www.ChrisRea.nl

I've been listening to Blue Cafe CD lately and really like this song but don't know the background to this song and what it's about. Can anyone give me some clues as to what this is about?

Oh you've been so long
In the shadows of the big man
How long can you take it
How far can you go
Don't you know how strong
In the shadows of the big man
While he smiles in the sunlight
You can die in the cold

Spend your life, In the shadows of the big man
Sell your wife and children, if it made him smile
How long can you take it, or do you really need it!
Oh standing in the shadows, the shadows of the big man
And you'd love all the world to see
How you break your chains and set yourself free
And all you got to do is walk away
Walk away from the shadows of the big man

Yes, story behind of this song would be nice to know

I always thought it could be about Max and Chris having a "fall out".

I have no facts or stories to back my thoughts.

Peter S...

Peter S... wrote:I always thought it could be about Max and Chris having a "fall out".

I have no facts or stories to back my thoughts.

Peter S...

well, don´t know about that, or do you have wild imagination??

I was always sure it was about office slavery or something like that. You work for big people and do what they want etc. But... you never know. Sometimes we think a song is a love song and it turns out to be a song about culture conflicts!

I always thought it was about slavery but not sure his original intent.
It is however one of my absoloute favorite songs !!
Jim

Jim M wrote:I always thought it was about slavery but not sure his original intent.
It is however one of my absoloute favorite songs !!
Jim

Hi Jim,
Yes one of my favourites as well. I have always thought it was about Robert Maxwell. "fat man took my money, sons and daughters wont give it back". The lyric fits perfectly and around the right time as well.
Regards,
Kev.

blueskev wrote:

Jim M wrote:I always thought it was about slavery but not sure his original intent.
It is however one of my absoloute favorite songs !!
Jim

Hi Jim,
Yes one of my favourites as well. I have always thought it was about Robert Maxwell. "fat man took my money, sons and daughters wont give it back". The lyric fits perfectly and around the right time as well.
Regards,
Kev.

A sequel for 90´s Blues? Well, who knows, you might be right.
Wish there was someone who could tell the 100% fact about it,
interesting subject anyway.

A sequel for 90´s Blues? Well, who knows, you might be right.
Wish there was someone who could tell the 100% fact about it,
interesting subject anyway.

If only there was an official website you could ask..................

Peter S...

Peter S... wrote:A sequel for 90´s Blues? Well, who knows, you might be right.
Wish there was someone who could tell the 100% fact about it,
interesting subject anyway.

If only there was an official website you could ask..................

Peter S...

yeah, chrisrea.com tries to be one, but I don´t think so...

Yep... a twitter isn't being updated either

blueskev wrote: Hi Jim,
Yes one of my favourites as well. I have always thought it was about Robert Maxwell. "fat man took my money, sons and daughters wont give it back". The lyric fits perfectly and around the right time as well.
Regards,
Kev.

Oops, thats "90s Blues" I was talking about, got my songs mixed up there

I think Elangelo is right with the office slavery idea, working for a big boss who has all the power and there is nothing you can do about it.
I've always thought that songs should come with sleeve notes to tell the listener what the lyrics mean, it can sometimes make them a lot more significant. Anyway, a really great song
Regards,
Kev.

Now this would make a great book.
C.R. could discuss the meaning of his songs and where & when he wrote them and feelings around it.
Unfortunately only ReaNatics would buy it so it would be a small printing !
JIm

Well, I think sometimes it's better that we don't know what CR meant - e.g. with Nothing to Fear, I was always sure it was a love song and I loved this song because to me it was a love song. For Chris, it wasn't, and I'm glad I didn't know that before

Shadows of the big man- is one of the best hits in the one of the best Chris Rea's album "The Blue Cafe". I thought, the Big Man- probably, the allegory, related to recording companies, as Chris was not quite happy with their requirements, resembling Procrustes bed (see his interviews in Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI73O5nDf-o But quite possible, if he was thinking about some person in his team.