Mr. Big Stuff


"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.

Background

"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.
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. Billboard ranked it as the Billboard Year-End [Hot 100 singles of 1971|No. 18 song for 1971]. The song went double platinum and was the No. 1 Soul Single of the year.
Knight performed the song on Soul Train on December 11, 1971, during its first season. "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

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Personnel

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:
However, during this time at Malaco, horn lines were typically played by saxophonist Hugh Garraway and trumpeter Peary Lomax. Lomax has said he played all trumpet parts on this record and on "Groove Me."

Cover versions