A tribute to Stuart Adamson.

From school to college through to uni. From first job to first partner to first break up, Big Country has had a song for every occasion and my every mood. Whether it’s a rousing foot stomper, a thought provoker that exposes the world for the charade it is, or just a knuckle-bitingly pretty song, I’ve come to love them all. Even now, after all these years, the songs never fail to put a smile on my face, either because of their musical brilliance, or because of the memories they invoke.

Stuart Adamson - a big-hearted, deeply charismatic man - would have been 50 this month, had his rotten demons not finally got to him. I still don't get why someone who was loved so much topped himself, but that's a question we'll ask forever.

Meantime, thanks to St. Youtube, here's a few gems from Big Country's back catalogue of immense richness to enjoy.

Hey Stu...happy Birthday, Big Man.

Alone

'...for I have been a lost and lonely sailor on your sea, run aground by trusting signals you were givin' me'

YouTube - Big Country - Alone

East of Eden:
YouTube - Big Country - East of Eden

Just a shadow:
YouTube - Big Country - Just A Shadow

13 valleys:
YouTube - Big Country - Broken Heart (13 Valleys)

1,000 yard stare
YouTube - Thousand Yard Stare

grace:
YouTube - "Grace"

you, me and the truth:
YouTube - "you, me and the truth"

tracks of my tears:
YouTube - " tracks of my tears"

Ghosts:
Stu's deamons are here, sadly: In the song, he banishes his demons. In life he didn't

YouTube - "too many ghosts"

Chance:
YouTube - Big Country - Chance

And the best known:
'I'm not expecting to grow flowers in the desert, but I can look and breath and see the sun in winter-time.'

Coz you gotta love - and be inspired - by the sheer optimisim of this song:

Country:
YouTube - Big Country - In A Big Country (HQ AV)

Happy birthday Stu. But I so wanna punch you for ending it the way you did. Grrr....

g

Preferred the Skids I'm afraid. But he was a great guitarist, sad to see him go. Never forget seeing the Skids live - what a combination, his great guitar playing and Richard Jobson's ridiculous dancing.

Into The Valley!

An old punk

I had some on the the car the other day.

TBH I didn't know he'd gone.

Fav track probably "The Storm" from
The Crossing.

Originally Posted by Nev

I had some on the the car the other day.

TBH I didn't know he'd gone.

Fav track probably "The Storm" from
The Crossing.

yep Nev, Stu topped himself (grrrrr!) about seven years ago - i was shocked beyond all belief when i heard. And more than a little cross

listen to 'Ghosts'; as it's his last song, it tells you all you need to know about his state of mind. An early warning if you like of his frame of mind...all the clues are there but did anyone listen? i don't know...

'The Storm' is a formidable track, for sure

g

Nice, some of that 80's pop-rock that I still love.

I'm a metalhead, but remember, I grew up listening to this music.

Thanks g.

i seem to remember that i bought a single once


they were fun

I saw them at Reading in 1983. One of their flash bomb lighting things went a bit wrong and a few people were treated for minor burns. Blooming good though.

Originally Posted by steveisfrowning

i seem to remember that i bought a single once


they were fun

they were indeed a lot of fun. An acquired taste maybe , but their (big) melodic heart was in the right place.

For me, anyway

g

i would not go far to say I was a FAN - by the way

Originally Posted by steveisfrowning

i would not go far to say I was a FAN - by the way

i know

and i know what you think of them bud. And i'm not angling to change your point of view...just wanted to use this landmark to share my enthusiasm for what i think was a deeply under-rated group, on the 50th birthday of their wonderfully talented and charming lead singer/songwriter.

I've many of their live albums, and Stu's banter with the crowd is just hysterical

g

i'm smiling

takes me back






sorry for being a prick

hey, get over yourself; you're not being a prick.

You've said they're fun and they brought back memories...that's good stuff, stuff shared and enjoyed. It needn't be any more complicated or significant than that.

g

hey g, big country were a mainstay of my music collection in the mid/late 80's - the soundtrack to my teenage angst loved the steeltown album - where the rose is sown, just a shadow, girl with grey eyes etc (not sure if they were all on steeltown but same era!). read an article last year about stuart adamson, he was a very troubled man

Originally Posted by ACAPULCO AL

hey g, big country were a mainstay of my music collection in the mid/late 80's - the soundtrack to my teenage angst loved the steeltown album - where the rose is sown, just a shadow, girl with grey eyes etc (not sure if they were all on steeltown but same era!). read an article last year about stuart adamson, he was a very troubled man

yep bud they were all tunes and a half. Quality stuff, whatever album they were from 'Just a shadow' is a song that scares me...it reminds me how easy it is to become a cog, and to just slip into oblivion, and then look back and see that after years of toil, you're worth nowt. Pretty chilling

'...like a garden in a forest that the world will never see'. I don't want to be that garden... :-(

Such a tune

g

Great tribute
Always loved BC, went to see them in Bradford, my personal fave is Porrohman. RIP Stuart

Big Country counts as one of my all time favourite bands.... more for the centimental value rather than (just) the great music....

In a Big country is an incredibly powerful song to me.... Like you said G.... they always seemed to have a song that hit the right emotions at the right time.

Stuart Adamson taking his own life was a real shocker to me.... tha man battled his deamons for a long time though.....

i had completely forgotten about this band,gonna spend the afternoon digging out their records(yep, still got the stuff on vinyl).
first track that is gonna get played? The Storm.

many thnks for reminding me of them