"Mr. Big Stuff" is a song by American singer Jean Knight. The song was released in 1971 on the Stax label as a single from Knight's debut album of the same title, and became a big hit in the US, reaching No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100. The song was certified double platinum and was the No. 1 Soul Single of the year.[5]

"Mr. Big Stuff"
side-A label
One of side-A labels of the US single
Single by Jean Knight
from the album Mr. Big Stuff
B-side"Why I Keep Living These Memories"
ReleasedMay 1971
Recorded1970
StudioMalaco Studio, Jackson, Mississippi
Genre
Length2:27
LabelSTX 1014
Songwriter(s)Joseph Broussard
Carrol Washington
Ralph George Williams
Producer(s)Wardell Quezergue
Jean Knight singles chronology
"Mr. Big Stuff"
(1971)
"You Think You're Hot"
(1971)
Official audio
"Mr. Big Stuff" on YouTube

Background

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"Mr. Big Stuff" was recorded in 1970 at Malaco Studio in Jackson, Mississippi, at the same session as "Groove Me" by King Floyd. Knight's single was released by Stax Records because of the persistence of Stax publisher Tim Whitsett; "Groove Me" by King Floyd, which Whitsett strongly urged Malaco to release, also became a hit. Both songs are defined by two bar, off-beat bass lines and tight arrangements by Wardell Quezergue.[6]

Released on Knight's 1971 debut album of the same title, it became a huge crossover hit. The song spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Soul Singles chart and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, behind "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" by The Bee Gees.[7] Billboard ranked it as the No. 18 song for 1971. The song went double platinum and was the No. 1 Soul Single of the year.[5]

Knight performed the song on Soul Train on December 11, 1971, during its first season.[8] "Mr. Big Stuff" became one of Stax Records' more popular and recognizable hits. It was featured in the 2007 mini-series The Bronx Is Burning. It was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 1972 Grammy Awards.

The song is addressed to an egotistical man, nicknamed Mr. Big Stuff, by an indignant female narrator. The man, who has expensive cars and fancy clothes, breaks other girls' hearts. The narrator demands he act more maturely and return her love for him. This song features a backup female chorus intoning "Oh Yeah" once in the song's Intro, twice in the first verse, and twice in the third verse.

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[15] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[16] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

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No credits are listed for the Malaco studio musicians on the record. According to Rob Bowman's liner notes from the 1999 box set The Last Soul Company: Malaco, A Thirty Year Retrospective, the musicians for this session included:

  • Vernie Robbins – bass
  • James Stroud – drums
  • Wardell Quezergue – organ
  • Jerry Puckett – guitar
  • Jimmy Honeycutt – saxophone
  • Bob Cheesman – trumpet

During this time at Malaco, horn lines were typically played by saxophonist Hugh Garraway and trumpeter Peary Lomax.[citation needed]

Cover versions

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Sampling

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "100 Greatest Funk Songs". Digital Dream Door. August 7, 2008. Archived from the original on September 25, 2010. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  2. ^ Breihan, Tom (February 5, 2019). "The Number Ones: The Bee Gees' "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 16, 2023. Jean Knight's eternally badass soul strut "Mr. Big Stuff" peaked at #2...
  3. ^ Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (October 15, 1996). "I Am Woman: Feminist Pop". Precious and Few - Pop Music in the Early '70s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 95. ISBN 031214704X.
  4. ^ Smith, Danyel (19 April 2022). "Intro". Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop. Rock Lit 101. p. x. ISBN 978-0-593-13271-5.
  5. ^ a b c Nielsen Business Media, Inc (1971-12-25). Billboard. p. 15. Retrieved 2016-10-04. {{cite book}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ Bowman, Rob (1999). "Malaco Records: The Last Soul Company" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-26. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
  7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 331.
  8. ^ TV.com (December 11, 1971). "Soul Train - Season 1, Episode 11: Jean Knight/ The Delfonics/ Maurice Jackson/ Ralphi Pagan". TV.com. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  9. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5351." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  10. ^ "Jean Knight Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  11. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 7/31/71". 7 July 2015. Archived from the original on 29 September 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  12. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
  13. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1971/Top 100 Songs of 1971". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  14. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1971". 29 October 2014.
  15. ^ "British single certifications – Jean Knight – Mr Big Stuff". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  16. ^ "American single certifications – Jean Knight – Mr. Big Stuff". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  17. ^ "'A Trump Kind of Donation': Tycoon Makes, Then Breaks, Heavy-Metal Video". Associated Press. February 7, 1991. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  18. ^ Turman, Katherine (March 30, 2016). "The Real Story Behind Donald Trump's Aborted 1991 Metal Video Appearance". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  19. ^ "D2: The Mighty Ducks - Original Soundtrack" AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-11-03.
  20. ^ "Various - Hot Funky & Sweaty "The Sound Of Heavy Soul & Funk Today" at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  21. ^ "'SNL' host Louis CK's monologue tackles the big stuff". Los Angeles Times. March 30, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  22. ^ "John Holt With Tommy McCook All Stars* / Tommy McCook All Stars* - Sister Big Stuff / Black, River". Discogs.com. 1971.
  23. ^ "Prince Buster - Sister Big Stuff". Discogs.com. 1972.
  24. ^ "Mashup Breakdown - Girl Talk - All Day". 23 November 2010. Archived from the original on 23 November 2010.