Mr. Big combined two po… Read Full Bio ↴(For the 70s British rock band, see Mr Big.)
Mr. Big combined two popular musical trends of the rock scene in the mid to late 80s: a particular brand of hard rock focused on melodies and listener-friendly choruses made for the arena, and impressive technical proficiency, then called shredding. The seeds for the group were sown when bass player Billy Sheehan (considered one of the top bassists of rock, often thought to be the bass equivalent of guitarist Eddie Van Halen) left David Lee Roth's solo band in 1988. Almost immediately after his exit, Sheehan began piecing together a new outfit, with the help of Mike Varney from Shrapnel Records, a label specialized in the shredding genre. The band comprised Shrapnel artist and former Racer X guitarist Paul Gilbert, Pat Torpey on drums, and singer Eric Martin, who had a number of album releases throughout the 1980s with his Eric Martin Band.
By 1989, the newly formed quartet, already regarded as a budding supergroup, had already inked a recording contract with Atlantic, resulting in the release of a self-titled debut the same year. Produced by Kevin Elson and Val Garay, 'Mr. Big' proved a partial commercial success, reaching the 46th slot on the Billboard 200 chart. Lead-off single "Addicted to that Rush", featuring the band's aggressive guitar and bass playing, also brought the group some mainstream attention, reaching the #39 slot on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
Despite causing a buzz among musicians, the album didn't quite cross over to a mainstream rock audience stateside, though Mr. Big was an immediate smash success overseas in Japan. The band's breakthrough came with their second album, 'Lean Into It', in 1991. It featured two power ballads that established the band as a total commercial success: "To Be With You" and "Just Take My Heart". The group also released arena rock songs that have remained staples of their live set for years, such as "Green-Tinted Sixties Mind".
Other releases followed, 'Bump Ahead' in 1993 and 'Hey Man' in 1996, but the band never replicated its earlier success in the U.S. market. The rise of grunge and nu metal groups damped much of the mainstream's interest in traditional arena-made hard rock. In Japan, on the other hand, they continued to sell out tours, resulting in a number of live releases for the Japanese market throughout their career (from "Raw Like Sushi" in 1990 to Mr. Big in Japan in 2002 among later releases). Paul Gilbert left the band in 1997 to pursue a solo career and eventually reform Racer X. Richie Kotzen, another Shrapnel artist and former guitarist for Poison, was brought in to take on guitar duties, also contributing occasional vocals.
Two studio albums were released by this lineup: 'Get Over It' in 2000 and 'Actual Size' in 2001, which featured the single Shine used in the anime Hellsing. Tensions in the band between Billy Sheehan and the other members, especially Eric Martin, led to the band's demise-- contractual obligations for yet another Japanese tour were fulfilled in the form of a "farewell tour". The multi-million record-selling band broke up in 2002, many years since their last hit in the United States but while still enjoying great popularity in Japan.
In February 2009, as a result of fan-demand and also after several coincidences over the past couple of years that have gradually brought the group back together again, Eric Martin, Pat Torpey, Paul Gilbert, and Billy Sheehan finally announced their decision to reunite.
In September 2010, Mr. Big recorded a seventh album with producer Kevin Shirley at a Los Angeles-area studio. The album (What If...) was released in Japan on December 15, 2010, in Europe on January 21, 2011, and in the US in February 2011. The group's latest album, Defying Gravity, was recorded in Los Angeles in six days, and released on July 21, 2017. Due to Pat Torpey being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, he could not play drums fully on the record and played on only several tracks. Matt Starr recorded the drum tracks, while Pat Torpey acted as "drum producer."
On February 7, 2018, drummer Pat Torpey died from complications of Parkinson's disease at the age of 64. His last show took place at the Wulfrun Hall in Wolverhampton on November 23, 2017. A memorial show took place on May 23, 2018 at The Canyon in Agoura Hills, California, with former member Richie Kotzen as a special guest.
Shadows
Mr. Big Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're fitting me with blinders for you
Can't question my own feelings, darling
But I'll shower you with reasons, yeah
Don't leave me I'm inpatient
I'm drunk with love
I'm wasted, yeah
Just answer one more question, darling
Be the one that
Holds you tight
I like your body when it's right next to mine
Stay up all night
We'll spend the hours fascinated by time
If only you would know me then you'll know how long I've waited for this
Fantasy
Is keeping you away from me
And I know that you know that I loathe the imposition
But I want you to know that I only want to
Be the one that
Holds you tight
I like your body when it's right next to mine
Stay up all night
We'll spend the hours fascinated by time
If only you would know me then you'll know how long I've waited for this
If only you would know me then you'll know how long I've waited for this
The song "Shadows" by Mr. Big talks about a woman who lures the singer into her world of shadows to escape the light. The woman is described as someone who is tempting and dangerous; she has blood-red lips and moon-like eyes. The singer acknowledges that he is attracted to her but wishes that they had never met. He sees her as a symbol of death, someone who kills men, and tempts him with passion. The shadows represent a place where he is able to indulge in his desires, but it comes at a cost.
The lyrics use the metaphor of shadows to explore the darker side of human nature. The woman in the song represents the temptation that people face when they are presented with something that is alluring but ultimately harmful. The shadows also represent a place where it is easier to hide one's true intentions and desires. The singer is drawn into the shadows by the woman, but he later regrets it and wishes that he could leave.
The song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of indulging in our darker impulses. It warns us that the shadows may offer temporary relief, but in the end, they can lead to our downfall. The lyrics remind us that sometimes it is better to resist temptation and stay in the light.
Line by Line Meaning
She said step into the shadow
She invited me into her dark side
Come out of the light
Leave the ordinary world behind
She offered me her cigarette
She offered me a gateway to her world
I said nah babe you're alright
I declined the invitation to her dark side
She said step into my shadow
She was persistent in her invitation to her dark side
I don't bark but I bite
She was dangerous and capable of harm
She said she's feeling thirsty
She was looking for something to satisfy her desires
She needs something tonight
She wanted to explore her dark desires that night
So step into the shadow
She was still inviting me to join her dark side
I now can't take my eyes of, her lips blood red
I was drawn to her seductive and dangerous nature
Redder than red
Her lips were tempting and alluring
Eyes like moons
Her eyes were mysterious and captivating
Carry me away from here
She was offering an escape from reality
She said let's find a cozy dive bar
She suggested going to a place where we could indulge in our desires
Or we can do this in the street
She was open to exploring our desires in public
She'll have a bloody Mary
She wanted to indulge in her desires
I need something to eat
I was looking for something to satisfy my hunger for her
She offered me my future self
She was offering to show me a different way of life
I offered her a light
I was open to exploring her dark side
Yeah I wish we never met
I regretted meeting her and being drawn into her world
I wish I never saw you standing there yeah
I wished I never had the opportunity to meet her
Your silhouette turned a switch in my head
Her image sparked a desire within me that I couldn't resist
A trick in my bed
She had seduced me and now I couldn't leave
You drew blood now it's hard for me to leave
She had harmed me emotionally and now it was difficult for me to move on
Now it's impossible to leave you
I was stuck in her world and couldn't escape
Death of a salesman, death of a salesman
I felt as though I had died to my former life
Oh yeah you killed a man
She had destroyed who I used to be
Yeah, a man on that run
I was running from reality and seeking refuge in her world
When you tempt me with the passionate, oh
She was tempting me with her intense desires
With the passionate, wish we never met
I wished I never fell into her tempting desires
Now I'm never gonna leave, this is who I wanna be
I had fully embraced her way of life and felt like it was who I truly was
Caught me on another side
She had introduced me to a different side of myself
That darker side, that newer side, that suicide
She had led me down a path that was dangerous and potentially self-destructive
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Boneth Ahaneku
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Debbie Cadbss
Oh yeah, this is beyond perfection!!! LOVE THIS BAND FOREVER!
Eka 7th
Eternal Band
Vick
we need this amazing song on Spotify right now!! ❤
Debbie Cadbss
Forever on replay!!
Leiska Leinonen
First time hearing this ever and I thought myself a proper fan of the band. How is this not one their greatest hits and never played live? Such a great song!
E P
Muito amor por uma banda ❤❤
Isis Bisogno
What a voice, what a voice!!! Eric Martin ❤️❤️❤️
Levi Salvini
He is LEGENDARY...
Andy Core
Easily one of Mr Big's best songs.
Gaby Mercado
Omg! Always giving us jems that we didn't know about. You guys are amazing! 🤘🏻🎩