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Welcome to the archived messages from In The 00s. This archive stretches back to 1998 in some instances, and contains a nearly complete record of all the messages posted to inthe00s.com. You will also find an archive of the messages from inthe70s.com, inthe80s.com, inthe90s.com and amiright.com before they were combined to form the inthe00s.com messageboard.

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Subject: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: the_OlLine_Rebel on 12/17/02 at 10:59 a.m.

I'm totally baffled.  Now, it's probably been bandied about on this board, but only since I've been on another site has this mystery really come to the fore.  Please bear w/me if you don't understand!

I've never heard of the song "In a Big Country" - yes, someone even gave me a file to hear and I KNOW I have never, ever, ever heard it.

Yet, this seems to be very popular and it's threatening to win a 80s popularity contest on that site!

Somebody told me the song was #17 on Billboard 1983, but on my Billboard listings I see this song not at all!  They're not talking British charts, are they?

Am I totally crazy or senile?  Seriously, even "minor" hits I usually recognize a bit once they're played!   ??? ??? ???

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: Rice Cube on 12/17/02 at 11:01 a.m.

Try this link...maybe it will help you figure out which CD to buy :)

http://www.geocities.com/inasteeltown/l-iabc.html

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: the_OlLine_Rebel on 12/17/02 at 11:32 a.m.


Quoting:
Try this link...maybe it will help you figure out which CD to buy :)

http://www.geocities.com/inasteeltown/l-iabc.html
End Quote



Thanks, but I don't want to!  I heard the thing today and have no clue.  In a nutshell:

a)  Do you know the song?
if yes
b)  Did you know the song in the '80s?
if yes
c)  Did it seem to be a real hit?  (As in, did it play alot or not much, etc)

I'm just trying to see how out of it I was or wasn't, or how nuts or senile now!

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: DJ Midas on 12/17/02 at 11:58 a.m.

a)  Yes.  It was a staple on 80's night at Five-O.
b)  Yes.  
c)  It seemed to get a bit of airplay on MTV back in '83 when they played videos, and I heard it on the radio, probably not as often as radio stations play the same songs over and over again.

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: MCSEGuy on 12/17/02 at 01:14 p.m.


Quoting:
I'm totally baffled.  Now, it's probably been bandied about on this board, but only since I've been on another site has this mystery really come to the fore.  Please bear w/me if you don't understand!

I've never heard of the song "In a Big Country" - yes, someone even gave me a file to hear and I KNOW I have never, ever, ever heard it.

Yet, this seems to be very popular and it's threatening to win a 80s popularity contest on that site!

Somebody told me the song was #17 on Billboard 1983, but on my Billboard listings I see this song not at all!  They're not talking British charts, are they?

Am I totally crazy or senile?  Seriously, even "minor" hits I usually recognize a bit once they're played!   ??? ??? ???
End Quote



Compilation CD: The 80's Hit(s) Back III.

MCSEGuy

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: John_Seminal on 12/17/02 at 01:25 p.m.

i remember in a big country. it may be one of those 80's songs that finds its way on more compilation cd's than airtime in the 80s. it is not a bad song. listen to it a few dozen times and you will hear the deep voice found only in 80s songs. i now like it more than phill collins, who probably had 100 times as much airplay.

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: John_Seminal on 12/17/02 at 01:27 p.m.


Quoting:
I'm totally baffled.  Now, it's probably been bandied about on this board, but only since I've been on another site has this mystery really come to the fore.  Please bear w/me if you don't understand!

I've never heard of the song "In a Big Country" - yes, someone even gave me a file to hear and I KNOW I have never, ever, ever heard it.

Yet, this seems to be very popular and it's threatening to win a 80s popularity contest on that site!

Somebody told me the song was #17 on Billboard 1983, but on my Billboard listings I see this song not at all!  They're not talking British charts, are they?

Am I totally crazy or senile?  Seriously, even "minor" hits I usually recognize a bit once they're played!   ??? ??? ???
End Quote


Hey, I LOVE Cindy Lopper. Cool avitar!

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: the_OlLine_Rebel on 12/17/02 at 01:56 p.m.

OK, I'm becoming convinced....it's official, I'm nuts.   :'(

Well, at least John's comment can perk me up a bit....thanks, John!  (If you want it, just choose from the list in the Profile section....I don't have many pix I can put on there myself.)

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: FussBudgetVanPelt on 12/18/02 at 02:43 a.m.

Rebel

Huge hit in Aus (I realise that's not totally relevant to your question...)

Also had big success with follow up hits :

East Of Eden
Chance
One Great Thing
and
Look Away

Worth a listen if you ever get a chance

FB  ;)

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: Gis on 12/18/02 at 03:39 a.m.

Big Country were a Scottish band and were big in the U.K all through the 80's with quite a few hits.

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: Revolution_Baby on 12/18/02 at 04:08 a.m.

A timely post indeed...
Sadly, the great voice behind Big Country, Stuart Adamson passed away suddenly on December 16 2001 - almost a year to this day.
As mentioned before, the song was a HUGE hit in Oz.

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: southernspitfire on 12/18/02 at 11:49 a.m.

I heard the other day he commited suicide......what a waste.....he had such a great voice :-/

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: Katrinawitch on 12/19/02 at 02:24 p.m.

Yes, it was quite a big hit in the NYC area back in the early 80's, and did heavy rotation on MTV.  I think it's one of the more recognizable hits of the time, and even now it gets a lot of airplay on the all-80's radio station near me.

Yep, it was sad about Stuart Adamson.

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: L'Etranger on 12/19/02 at 02:31 p.m.

"Fields Of Fire" and "The Crossing" were played quite a bit... in Latin America! :) :D ;D The "In A Big Country" video was in heavy rotation on music video programmes. Good songs. You should also try The Skids if you like Big Country.

Subject: Re: In search of.....

Written By: jomap777 on 04/18/03 at 09:55 a.m.

My first CD was The Seer. I absolutely loved that album. Big Country was definitely one of my top bands in the 80s. I still enjoy listening to their stuff. Below is how their albums and songs charted on Billboard in the U.S.

Year Album                  Chart                  Highest Position
1983 The Crossing       The Billboard 200                 No. 18
1983 The Crossing       Pop Albums                        No. 18
1984 Wonderland         The Billboard 200                 No. 65
1984 Steeltown          The Billboard 200                 No. 70
1984 The Crossing       The Billboard 200                 No. 26
1985 Steeltown          The Billboard 200                 No. 70
1986 The Seer           The Billboard 200                 No. 59
1988 Peace In Our Time  The Billboard 200                 No. 160

Year Single                Chart                   Highest Position
1983 IN A BIG COUNTRY  Hot Dance Music/Club Play          No. 47
1983 In A Big Country  Mainstream Rock                    No. 3
1983 In A Big Country  Pop Singles                        No. 17
1984 Fields Of Fire    The Billboard Hot 100              No. 52
1984 Wonderland        The Billboard Hot 100              No. 86
1984 In A Big Country  The Billboard Hot 100              No. 35
1986 Look Away         Mainstream Rock Tracks             No. 5
1988 King Of Emotion   Mainstream Rock Tracks             No. 20
1988 King Of Emotion   Modern Rock Tracks                 No. 11
1993 The One I Love    Mainstream Rock Tracks             No. 34
1993 The One I Love    Modern Rock Tracks                 No. 17

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: MissInformation on 04/18/03 at 10:23 a.m.

I knew the song in the 80s, it was played a lot in Baltimore, the video was played often as well, I thought the lead singer was adorable with those high cheekbones of his, and I love the line "I never took the smile away from anybody's face and that's a desperate way to look for someone who is still a child."  They are often listed as a one hit wonder, but their other song, Fields Of Fire did make it onto the charts as well.

But don't feel bad, there are plenty of songs from the 80s I've never heard of!

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/18/03 at 11:40 a.m.

I do remember the song. The played it quite a bit in the early 80s and then it disappeared. Haven't heard it in a long time.



Cat

Subject: Re: In search of.....

Written By: FOXVOX on 04/18/03 at 07:22 p.m.

A lot of stations revived the song for a while after Stuart Adamson, er... passed away .  I was a huge, huge, huge fan.  Subsequent Big Country releases got most of their airplay from AOR stations.  I liked to segue it out of "Run Run Away" from Slade.  Simulated bagpipes are cool.   8)

Jomap:  that looks like a nice, broad, yet thorough reference publication you have there, care to share?   ;D  Welcome, BTW.  Glad to see ya here!!!

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: jomap777 on 04/19/03 at 01:54 p.m.

Tnx, FOXVOX! I'm glad to be here!  ;)

That info came from www.allmusic.com
I love browsing about that site!

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: Secret Squirrel on 04/19/03 at 08:01 p.m.

That song was played alot in the early 80's in my area.  I share it on KaZaA Lite and I get it d/l'ed often.

On another note, anyone know any truth to the story that the lead singer from "Big Country" became a missing person in the late 80's and that his body and his van were found at the bottom of a ravine somewhere in Colorado?   ???  I vaguely recall about a year or so ago reading about it in the newspaper.  Unless I am getting it confused with another band all together.  I think a band member from Loverboy fell off a sailboat just off the coast of California under somewhat unusual circumstances.  I may be wrong.

Subject: Re: In search of....."In a Big Country"

Written By: RockandRollFan on 04/20/03 at 10:36 a.m.

Here is a letter from the group Loverboy...as it appears on thier website:

Scott Smith
1955-2000

It is never supposed to happen to you… At least that is how the saying goes.

However in December 2000 it did happen to us, all of us. We lost our great friend and band-mate Scott Smith in a terrible boating accident. It is still hard to believe. He was a great father, musician and an irreplaceable friend to all of us. We all deeply miss Scott. More than words can say.

Scott was our "word-Smith." When it came to liner notes for albums, it was he who always came up with a witty and entertaining anecdote for all the things we had done. He had a way of seeing all of us with a sense of humor that sometimes escapes a group of guys that have been together for 20 years.

Scott was a major part of this live CD and very excited about it's release, and although he will not be with us to share this moment we know he is watching from the best seat in the house.

Live Loud and Loose is for the true Loverboy fans out there. Please listen, and know how proud of this band he was and how he helped spread a little happiness to all who knew him.

We love you Scott.

Loverboy


As for Big Country:

Big Country's Stuart Adamson dead in hotel

Body of Scots-born rock musician found in Honolulu... he was 43 and had dropped out of sight after a relapse into alcoholism