Big Time

Peter Gabriel

I'm on my way, I'm making it
I've got to make it show, yeah
So much larger than life
I'm going to watch it growing

The place where I come from is a small town
They think so small
They use small words
But not me
I'm smarter than that
I worked it out
I've been stretching my mouth
To let those big words come right out

I've had enough, I'm getting out
To the city, the big big city
I'll be a big noise with all the big boys
There's so much stuff I will own
And I will pray to a big god
As I kneel in the big church

Big time
I'm on my way-I'm making it
Big time big time
I've got to make it show yeah
Big time big time
So much larger than life
Big time
I'm going to watch it growing
Big time

My parties all have big names
And I greet them with the widest smile
Tell them how my life is one big adventure
And always they're amazed
When I show them 'round my house, to my bed
I had it made like a mountain range
With a snow-white pillow for my big fat head
And my heaven will be a big heaven
And I will walk through the front door

Big time
I'm on my way, I'm making it
Big time
Big time
I've got to make it show, yeah
Big time
Big time
So much larger than life
Big time
I'm going to watch it growing
Big time
Big time
My car is getting bigger
Big time
My house getting bigger
Big time
My eyes getting bigger
Big time
And my mouth
Big time
My belly is getting bigger
Big time
And my bank account
Big time
Look at my circumstance
Big time
And the bulge in my big big big big big big
Big big big big big big big big big


Lyrics submitted by fez

Big Time Lyrics as written by Peter Gabriel

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Big Time song meanings
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21 Comments

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  • +3
    General CommentThis is a great song. I think there is no mystery as to its meaning. It's clearly a hugely negative commentary on commercialism and materialism which we are taught to worship at the expense of substance, value, and humanity. My favorite lines?

    1) my heaven will be a big heaven and I will walk through the front door
    2) I will pray to a big god as I kneel in the big church
    3) I show them round my house, to my bed...I had it made like a mountain range with a snow-white pillow for my big fat head

    Peter Gabriel is brilliant and unafraid. Gotta love that!
    naimawanon July 04, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General CommentI've never paid attention to the last line in the song...
    Thia007on November 18, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General CommentTo me, this song is about, quite literally, a man's ambitions as he moves from the small town life to the "Big Time". The way it's presented kind of evokes a certain naivete, with the singer expecting to be so great and so happy in his new life. It suggests that reality may come crashing down around him soon.

    I too have felt this way. As a child, I moved from a rural area in North Carolina to Raleigh, the capital city. I was on my way up, and I was excited. I wasn't ready for reality, and I got a dose of it. But this song isn't about reality - it's about anticipation, and that's something we can all empathize with.
    asutboneon September 16, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General CommentThe theme song for this year's WWE WrestleMania 22 in Chicago!
    fmptomason January 10, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI think that this is sarcasticaly making fun of cocky celebrities.
    sexy-man-beaston December 24, 2006   Link
  • +1
    Song MeaningWow, I am shocked everyone missed the biggest thing about this song. Didn't anybody notice the irony that a song about being "Big" and "great" uses no polysyllabic words?

    "The place that I come from is a small town. They think so small, they use small words. but not me." Except he describes his greatness almost completely in monosyllabic words.

    One of the most fervently ironic (and self-mocking) songs ever written.
    HappyHiramon May 28, 2016   Link
  • 0
    General CommentSure, it's about ambition, and about the way ambition changes your image of yourself - the video has a *great* time playing around with the clichés of stardom, with Peter multiplied by twenty screens.

    Beautiful guitar playing too. I love the funky, flexible riff that Robert Fripp pushes out on top of the track.
    tinderboxon March 10, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentEveryone says it's about 80's narcissism, yuppies and such. I don't doubt it.

    What is it that Peter says at the beginning? It sounds to me like "Hi there," but the lyrics in "So's" booklet say "Suc cess." What is it?
    Sillstawon June 08, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti just find that weeeeeird...why did he agree to that?...anyhow..he says hi there..i think the suc cess thing is just a precurser to the song or whatever..
    RedRavenon February 07, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentyes people i guess you've all got it! anyway this song is like a perfect party song along with kate bush's "big sky", both BIG SONGS ;D
    carrotkinson April 17, 2007   Link

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