Big Shot

"Big Shot"
Single by Billy Joel
from the album 52nd Street
B-side	"Root Beer Rag", "Half a Mile Away"
Released	1979
Format	7"
Recorded	A & R Recording, Inc., New York City
Genre	Rock, Hard Rock
Length	4:03 (Album version) 3:43 (Single version)
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Billy Joel
Producer	Phil Ramone
Billy Joel singles chronology
"My Life" (1978) "Big Shot" (1979) "Honesty" (1979)

"Big Shot" was the second hit single from Billy Joel's 1978 album 52nd Street. The song was released in early-1979, just as his other hit single from that same album, "'My Life", was peaking at #3. It would soon become his second top-twenty hit of 1979, peaking at #14.

The song is about the protagonist mocking a woman, probably a celebrity ("And the stories of your latest success / Kept 'em so entertained"), with a severe hangover about her intoxicated galavanting around town, making numerous social and verbal faux pas while high on alcohol and drugs ("But now you just can't remember / All the things you said / And you're not sure you want to know / I'll give you one hint, honey / You sure did put on a show!") The song makes late 1970's cultural references to such nouveaux riche fads such as Elaine's Restaurant and Halston.

A rumor that the song was based on a bad date with Bianca Jagger is not true. In an interview in 2006, Billy Joel said, "I read that the song Big Shot is said to be about a date I had with Bianca Jagger. I never had a date with Bianca Jagger."^[1]

Single and album edits

The only change made in the single version is an abridged outro.

Chart positions

References