Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1995
Bigger Than the Beatles
Buy Bigger Than the Beatles now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'"Bigger Than The Beatles"' is a song written by Jeb Stuart Anderson and Steve Dukes, and recorded by American country music artist Joe Diffie. It was released in November 1995 as the lead single from the album, 'Life's So Funny'. The song reached Number One on the U.S. 'Billboard' Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) chart, becoming the fifth and final Number One single of Diffie's career. It also reached number-one on the Canadian 'RPM' Country Tracks chart.
Content
The song talks about an amateur rocker and his cocktail waitress girlfriend. The narrator talks about how they see each other as stars, since they are in love. It says, "She thinks he looks like Elvis, when he runs his fingers through his jet black hair." The narrator states that the couple has a love "bigger than the Beatles". Meaning that even though they aren't stars, they look like it to each other.
The "yeah yeah yeah yeah" background chorus at the end of the song is a reference to The Beatles' "She Loves You", as well as a reference to "All You Need is Love" in the last line of the bridge, while the title is a pun on John Lennon's controversial "bigger than Jesus" claim.
Critical reception
Alanna Nash of 'Entertainment Weekly' gave the song a C-minus rating, with her review calling it a "lighthearted tale of an amateur rocker and his shopgirl squeeze" and "just a lame device to evoke the names of beloved rock heroes."
Music video
The music video was directed by Deaton-Flanigen Productions and premiered in late 1995. It depicts the male half of the couple as a karaoke singer in a club, and the female half as a waitress at the same club. The female notices the male singing and eventually goes up and duets with him. Scenes also feature the pair lounging poolside. Diffie is shown in the background singing and playing guitar in both scenes. It was filmed in Miami, Florida.
The video was actually shot in Nashville with Barclay Randall and Linda Sue Simmons, playing the parts of the lounge singer and his waitress love. They had a live bigger than The Beatles.
Chart history
"Bigger Than the Beatles" debuted at number 58 on the U.S. 'Billboard' Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of December 2, 1995.
Year-end charts
References
Category:1995 singles
Category:1995 songs
Category:Joe Diffie songs
Category:Music videos directed by Deaton-Flanigen Productions
Category:Epic Records singles
Category:Songs about the Beatles
Buy Bigger Than the Beatles now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 1995