A talented singer and bass guitarist, trained in classical piano and percussion, she joined her sisters in the 60s Detroit garage rock group The Pleasure Seekers whilst still in her teens and never looked back. By the early 70s, Suzi went off to England to work with producer Mickie Most, while her sister Patti joined the all-woman rock band Fanny. An underground following spread around Suzi's charisma and powerful singing.
Suzi found herself singing the material of songwriting duo Chinn & Chapman, musicians who were also having hits with Sweet. Combining shades of bubblegum pop with a hard rock spirit, similar to the power pop ethos of the era, Suzi embraced the glam sound. Under their tutelage, she had four top ten rock hits in the U.K., but she remained mostly unknown in the U.S.
However, her U.K. fame expanded through the 70s, with Suzi becoming a successful solo singer, bassist, and songwriter with a string of charting hits. Her appeal extended into the 80s while many of her contempoaries broke up. Notable songs of his period include "Can The Can", "Devil Gate Drive", "Tear Me Apart", and "The Wild One", among many others.
Suzi extended her career to television in 1979 when she guest starred for three seasons on the hit television series 'Happy Days'. She played the character Leather Tuscadero, who was the younger sister of Fonzie's love interest, Pinky Tuscadero. In 1979, at the height of the disco era, she finally made the U.S. Top Five with the track "Stumblin' In", a duet with Chris Norman.
In her musical career she has had 16 hit singles, sold over 45 million records and toured since 1964. She has also had guest appearances in the Runaways documentary "Edgeplay" and various UK television shows including Minder, Dempsey And Makepeace and Absolutely Fabulous.
In 1990, Suzi trod the boards in London's West End playing the lead in the musical Annie Get Your Gun and wrote and starred in a musical about Talullah Bankhead.
Suzi continues to write, perform and record her own original material and has a forthcoming new album Naked Under Leather. She also hosts an excellent show on BBC Radio 2.
Quatro's first single "Rolling Stone" did not achieve popularity anywhere except Portugal, where it made number one. Most introduced Quatro to the songwriting and production team Nicky Chinn/Mike Chapman. Her second single "Can the Can" (1973) was a number one hit throughout Europe and in Australia. It was followed up by three further hits: "48 Crash" (1973), "Daytona Demon" (1973) and "Devil Gate Drive" (1974) on RAK Records. Her first two albums were also European and Australian successes.
These recordings, however, met little success in her native U.S., despite tours in the mid-1970s supporting Alice Cooper, and, except in Australia, the popularity of Quatro's rocking glam rock declined from 1975. In the interim, she did enjoy success as a session player.
Quatro's fortunes did not change until 1978 when "If You Can't Give Me Love" became a hit in the UK and Australia. This did nothing to prompt Stateside success, but "Stumblin' In", a duet recorded that same year for RSO Records with Chris Norman of Smokie secured a #4 peak in the U.S. Both tracks featured on the "If You Knew Suzi" album. A year later, Quatro released "Suzi... And Other Four Letter Words". She called it her favourite album. This featured singles, such as "She's In Love With You", which made number 11 in the UK , "Mama's Boy" (34) and "I've Never Been In Love" (56). In 1980, her song "Rock Hard" was featured on the soundtrack of the cult film Times Square, along with some punk and new wave bands like Talking Heads, Ramones, XTC and The Pretenders. This success period proved brief however, and her last UK hit was "Heart of Stone" in late 1982. In 1985 Quatro collaborated with Bronski Beat and members of The Kinks, Eddie and the Hot Rods, and Dr Feelgood on the Mark Cunningham-produced version of David Bowie's classic "Heroes", released the following year as the 1986 BBC "Children In Need" single.
In December 2005, a documentary chronicling Quatro's life, "Naked under leather" directed by former Runaway Victory Tischler Blue appeared. In February 2006, Quatro released "Back To the Drive", produced by Sweet guitarist Andy Scott. The album's title track was penned by her former collaborator Mike Chapman.
March 2007 saw Quatro release a version of The Eagles' "Desperado", followed by the publication of her autobiography, "Unzipped".
Suzi Quatro has sold over 45 million records.
http://www.suziquatro.com
Too Big
Suzi Quatro Lyrics
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Well, you can take a passion-lovin' panther
Make him week at the knees
You can shake him like a rattle, and roll him like a dice
But, honey, you know I'm too big to be nice
I gave away my independence to all them evil guys
And when I got too hot they put my lips on ice
Now I don't hold out with those wise-guys. I see through their disguise
Well, I don't know all the answers, but I guess I know my share
And I've taken all the chances, but I never really care
Because I'm too big to be used
You know I'm too big for my boots
You know I'm too big to be abused
And honey...I never lose!
Now listen baby, watch the way you walk
And when it comes to talkin', watch the way you talk
He'll tear ya down and break ya and he'll make you if he can
But, honey, you're too big, too big for that man
You know he can't understand ya. You're breakin' all the rules
He's tried so hard to land ya. Just send him back to school
Because you're too big to be used
You know you're too big for your boots
You know you're too big to be abused
And honey...you'll never lose!
The lyrics of Suzi Quatro's "Too Big" talk about a woman who has been through a lot and has learned from those experiences. In the chorus, she repeats the line, "You know I'm too big to be used" and "You know I'm too big for my boots" which means that she is not someone who can be taken advantage of or manipulated. She has a lot of confidence, knowing that she is wise enough to see through the lies and tricks of some people. The songwriter also advises other women to be careful of how they interact with men. The cautionary lyrics emphasize the need for women to stand by their beliefs and not let anyone control them.
The verses of the song clarify the message of "Too Big." The woman in the song knows that she is attractive and passionate, and that can make some men weak. However, she has also learned the harsh reality that some men only want to use her, and they will do whatever it takes to get what they want. In the third verse, she tells other women to "watch the way you walk" and "watch the way you talk," warning them about men who may try to tear them down, but they are too big to be consumed by their criticism.
Overall, "Too Big" is a song that speaks to women's empowerment, suggesting that everyone should be aware of their worth, stand by their beliefs and not let anyone use them.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, sugar-honey you've gotta act like me
Hey, sweetie, you need to follow my lead and be confident like me.
Well, you can take a passion-lovin' panther
Make him week at the knees
You can shake him like a rattle, and roll him like a dice
I am so irresistible that I can make even the strongest man weak and easily manipulate him.
But, honey, you know I'm too big to be nice
I am too powerful and independent to be just 'nice.'
I gave away my independence to all them evil guys
And when I got too hot they put my lips on ice
Now I don't hold out with those wise-guys. I see through their disguise
'Cause, honey, you know I'm too big to be fooled twice
In the past, I trusted and relied on bad men who silenced me when I spoke out. Now, I stay away from them and can see through their lies and games.
Well, I don't know all the answers, but I guess I know my share
And I've taken all the chances, but I never really care
Because I'm too big to be used
You know I'm too big for my boots
You know I'm too big to be abused
And honey...I never lose!
I might not have all the answers or care about taking risks, but I am always in control and can never be used, underestimated or mistreated.
Now listen baby, watch the way you walk
And when it comes to talkin', watch the way you talk
He'll tear ya down and break ya and he'll make you if he can
But, honey, you're too big, too big for that man
I am warning you, dear, to be careful and confident when walking and talking around men who will try to bring you down, but I firmly believe that you are too smart and strong for them.
You know he can't understand ya. You're breakin' all the rules
He's tried so hard to land ya. Just send him back to school
Because you're too big to be used
You know you're too big for your boots
You know you're too big to be abused
And honey...you'll never lose!
You are a rule-breaker and independent woman who can see through men's attempts to seduce you. Don't let them use, underestimate or mistreat you because you are too powerful and clever for that.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL DONALD CHAPMAN, NICHOLAS BARRY CHINN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind