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.
You Get What You Deserve
Big Star Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And don't blame me for what folks will do
For some of us it's not a good time
But you're going to get used to and you'd better resign yourself
You get what you deserve
You ought to find out what it's worth
And you've gotta have a lotta nerve
You just do what pleases you
And go on and try out every move
You're going to get place in the scene
All god's orphans get face in the dream, now
You get what you deserve
You ought to find out what it's worth
And you've gotta have a lotta nerve
Oh
Too bad, such a drag, ow
So much pain down the drain
And a lot of us ain't got many friends
Try to understand what I'm going through
And don't blame for what folks will do
For some of us it's not a good time
But you're going to get used to and you'd better resign yourself
You get what you deserve
You ought to find out what it's worth
And you've gotta have a lotta nerve
You get what you deserve
The lyrics to Big Star's song "You Get What You Deserve" speak to the idea of karma and the consequences that come with one's actions. The first verse addresses the difficulties that the singer is facing and implores the listener to understand what they're going through. It also acknowledges that there will be people who blame the singer for things that they haven't done. Despite these challenges, the chorus emphasizes that everyone gets what they deserve, and that it's important to figure out what that is and have the courage to pursue it. The second verse encourages the listener to do what makes them happy and to take risks, as eventually they'll find their place in the world. The bridge provides a bit of commentary on the state of things, with the lines "Too bad, such a drag, ow/So much pain down the drain/And a lot of us ain't got many friends" painting a picture of a society where it's tough to get ahead, and some people are left behind.
The message of this song is quite simple - do what you want, take risks, and face the consequences with courage. The song is about believing in yourself and pursuing what you believe in, even if it's difficult or if people try to bring you down. The line "You get what you deserve" suggests that if you're true to yourself and your desires, eventually you'll come out on top. This is a powerful message that's relevant to anyone, as we all face challenges in life and need the courage to keep going.
Line by Line Meaning
Try to understand what I'm going through
I want you to empathize with my situation
And don't blame me for what folks will do
Don't hold me responsible for other people's actions
For some of us, it's not a good time
Life is tough for some of us right now
But you're going to get used to and you'd better resign yourself
You'll eventually adapt to the situation, and you should accept it
You get what you deserve
You'll receive the outcome you earned
You ought to find out what it's worth
You should determine the value of what you desire
And you've gotta have a lotta nerve
It takes courage to pursue your desires
You just do what pleases you
Do what makes you happy
And go on and try out every move
Experiment with different approaches
You're going to get place in the scene
You'll eventually find your place in the world
All god's orphans get face in the dream, now
Everyone, even those who feel lost, can achieve success
Too bad, such a drag, ow
It's unfortunate and stressful
So much pain down the drain
Experiencing a lot of pain for nothing
And a lot of us ain't got many friends
Many of us don't have a lot of social support
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alex Chilton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
James Kovacic
A great sinister track about karma and revenge
Keith Plunk
Wonderful time to be a young artist with high hopes. In my world they made it and still are 50 years later. Lots of no talents sell millions of records. McDonalds sells alot of hamburgers...doesn't mean they are any good. BIG STAR IS LIKE A GOOD STEAK. No hype or clowns needed!
ledsith
Love .