, which results in me having a pessimistic outlook towards life
And girl, if you're listening
I feel like I'm being heard by someone or something, making me reach out to know if someone is there or not
I'm sorry, I can't help it
I regret my inability to change something, which seems to be affecting someone I care about
Oh Dana, oh Dana, come on
I'm seeking validation or acceptance from Dana, encouraging or urging her to join me on a journey or adventure
I'm forevermore fighting with Steven
I have a long-lasting conflict with someone, maybe a friend or colleague, named Steven
We do our goo-goo-koos
We indulge in acts of childishness, or playful but immature behavior
But we know
Despite our immaturity, we realize how to manage a situation without shedding light on it
Overboard and down
Something might have taken an unexpected turn, maybe a situation or emotion
And strung out twice
The situation was intense and stressful enough to result in being strung out or becoming depressed twice
We seldom know what things are
We're uncertain about most of the things that happen around us
Two illusions going very far
There are two different misleading identities, and each is taking the other one far away from reality
I got busted across the bridge
I got caught, maybe by authorities or law enforcement, while crossing the bridge or boundary
They rounded up every soul
The authorities or law enforcements did not differentiate and took in every person, regardless of their involvement or innocence
Now never the East Side
The song's story is not associated with the East Side
She says,"don't give a girl a chance"
She recommends not giving girls an opportunity because she fears they might succeed
She's not afraid to take a chance
She herself is not hesitant about trying new things or taking risks
She's got a magic wand
She has something that can turn things around for her, maybe an advantageous situation or talent
That says play with yourse
It's unclear what the last two words are supposed to be but seem to imply a sarcastic tone towards the beneficial circumstances she's been given
If before other ones
It's unclear what this line means but might be indicative of some prioritization she might have in her life
Oh Dana, oh Dana, come on, come on
The song's chorus and an invitation to join the singer in whatever adventure he is embarking upon
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: William Chilton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind