Big Big Deal
| "Big Big Deal" | ||||
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| Single by Steve Harley | ||||
| B-side | "Bed in the Corner" | |||
| Released | 1 November 1974 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Genre | Pop, Rock | |||
| Length |
4:34 (single version) 5:36 (full version) |
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| Label | EMI Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Steve Harley | |||
| Producer(s) | Steve Harley | |||
| Steve Harley singles chronology | ||||
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| Alternative Cover | ||||
Belgian cover of "Big Big Deal"
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"Big Big Deal" is a song by the British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released as his debut, non-album solo single in 1974. It was written and produced by Harley, 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.
At the end of an extensive UK tour, the split of Cockney Rebel in July 1974 left Harley 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 and finalising a new line-up, Harley decided to keep the momentum of Cockney Rebel's recent hit releases going by releasing a solo single. With Cockney Rebel drummer Stuart Elliott, Harley recorded "Big Big Deal" at Air Studios, London during September 1974.
Released as a single in November 1974, "Big Big Deal" failed to enter the UK Top 50. However, it did enter the unnumbered BMRB 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). Regardless, the single was successful in keeping Harley in the public eye, while the new line-up for Cockney Rebel was formed.
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".
"Big Big Deal" was released by EMI Records on 7" vinyl in the UK, Ireland, Belgium and Germany. The B-side, "Bed in the Corner", was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Alan Parsons. It 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. A promotional 7" vinyl of the single was also released in the UK.
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Wikipedia