Mr. Big-To be with you

I'm a big fan of Todd in the Shadows, despite the fact that most of what he reviews is pop music (though he doesnt exactly have glowing reviews of much of that genre). However, here's a retrospective he did about Mr. Big, in particular, the song "To Be With You"

http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/teamt/tis/one-hit-wonderland/40342-one-hit-wonderland-to-be-with-you-by-mr-big

Was a great listen and being that they charted with other hits, does that make them a ONE HIT WONDER?

That album was derivative as hell but a masterpiece as far as pop production and technical precision is concerned. That song however? Pure shit. Sounds like the bible songs we sang around the campfire.

corplhicks wrote:

That album was derivative as hell but a masterpiece as far as pop production and technical precision is concerned. That song however? Pure shit. Sounds like the bible songs we sang around the campfire.

I love that song   as I love most all 80's ballads... When I was younger I used to play the melody of To Be With You on guitar for the girls and the rest is history  

I own that Mr. Big album, but I frickin hate that song... thankfully it's the last track on the CD so I can hit "stop" before it comes on

Fat Freddy wrote:

I own that Mr. Big album, but I frickin hate that song... thankfully it's the last track on the CD so I can hit "stop" before it comes on

Same here. It's sad to admit, but I figured everything had to be just as bad from Mr. Big, due to that one song. That song was just that horrendous.

There are so many ballads, like More Than Words, that are so much better and less campy than To Be With You.

But to avoid being a hypocrite...I must say my wife enjoys it when I sing this to her. So yeah, I do sing it for her. But that's probably because my wife is way cooler than that song will ever be.

They had other songs?!  .......god, I hated that song....and I love a good ballad.

MY favorites off that album were Green-Tinted Sixties Mind (killer intro) and My Kind of Woman. But still, we have to admit that originality was not at play here, even though the songs were well-crafted pop and played with sizzle.

I also hated Just Take My Heart, although it has a gorgeous intro (should be a separate track). Cliched muck...the band just couldn't write a sincere ballad.

I use to own Lean Into It and their debut on cassette back in the day, but they weren't that great to me. I expected so much more from the talent involved. To Be With You was an okay song and my wife loved it (still does). Oh well, it was great for them.

I never gave them much thought until my friend who was a guitar player said that the music on the album was pretty good and I suppose that is to be expected with who played on the album.

Still hate To Be With You  

Quote :

Same here. It's sad to admit, but I figured everything had to be just as bad from Mr. Big, due to that one song. That song was just that horrendous

Yep, it was years 'n' years before I gave them a chance, in fact I only picked up the Lean Into It CD maybe two years ago, tops. I found it at a yard sale and figured "Ehh, I hate that damn song but maybe it'll make decent trade bait"...but then I gave the disc a spin before putting it on my trade list and dammit, I hated to admit it but the rest of the album was actually pretty good. I was like, "Who knew?"

  

Fat Freddy wrote:

I own that Mr. Big album, but I frickin hate that song... thankfully it's the last track on the CD so I can hit "stop" before it comes on

I own the album, like the rest of the album, but I hate that damn song

You wanna know the worst part about it? Since I saw this post this afternoon, I've been humming it all damn day.

That is one of the songs played at my wedding. My wife's pick, but it's not a bad song. A bit sappy though.

Hated it at first, but it grew on me after some time. It's a decent song, but there are way better hair metal ballads out there.

I like the song well enough, even though I never cared much for the band. I had their debut and Lean Into It but got rid of them during a purge.

I find the song annoying...... that said, the musicians in the band are excellent - I just don't like the songs they wrote

thejokeriv wrote:

I find the song annoying...... that said, the musicians in the band are excellent - I just don't like the songs they wrote

I'm a huge Paul Gilbert fan, but I always felt he did much better stuff outside of Mr. Big. I always thought that he and Billy Sheehan held back as to not overpower the songs themselves. The electric drill thing was cool though.  

I've always liked that song & the rest of their music.

Cant really say i like Mr. Big, though i do like the songs Green-Tinted Sixties Mind (todd was right about how it'll get stuck in your head) and Just Take My Heart. I tried to get into the rest of their stuff but it never really registered with me.

Good players sitting on their above-average skills to write primarily boring music that is easily digestible by undiscerning middle-of-the-road hard rock fans.

 

Screw the haters...Mr. Big rules.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Screw the haters...Mr. Big rules.

...in Japan maybe.