The Crossing by Big Country - DeepRiffs

ALBUM

With producer Steve Lillywhite at the helm, Scotland's Big Country managed to deliver earnest, socially conscious arena anthems in a similar vein to U2 and The Alarm. The twist was their trademark bagpipe sound, achieved through the use of e-bow. The unique sound of "In a Big Country" garnered the band considerable attention and a Top 20 single in the U.S. The Crossing, however, is an album whose richness goes beyond the single. The more subdued "Chance" is more sparse and its personal lyrics are every bit as heartfelt as the more populist-inclined anthems like the wonderful "The Storm" or the thundering "Fields of Fire." The lyrics are straightforward and, despite the grand themes of many of the tracks, manage to steer clear of being overly pretentious. While this album earned the band a gold record, Big Country's sound and image (reinforced by the members tartan, checked shirts) resulted in them being tagged a novelty and they never duplicated their initial success in America. [The 2002 re-release includes several tracks not included on the original.] ~ Tom Demalon

1. In A Big Country

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Composer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Composer
Lyricist: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

2. Inwards

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson; Performer
Composer: Bruce Watson
Mark Brzezicki
Stuart Adamson
Tony Butler; Composer
Lyricist: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

3. Chance

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson; Performer
Composer: Bruce Watson
Mark Brzezicki
Stuart Adamson
Tony Butler; Composer
Lyricist: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

4. A Thousand Stars

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Bruce Watson
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Performer
Composer: Bruce Watson
Mark Brzezicki
Stuart Adamson
Tony Butler; Composer
Lyricist: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

5. The Storm

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson; Performer
Composer: Bruce Watson
Mark Brzezicki
Stuart Adamson
Tony Butler; Composer
Lyricist: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

6. Harvest Home

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson; Performer
Composer: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Composer
Lyricist: Bruce Watson
Stuart Adamson; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

7. Lost Patrol

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson; Performer
Composer: Bruce Watson
Mark Brzezicki
Stuart Adamson
Tony Butler; Composer
Lyricist: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

8. Close Action

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson; Performer
Composer: Bruce Watson
Mark Brzezicki
Stuart Adamson
Tony Butler; Composer
Lyricist: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

9. Fields Of Fire

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson; Performer
Composer: Bruce Watson
Mark Brzezicki
Stuart Adamson
Tony Butler; Composer
Lyricist: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

10. Porrohman

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson; Performer
Composer: Bruce Watson
Mark Brzezicki
Stuart Adamson
Tony Butler; Composer
Lyricist: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

11. Wonderland

Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Bruce Watson
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson; Performer
Composer: Mark Brzezicki
Stuart Adamson
Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Composer
Lyricist: Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson
Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson; Composer
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production

12. All Fall Together

Composer: Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production

13. Angle Park

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson; Performer
Composer: Bruce Watson
Stuart Adamson; Composer
Lyricist: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Steve Churchyard
Steve Lillywhite
Chris Thomas; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

14. The Crossing

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Butler
Bruce Watson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Tony Butler; Performer
Drums: Mark Brzezicki; Performer
Guitar: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson; Performer
Performer: Mark Brzezicki
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson; Performer
Vocals: Stuart Adamson; Performer
Composer: Bruce Watson
Mark Brzezicki
Stuart Adamson
Tony Butler; Composer
Lyricist: Stuart Adamson
Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Engineer: Will Gosling; Production
Producer: Big Country
Steve Lillywhite; Production
Studio Personnel: Will Gosling; Production

15. Chance

Primary Artist: Big Country; Main Performer
Composer: Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Lyricist: Bruce Watson
Tony Butler
Stuart Adamson
Mark Brzezicki; Composer
Producer: Steve Lillywhite; Production

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

15 tracks available

Type

ALBUM

Format

Digital Media

Duration

1 hour, 13 minutes and 33 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 1524x1524 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

CD Quality (Lossless)

16bit / 44.1 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

All tracks have lyrics

Synchronized Lyrics

12/15 tracks have synced lyrics

Genres

Pop/Rock, College Rock, Alternative, New Wave, Adult Alternative

Label

Island Def Jam

Music Distribution Service

UMG Global

Country

United Kingdom

Language

English (United States)

Popularity

Release Date

Jul 31, 1983

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

731454811729