Big Log
{{short description|1983 single by Robert Plant}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Big Log
| cover = Robert Plant - Big Log.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Robert Plant
| album = The Principle of Moments
| B-side = {{ubl|"Messin' with the Mekon" (UK)|"Far Post" (US)}}
| released = July 1983
| recorded = 1983
| studio = Rockfield Studios (Monmouth, Wales)
| venue =
| genre = *Soft rock{{Cite web|url=https://www.thisisdig.com/feature/robert-plant-solo-songs/|title=Best Robert Plant Solo Songs: 20 Essential Post-Led Zeppelin Tracks}}{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/robert-plant-essentials/pl.be1c3bb76850400eadc8ebc6170870c0|title=Robert Plant Essentials|website=Apple Music}}
- art rock{{cite book|chapter=Robert Plant|last2=Coleman|first2=Mark|last1=Skanse|first1=Robert|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|publisher=Simon & Schuster|edition=4th|year=2004|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|quote=“The Principle of Moments spawned two hits in 1983; the floating art rock of ‘Big Log’ and the warm R&B nostalgia of ‘In the Mood’ neatly represent Plant's diverse interests.”|pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/640 640]}}
| length = 5:03
| label = {{hlist|Es Paranza|Atlantic}}
| writer = {{hlist|Robert Plant|Robbie Blunt|Jezz Woodroffe}}
| producer = {{hlist|Robert Plant|Benji LeFevre|Pat Moran}}
| prev_title = Pledge Pin
| prev_year = 1982
| next_title = In the Mood
| next_year = 1983
| misc =
}}
"Big Log" is a song by English recording artist Robert Plant. The first single from his second solo studio album, The Principle of Moments (1983), it became his first top 40 solo hit, peaking at No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song also reached No. 6 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart. Neither of the words in the title appears in the lyrics.{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/Robert-plant-big-log-lyrics|title=Big Log - lyrics|publisher=Genius|accessdate=2021-09-23}}
Background
"I was messing about with the TR-808 drum machine and came up with the drum pattern and hand claps," recalled cowriter Jezz Woodroffe. "Robbie (Blunt, guitarist) arrived, liked the groove, and very quickly we had the main chords. The middle eight came from my Godwin string synth machine, and Robbie came up with the haunting theme. 'Big Log' was written in the middle of winter. We'd run out of fuel for the fire. We found the remains of an old tree lying outside, which was about 15 feet long, but had nothing to cut it with. So we put one end in the fire and slowly burnt it, till it was hollow."{{cite magazine|title=Where Are They Now? Jezz Woodroffe|magazine=Classic Rock|issue= 62 |date= January 2004 |page= 19}}
Music video
The video for the song was filmed around California and Nevada, including the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel in Death Valley Junction, California, the Calico Ghost Town in California, the Glass Pool Inn in Las Vegas, and in Crystal, Nye County, Nevada. It was directed by Storm Thorgerson.
Reception
Cash Box compared the synthesized drums and claps to Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" and praised Plant's vocal.{{cite magazine|title=Reviews|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1983/CB-1983-08-06.pdf|date=August 6, 1983|accessdate=2022-07-20|page=8}}
Track listing
Chart performance
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1983)
! Position |
|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1983|title=Jaaroverzichten 1983|publisher=Ultratop|accessdate=24 December 2020}}
| align="center"| 61 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1983|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1983|publisher=Dutch Top 40|accessdate=24 December 2020}}
| align="center"| 23 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1983&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1983|website=dutchcharts.nl|accessdate=24 December 2020}}
| align="center"| 37 |
{{col-end}}
Other versions
Bassist Viktor Krauss covered "Big Log" on his 2004 album Far from Enough. Krauss' sister Alison – who recorded Raising Sand with Plant three years later – sang lead vocals.{{cite web|last1=Monger|first1=James Christopher|title=Far from Enough - Viktor Krauss|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/far-from-enough-mw0000325342|website=AllMusic|access-date=21 January 2017}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{discogs master|40816|type=single}}
{{Robert Plant}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Big Log}}
Category:Songs written by Robert Plant
Category:Songs written by Robbie Blunt
Category:British soft rock songs
Category:Atlantic Records singles