Big Time
Gabriel (Peter) Lyrics
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Are the dreams all made solid
Are the dreams all made real
All of the buildings, all of those cars
Were once just a dream
In somebody's head
She pictures a soul
With no leak at the seam
Let's take the boat out
Wait until darkness
Let's take the boat out
Wait until darkness comes
Nowhere in the corridors of pale green and grey
Nowhere in the suburbs
In the cold light of day
There in the midst of it so alive and alone
Words support like bone
Dreaming of Mercy Street
Wear your inside out
Looking for mercy
In your daddy's arms again
Dreaming of Mercy Street
'Swear they moved that sign
Looking for mercy
In your daddy's arms
Pulling out the papers from drawers that slide smooth
Tugging at the darkness, word upon word
Confessing all the secret things in the warm velvet box
To the priest, he's the doctor
He can handle the shocks
Dreaming of the tenderness, the tremble in the hips
Of kissing Mary's lips
Dreaming of Mercy Street
Wear your inside out
Dreaming of mercy
In your daddy's arms again
Dreaming of Mercy Street
'Swear they moved that sign
Looking for mercy
In your daddy's arms
Looking for mercy
Looking for mercy
Looking for mercy
Mercy, mercy
Anne, with her father is out in the boat
Riding the water
Riding the waves on the sea
In Peter Gabriel's song "Big Time," the singer paints a picture of a woman standing on empty streets, looking at buildings and cars, and pondering how they were once just a dream in someone's head which eventually became solid and came to life. The woman imagines broken glass and steam and a soul without leaks at the seams. The refrain, "Let's take the boat out, wait until darkness comes," adds to the sense of longing and searching that permeates the song. Gabriel's lyrics are a powerful commentary on the human desire to achieve, to make dreams a reality, and to find meaning and purpose in the world.
In the second verse, Gabriel sings about the suburbs, and how they lack life and vitality. He contrasts this with the mystery and intensity of the "Mercy Street" that the singer is dreaming of. The imagery of paper drawers and confessing secret things to a priest further adds to the sense of seeking comfort and guidance, of trying to find a way in the world. The line "looking for mercy in your daddy's arms again" reinforces this idea of seeking guidance and comfort from a paternal figure.
Overall, "Big Time" is a song about the longing for something more, for finding a purpose in life, and for searching for meaning and guidance in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking down on empty streets, all she can see, Are the dreams all made solid
The woman is observing empty streets which used to be just a dream, but now they are real buildings and cars.
Are the dreams all made real
The woman is wondering if all dreams can come true and become a reality.
All of the buildings, all of those cars, Were once just a dream, In somebody's head
Every building and car we see today must have been someone's dream or idea first.
She pictures the broken glass, she pictures the steam, She pictures a soul, With no leak at the seam
The woman imagines a broken soul, but she also sees it being repaired and restored to perfection.
Let's take the boat out, Wait until darkness, Let's take the boat out, Wait until darkness comes
The person wants to take the boat out and wait until the darkness sets in before beginning any adventure or journey.
Nowhere in the corridors of pale green and grey, Nowhere in the suburbs, In the cold light of day
There is no hope or life in the dull green and gray corridors, nor in the suburbs, nor under the harsh daylight.
There in the midst of it so alive and alone, Words support like bone
In the midst of despair and loneliness, words of encouragement and support give life and strength to the person.
Dreaming of Mercy Street, Wear your inside out, Looking for mercy, In your daddy's arms again
The person is dreaming of a place of mercy where they can feel safe and protected in their father's arms.
'Swear they moved that sign, Looking for mercy, In your daddy's arms
The person wonders if the Mercy Street sign has moved and continues to look for a safe haven in their father's arms.
Pulling out the papers from drawers that slide smooth, Tugging at the darkness, word upon word
The person is pulling out papers in a smooth motion and trying to express their feelings and ideas in words to dispel the darkness.
Confessing all the secret things in the warm velvet box, To the priest, he's the doctor, He can handle the shocks
The person is confessing their secrets to a trusted advisor who is like a doctor and can provide comfort and help heal them.
Dreaming of the tenderness, the tremble in the hips, Of kissing Mary's lips
The person is dreaming of an intimate moment with Mary and cherishing the gentleness and emotions around it.
Anne, with her father is out in the boat, Riding the water, Riding the waves on the sea
Anne and her father enjoy a day out on the water with a peaceful excursion, riding the waves of the sea.
Looking for mercy, Looking for mercy, Looking for mercy, Mercy, mercy
The person is still searching for a place of mercy and wanting to find it desperately.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PETER GABRIEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alencarmaiaalvim6541
Peter Gabriel -Big Time.The sound of 80's.
@nievesofficial
Nope, sorry, that title belongs to Sledgehammer. :)
@marilynpirozzi9425
+TheRobloxian09 P
PG was an artist that stood out in the 80s, no matter if it was Big Time, Sledgehammer or Shock the Monkey.
@cheetahsurge
+TheRobloxian09 I would have to lean more towards Shock the Monkey, to be honest.
@dovkfir4660
Hgfcnvtt the same time hvvfhtu
@jaredmalan7278
+TheRobloxian09 I think Big Time symbolized the characteristics of the corporate, heady deals that was the epitome of Wall Street and in turn, shamelessly moving up with no regrets, while at the same time, characterized the 80s in a somewhat comical, yet non confrontational and familiar tone.
@Captain_MonsterFart
When he points directly at the audience and says "look at my circumstance", what is he getting at?
The claymation is craaaaaaaaaazzzeeee in this video.
@taylorjudge4506
it means big time isn't so big stay humble don't crash and burn
@katsuragi2373
I think the type of claymation used in this video is called "strata-Cut"
@indie3135
Madam Smellypits I know it's SO good!!