B-side "Bed in the Corner" Format 7" Label EMI Records | Released 1 November 1974 Genre Pop, Rock | |
Length 4:34 (single version)
5:36 (full version) | ||
"Big Big Deal" is a song by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released as his debut solo single in 1974. It did not appear on any album and would be Harley's last release before his UK number one hit "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" in 1975. "Big Big Deal" preceded the formation of the second Cockney Rebel line-up. "Big Big Deal" was written and produced solely by Harley.
Contents
Background
Following the split of the original Cockney Rebel in August 1974, Harley found himself without a band. However, his label, EMI Records, were not dissuaded by the band's split, as Harley revealed in 2014: "The people at my record label, EMI, were right behind me. They believed I could find new band members without too much of a problem and continue on to a new level of success. They believed it wasn't a major stumbling block."
During the period of auditioning new musicians, Harley decided to keep the momentum of Cockney Rebel's recent hit releases going by releasing a solo single under his own name. The song featured original Cockney Rebel member Stuart Elliot on drums, and was recorded at Air Studios in London during September 1974.
Released as a single in November 1974, the single failed to enter the UK Top 50. However, it did enter the unnumbered BMRB's UK Breakers Chart on 23 November 1974 (which would be equal to a position somewhere between #51-60 on the UK Singles Chart, at a time when the national singles chart only ran to the Top 50.) Reportedly, the single was withdrawn by EMI not long after this. Regardless, the single was successful in keeping Harley in the public eye, and a new line-up for Cockney Rebel was found later in 1974.
In April 2016, the song was covered by Darren Hayman and the Papernut Cambridge. It was released as a double A-Side 7" single, along with a cover of the Paul Jones 1967 song "I've Been a Bad, Bad Boy".
Release
The single was released by EMI Records on 7" vinyl in the UK and Ireland, as well as Belgium and Germany. All releases of the single featured the B-Side "Bed in the Corner" which was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Alan Parsons. The B-Side was taken from the 1974 Cockney Rebel album The Psychomodo.
No picture sleeve was included with the UK or Irish versions of the single, however the German release featured a sleeve with a close-up photograph of Harley, while the Belgian version had different artwork - featuring a close-up of Harley performing on stage, holding a guitar. A promotional 7" vinyl version of "Big Big Deal" was also released in the UK.
Following its original release as a single, the track remained unavailable on any other release for a few years. It first appeared on the 1980 UK/European EMI vinyl compilation The Best of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel. It next appeared as a bonus track on the 1992 EMI CD re-issue of The Psychomodo album. The track later appeared on the 2006 compilation The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology, and on the 2012 Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974 compilation. The song appeared on disc two, while on disc three, the full version of the track was added, titled "Big Big Deal (Full Version)" which is approximately a minute longer than the original version. This full version was previously unreleased.
Promotion
No music video was filmed to promote the single. On 24 October 1974, Harley performed the track, along with "Bed in the Corner", live on the UK Kid Jensen 45 TV Show. A music advert to promote the single was released in Melody Maker on 9 November 1974, which highlighted the fact the single was Harley's "first solo single".
During October 1974, the new Cockney Rebel line-up, including Yvonne Keeley and Patricia Paay on backing vocals, included the song within their live set-list for the three concerts they performed that month.
Track listing
- "Big Big Deal" - 4:34
- "Bed in the Corner" - 3:33
- "Big Big Deal" - 4:34
- "Bed in the Corner" - 3:33
Critical reception
In the Look-In Magazine of 14 December 1974, a featured article/interview with Harley was published. Within the article, the author spoke of the "Big Big Deal" single, stating: "The latest single, "Big Big Deal" is written, produced and performed by Steve, and the new group's not on it. It's a sign of his individuality and talent, and he's worked hard to get where he is."
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic highlighted "Big Big Deal" as a standout track on the 2012 compilation Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974 by labeling it an AMG Pick Track.