Big Star

#1 Record (1972 Ardent Records)

1. Feel
2. The Ballad of El Goodo
3. In The Street
4. Thirteen
5. Don't Lie To Me
6. The India Song
7. When My Baby's Beside Me
8. My Life Is Right
9. Give Me Another Chance
10. Try Again
11. Watch The Sun Rise
12. St 100/6

Derek's Review
This is classic in the sense that it seems every pop band has followed this formula and Big Star gets little to no credit. When I first listened to this album I thought it sounded like a lot of other "pop" albums, but upon second thought, a lot of other "pop" albums sound like this one. That's the first realization. The second is that this is a tremendous collection of twelve three-minute gems that no classic rock radio station will ever play. This is the perfect combination from Alex Chilton (former lead singer of the Box Tops who had a hit song with "The Letter") and the late Chris Bell.

"Feel" starts off the album and is a song about a girl who is slowly killing a guy emotionally. This sort of theme will come up a little bit later as Big Star achieves less commercial success with each subsequent record. "The Ballad Of El Goodo" is more of a showcase for the amazing harmonies of Chris Bell and Alex Chilton. Lyrically, this song is depressing behind the lush harmonies: "Years ago my heart was set to live, oh/But I've been trying hard against strong odds/It gets so hard at times like now to hold on/Well, I'll fall if I don't fight, and at my side is God." You may recognize the song "In The Street" if you heard it, because it's the theme song to "That '70s Show." Honestly they couldn't have picked a greater song to be the theme song, and Cheap Trick does a perfect rendition of it. This song is one of the truest teenager songs I've ever heard. I've spent countless days doing the following: "The same old thing we did last week/Not a thing to do, but talk to you." "Thirteen" evokes a school-age quality with its lyrics about walking someone home from school, going to the pool, and asking a girl to a dance on a Friday night. It's another example of gorgeous harmonies over an acoustic guitar. "Don't Lie To Me" is the angriest song on this album and is the second song here that deals with the woes of women. "When My Baby's Besides Me" is a catchy song and it's a wonder it wasn't a smash hit back in the day. "Give Me Another Chance" is a ballad about asking for forgiveness and has gentle melodies. It's kind of amusing to read some of these lyrics and realize sometimes there are only five or six lines to a song like "Try Again." I kind of realize that I miss the simplicity and genius of songs like this one. "Watch The Sun Rise" is absolutely gorgeous. I'm not sure what "St 100/6" means, but it's a nice way to close the album. It's only four lines long, "Love me again/Be my friend/I need you now/I'll show you somehow," but it's effective and that's what is important.

This is a terrific album and any fan of 70s pop should own a copy. But I want to suggest that you buy the combination of this album with their follow-up album Radio City on one CD:

Derek's Picks: In The Street, Watch The Sunrise for starters, but every song is really good

Derek's Rating

Radio City (1973 Ardent Records)

1. O My Soul
2. Life Is White
3. Way Out West
4. What's Going Ahn
5. You Get What You Deserve
6. Mod Lang
7. Back Of A Car
8. Daisy Glaze
9. She's A Mover
10. September Gurls
11. Morpha Too
12. I'm In Love With A Girl

Derek's Review
Big Star becomes a three piece as guitarist/vocalist Chris Bell departs and Alex Chilton takes on all vocal duties now. This is still a great album, though, and Bell's presence is felt throughout. Chilton starts this album with the upbeat, swinging "O My Soul." Right away you can tell this is a continuation from the previous album. I love the lyrics on this song and how Chilton's voice goes higher when he's singing "You're really a nice girl/And I think you're the most/And when we're together/I feel like a boss." But my favorite lyric on the album comes a little later in the song when he sings "I can't get a license/To drive my car/But, I don't really need it/If I'm a big star." Sadly that wouldn't be true for Chilton. "Life Is White" is another ode to a failed relationship/friendship. That brings the count to three so far, if we include the previous album. "What's Going Ahn" makes the count four now. "I like love, but, I don't know/All these girls, they come and go/Always nothing left to say" croons Chilton. "You Get What You Deserve" starts out in a way that is reminiscent of his song with the Box Tops ("The Letter"). This is one of the more moody tracks on this album. "Mod Lang" has a quirky sound to it and it closes out what would be Side A of the record. Ironically, "Back Of A Car" isn't what you would expect it to be about. Instead of an epic song about sex, we get an awkward situation where the narrator wants to go back home. "Daisy Glaze" starts off in a psychedelic tone before turning up the beat and turning into a rocker. The lyrics go from a guy who is self-loathing because he's broken hearted about a girl to him going to a bar and trying to get with a whore and then proclaiming "And I'm thinking, Christ/Nullify my life, nullify my life/You're gonna die, yes, you're gonna die/Right now." Those are some of the most odd Chilton lyrics, but whatever works I guess, because no one was listening to Big Star at this point anyway. "September Gurls" is the obvious standout track from this album. It has nonsense lyrics, but that's okay because it's the melody and the overall effectiveness that count. The Bangles would later faithfully cover this on their incredibly popular album Different Light. "Morpha Too" reminds me of Paul McCartney singing, especially when it is backed by the piano. This brings us to the lovely "I'm In Love With A Girl." This is a great way to close out the album with a wonderful vocal from Chilton. The lyrics are optimistic and it's a good way to go out.

This is a terrific album and any fan of 70s pop should own a copy. But I want to suggest that you buy the combination of this album with their first album Radio City on one CD:

Derek's Picks: September Gurls, O My Soul, Life Is White

Derek's Rating