The Steel Horse Archives: Mr. Big, “To Be With You” (1991)

MR. BIG
Song Title: “To Be With You”
Album: Lean Into It
Release Date: March 26, 1991

Why You Remember Them: Much like the poor suckers in Extreme and the Goo Goo Dolls, Mr. Big spent years producing extraordinarily forgettable rock music before backing into an accidental hit with a marshmallowy ballad, forcing them into the uncomfortable position of determining whether it was best to continue rocking in obscurity or turn into a prom-or-Nic Cage-movie-theme production factory. Unfortunately while Mr. Big was deciding which color pill to swallow, people ceased to listen.

Chart Attack: “To Be With You” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up single “Just Take My Heart” was their only other charting single, peaking at No. 16. That’s in America, though. Apparently in Japan, Mr. Big is like what Led Zeppelin would be if they had Jesus on guitar, but more on this later.

Other Key Tracks: None.

Bunch of tools: Kickoff track “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy (The Electric Drill Song)” was easily the third-best power-tool themed rock track of the early 1990s, behind Jackyl’s chainsaw-powered “The Lumberjack Song” and Neil Diamond’s “Searing Hot Love,” recorded entirely in a smelting yard.

Humiliating Personal Memory: Pfft, I didn’t listen to Mr. Big, because I’m a dude. But I did know a guy named Dave who was like obsessed with them. I think he saw Mr. Big when they played the Star Plaza in Merrillville, Ind. Either way I’m pretty sure he rocked his face off to “The Electric Drill Song.”

Best Part Of Their Wikipedia Entry: I am pretty confident the entire shebang is written either by a publicist or Dave, because it is absolutely packed with such zingers as : “Over the years, through the different heights of the band’s career, the fan base of the group has remained steadfast – even after the demise of the band in 2002. Fans have always asked for the band’s reunion.” But here’s a good one anyway: The song “Take Cover” from the album Hey Man was included on the soundtrack to the cartoon series Mega Man … and was played during the end credits of the episodes “Bad Day At Peril Park” and “Mega X.”

Which Begs The Question: Did anyone ever have a good day at Peril Park? Weird.

Estimated Number of Greatest Hits Collections: Three
Most Amazing Greatest Hits Collection Title: Deep Cuts

Estimated Number Of Live Albums: We are so very not joking when we say EIGHT: Raw Like Sushi, Mr. Big Live, Raw Like Sushi II, Japandemonium: Raw Like Sushi 3, Channel V at the Hard Rock Live, Live at Budokan, In Japan and Live at the Hard Rock Cafe. At this point Mr. Big probably has pretty considerable pull with the Japanese government.

Sweet Christ, They Actually Covered: “Wild World,” a minor single from 1993’s Bump Ahead. Oh, and the Free song “Mr. Big.” Nothing gets past Mr. Big.

Pre-Nirvana Song Titles: “Alive and Kickin'”, “Addicted to That Rush”

Post-Nirvana Song Titles: “Where Do I Fit In?” “Trapped In Toyland”

Arbitarily Scored Ferocity of Devil-Horns Thrust: Two. No one truly knows where Mr. Big fits in.

Recent News: According to the suspiciously exuberant Wikipedia entry, the band reformed earlier this year and are now on tour, surprisingly enough, in Japan.