Big Sugar officially formed in 1988 in Toronto, Ontario, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Gordie Johnson, bassist Terry Wilkins, and drummer Al Cross, though the three musicians had already played together for several years as a supporting band for Molly Johnson's jazz performances and as an informal jam band with members of the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir. After Molly Johnson returned to rock music with Infidels, she helped her former bandmates to secure a record deal; their eponymous debut album was released in 1991 on Hypnotic Records.
After Wilkins left the band in 1993, Big Sugar recorded the album Five Hundred Pounds with the help of guest musicians, including harmonica and tenor saxophonist Kelly Hoppe, also known as Mr. Chill. Hoppe brought a blues and old-school r'n'b influence into the band's sound. Hoppe would become an official member of the band in September 1994. He would later add keyboards and melodica to his sideman responsibilities. In July 1994, bassist Garry Lowe joined the band. Lowe had moved to Canada in the mid-1970s from Kingston, Jamaica. Soon after arriving in Toronto, he became an in-demand bass player for touring reggae recording artists. He often accompanied them at Toronto's famed Bamboo club on Queen St.W., among other venues. Lowe was a founding member of "Culture Shock", a popular Toronto reggae band. Johnson, an avid reggae maven (and one-time bass player), had been a fan of Lowe's and was overjoyed when he agreed to join Big Sugar as a full-time member.
Big Sugar had slowly built a reputation as an outstanding live band, and Five Hundred Pounds consolidated it; the album sold 10,000 copies in Canada on the strength of their live shows without any real publicity or radio airplay. During this time, Gordie Johnson also recorded an album as Don't Talk Dance, with Tyler Stewart of Barenaked Ladies and Chris Brown of the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir.
In 1995, the band released two EPs; Dear M.F., which featured a cover version of Traffic's "Dear Mr. Fantasy"; and Ride Like Hell. Following the release of these EPs, Stich Wynston left the band and was replaced by Walter "Crash" Morgan. During the band's tour that year, however, Morgan suffered a heart attack, collapsed, and died on stage during a show in Iowa. Longtime band associate Raffa Dean was enlisted to finish the tour, and former Odds member Paul Brennan subsequently joined as the band's new drummer, appearing on one of their most commercially successful albums, 1996's Hemi-Vision.
Hemi-Vision's single "Opem Up Baby" was a notable first for the band, who recorded a French version of that song, "Ouvres-Toi Bébé", for radio stations in Quebec. The song gained widespread airplay in the province, and for their next album, 1998's Platinum-selling Heated, the band recorded a French version of each single they released; the French songs were collected on the 1999 EP Chauffe à bloc. Also that year, Johnson and Hoppe performed several acoustic shows as a duo under the names "Little Sugar" or "Two Fools on Stools".
Cross returned as drummer in 1999. The band also added a new rhythm guitarist, Mojah. In July of that year the band performed at Woodstock 1999.
In 2000, the band released a dub album, Extra Long Life, under the stage name Alkaline.
In 2001, Big Sugar released Brothers and Sisters, Are You Ready? Taking their abilities in writing and performing French material to its logical conclusion, a complete track-for-track French version, Brothers and Sisters, Êtes Vous Ready?, was released the same year. Only the English album concluded with a blistering rendition of "O Canada".
The two-CD compilation Hit & Run, featuring a greatest hits disc that included a special edition, limited run live concert performance disc, was released in 2003.
Big Sugar, known for its thundering rock shows performed without set lists, played their last concert before splitting up on December 31, 2003, at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. Gordie "Grady" Johnson immediately formed the Austin, Texas-based band Grady and later joined Wide Mouth Mason as their full-time bassist, and also started the gospel dub duo Sit Down, Servant!! when he began playing steel guitar. Kelly Hoppe formed Mr. Chill & The Witnesses, a roots music group. Mojah and Garry Lowe went on to form Truth and Rights Revue, a reggae band, and have released one album to date.
The band reunited in 2010, playing their first show since 2003 at Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival in Whistler, B.C. on April 23, with tour dates through summer 2010. A new studio album evolved and was released in June 2011, titled Revolution Per Minute. This recording included Stephane Beaudin "Bodean" on drums and new full-time band member "DJ Friendlyness" as the fifth member of Big Sugar. Revolution Per Minute was released on both cd and vinyl with the vinyl album containing bonus "Alkaline" dub remixes and additional songs. 2012 was the first ever DVD release when Eliminate Ya! Live!, a double CD/DVD set that included a new single covering Al Tuck's "Eliminate Ya!" was released.
In 2014, Big Sugar released an album called "Yard Style" which contains uplugged versions of nine of their original songs, plus four previously unreleased songs.
The song "Police Bway A Vampire" appeared as a reworked electric version under the name "Universal Vampire" on their next studio album "Calling All The Youth", which was released in 2015 on Bread & Butter Records.
In May, 2017, two long time members, Kelly Hoppe and DJ Friendliness, left Big Sugar. Hoppe is now a freelancer, frequently performing live and in-studio with various artists, while Friendliness likes to concentrate full-time on his other band Human Rights. They were replaced by Ray Arteaga and Gordie Johnson's wife Alex.
Garry Lowe died of cancer on July 7, 2018.
Better Get Used To It
Big Sugar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I behaved just like a cat
But like a shot of penicillin
She cured me of all that
She's a healthy dose of heaven
For a man that's hooked on sin
Let the joy begin
If I was a begger
I would beg ten million dimes
I would have a million dollars
For a minute of your time
I would walk across the desert
Eating dust and sand
If that was your command
Better get used to it, baby
And if you never tell me
You care just how I feel
It's a dying man's last meal
You better get used to it, baby
Better get used to it, baby
In the song "Better Get Used To It" by Big Sugar, the singer is reflecting on how their love interest has changed them for the better. The opening lines "Once I was villain, I behaved just like a cat" suggest that the singer was wild and unruly in their past life. But their love interest has cured them of their villainous behavior, like a shot of penicillin. The she in this verse represents the unconditional love and care that the singer's love interest provides him with. He refers to her as "a healthy dose of heaven," intimating that she is a blessing for him.
The chorus "Better get used to it, baby" is an affirmation of the fact that the singer's love interest is an important force in his life, and he is willing to do anything to keep their relationship going. He uses hyperboles such as "If I was a beggar, I would beg ten million dimes" and "I would walk across the desert, eating dust and sand" to paint a picture of his commitment to her. The verse concludes with the lines "If you never tell me you care just how I feel, It's a dying man's last meal," which suggest that the singer's love for her is so intense that he can't live without it, and if she doesn't reciprocate it, he will feel like he is dying inside.
In summary, "Better Get Used To It" is a song about the transformative power of love. The singer has experienced a significant change in their behavior and outlook on life, thanks to their love interest. He acknowledges the significant role played by his love interest in his life, and is willing to go to great lengths to keep their relationship going, as conveyed through the chorus and verses.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I was a villain
In the past, I used to have a negative personality and behavior
I behaved just like a cat
I acted selfishly like a feline
But like a shot of penicillin
But like an effective medical treatment, I was cured
She cured me of all that
She was able to help me change my ways
She's a healthy dose of heaven
She's a blessing in my life
For a man that's hooked on sin
As someone who is addicted to bad habits, I find her to be a remedy
Let the joy begin
I am filled with delight now that she's in my life
Better get used to it, baby
You better prepare yourself for my positive changes and love for you
If I was a begger
If I was someone in need of help
I would beg ten million dimes
I would ask for ten million small donations
I would have a million dollars
I would have a significant amount of money
For a minute of your time
If it meant I could spend a brief moment with you
I would walk across the desert
I would endure a challenging journey
Eating dust and sand
Facing harsh physical conditions in the desert
If that was your command
If you asked me to do it
And if you never tell me
If you never express to me
You care just how I feel
That you have concern for my emotions
It's a dying man's last meal
It's a desperate and final hope
Better get used to it, baby
You better prepare yourself for my positive changes and love for you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dan Lake
They play this flawless live still to this day... great band!!
thetisdeamon777
ANY CANADIN KID WORTH HIS HOCKEY STICK "KNOWS ''''ROCKANDRULE" WHEN HE HEARS IT"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rian Stone
@Rasheed Willis Last year I caught them in Toronto. Gained some weight, but the phat tone from that Gibson really acts like an adrenaline shot when you're sitting there.
Kidkracker 69
@Rasheed Willis they just played in my hometown
Dan Lake
I seen them last month at Tail Creek Mud and Music fest, they were absolutely amazing... they have all their tour dates on the website... I see them whenever I can, such a diverse and talented group
Rasheed Willis
Does Big Sugar still play live!?! I'm American and in 10 years of listening to them I've never had the opportunity.
Bert Werbrouck
Groovy as hell \m/. Love the sound of that fuzzy guitar over the crunchy organ diped into wah-wah and the grounding bassline.
The House of Ronin
Man, this tune still kicks ass!
Yukon Cornelius, The Legend Himself
This song has such an oldschool feel to it. love it!
Jett Crash
RIP, Garry Lowe. Steady on the bass...