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.
There Was A Light
Big Star Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So dear to me
I wanted to live
There was a time
So near to me
I asked you to give your life to me
If it's a sign
I'm asking you why
It had to be
Spending all my time
Waiting to die
What's the use
There was a light
So dear to me
I wanted to live
There was a time
So dear to me
I asked you to give your life to me
The song "There Was A Light" by Big Star conveys a sense of helplessness and despair through its lyrics. The song is essentially about the struggle to find meaning in life and the pain that comes when that meaning is lost or taken away. The "light" that is referred to in the song represents a hope or a purpose for living, but it is something that is ultimately out of the singer's control.
Throughout the song, the singer expresses a sense of confusion and frustration at the loss of the light that had previously given their life meaning. They are left wondering why this happened to them and why they are now just waiting for death. The line "If it's a sign / Sent down to me / I'm asking you why / It had to be" expresses this sense of confusion and questioning.
Despite the sadness and despair that permeate the song, there is also a sense of longing for the light to return. The singer pleads for someone to give their life to them, as if hoping that this will bring back the light that has been lost. The repetition of the lines "There was a light / So dear to me / I wanted to live" and "There was a time / So near to me / I asked you to give your life to me" emphasize this longing for the return of the light and the hope that it represents.
Overall, "There Was A Light" is a powerful and emotional song that captures the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life. Through its poignant lyrics and haunting melody, the song speaks to a universal human experience and the longing that we all feel for something greater.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a light
There was something or someone significant and meaningful to me
So dear to me
The light was precious and dear to my heart
I wanted to live
The light gave me hope and purpose in life
There was a time
There was a moment in the past that stood out to me
So near to me
The time was very close and almost within reach
I asked you to give your life to me
I pleaded with someone to devote their life to me, showing how much I valued them
If it's a sign
If the light was a sign or message from a higher power
Sent down to me
Given or bestowed upon me from above
I'm asking you why
I'm questioning why this happened to me and what my purpose is
It had to be
Accepting that the light happened for a reason and it was meant to be in my life
Spending all my time
Devoting all my time and energy
Waiting to die
Feeling hopeless and awaiting my fate
What's the use
Asking what the point is or what good will come of it all
Contributed by Penelope V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
RaccoonHeadGraduates
This song is just so good.
Green Manalishi
the voice of an angel
thebrunochaos
12 string guitar....amazing.
Spectrescup
My favourite Chris Bell songs (like this and Got Kinda Lost) seemed to've been written b/ween #1 record and his leaving Big Star.I mean, I prefer Alex to Chris and Radio City to the first album, but it seems they really did bring out something in each other's writing.
OH_I _Will
Spectrescup I think this was written during Chris time abroad...hoping to get a kickstart on a solo career...which never would happen without Big Star
John Miles
"Whys it got to be" just chilling
Then comes the complete dissolution of the guitar interlude... falling... a p a r t
rothr
"spending all my time, waiting to die"... how could he/they think that way? but yeah, me too.
paralisispermanente
💜
Marco Antonio Tukoff
1972?