Big River (Jimmy Nail song)

"Big River" is a song written and performed by English singer and actor Jimmy Nail, included on his fourth studio album of the same name. The song was released as a single on 16 October 1995, reaching number 18 on the UK Singles Chart and number 10 in Hungary. In 2011, it was recorded by Joe McElderry for the DVD, Big River Big Songs: The Tyne.[2] McElderry also performed it for Sunday for Sammy in 2012.[3]

"Big River"
Single by Jimmy Nail
from the album Big River
B-side"Bitter and Twisted" (live)
Released16 October 1995 (1995-10-16)[1]
Length5:59
LabelEastWest
Songwriter(s)Jimmy Nail
Producer(s)
  • Danny Schogger
  • Jimmy Nail
Jimmy Nail singles chronology
"Only One Heart"
(1995)		 "Big River"
(1995)		 "Love"
(1995)

Background

The big river referred to in the title is the River Tyne that runs through Nail's home town, Newcastle upon Tyne. The song is an elegy to the days when shipbuilding and industry in general were at their height in Newcastle and laments the later decline of the industry and therefore the decline of the importance and activity of the Tyne itself. However, in the last chorus, the song takes a more hopeful turn, declaring that, "the river will rise again".

The guitar work on the song was provided by Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler, who features in the music video.[4] The song was adopted as an anthem by female workers in Liverpool during a lockout the following winter.[5]

Track listings

UK 7-inch single[6]

A. "Big River" – 5:59
B. "Bitter and Twisted" (live version) – 4:08

UK and European CD single[7]

  1. "Big River" – 5:59
  2. "Bitter and Twisted" (live version) – 4:08
  3. "What Kind of a Man Am I?" (live version) – 5:32

UK CD single 2[8]

  1. "Big River" – 5:59
  2. "Bitter and Twisted" (live version) – 4:08
  3. "What Kind of a Man Am I?" (live version) – 5:32
  4. "Big River" (radio edit) – 4:17

Charts
Chart (1995–1996) Peak
position
Hungary (Mahasz)[9] 10
Scotland (OCC)[10] 10
UK Singles (OCC)[11] 18

References
  1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 14 October 1995. p. 27. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  2. Joe’s made big Tyne on DVD Archived 22 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine jarrowandhebburngazette.com. Retrieved on 27 November 2011.
  3. Sunday for Sammy 2012, MWMDVD106, Dir. Geoff Wonfor, Prod. Ray Laidlaw
  4. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Jimmy Nail & Mark Knopfler - Big River (Original Video Clip). YouTube.
  5. Michael Lavalette; Jane Kennedy (December 1996). Solidarity on the waterfront: the Liverpool lock out of 1995/96. Liver Press. ISBN 978-1-871201-06-2.
  6. Big River (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Jimmy Nail. EastWest Records. 1995. EW008CD, 0630-12534-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. Big River (UK & European CD single liner notes). Jimmy Nail. EastWest Records. 1995. EW008CD, 0630-12861-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. Big River (UK CD single liner notes). Jimmy Nail. EastWest Records. 1995. EW008CD, 0630-12533-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 5. 3 February 1996. p. 13. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  10. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  11. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
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