Album · Big Country
The Crossing by Big Country
The Crossing is an album by Big Country, released in 1983. 2 songs from it have charted on rock radio countdowns, with 83 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “In a Big Country”, on 77 lists with a best position of #3.
The Crossing, Big Country's debut album, came out on Mercury in July 1983, and it sounds like the Scottish Highlands plugged into a wall of amps. Steve Lillywhite produced it, and he gave the band a big, open-air roar that suits them perfectly.
The lineup was Stuart Adamson on guitar and lead vocals, Bruce Watson on guitar, Tony Butler on bass and Mark Brzezicki on drums. Adamson and Watson's guitars skirl and keen like bagpipes, soaring over a rhythm section that marches like it's heading into battle. "In a Big Country" is the rallying cry, a surging, heart-on-sleeve anthem that makes you want to climb a hill and shout from the top of it. "Fields of Fire" charges along at a gallop, all ringing chords and crisp drums. It's rousing, earnest music, the sound of a band believing in something and daring you not to join in.
It got to number three in the UK, number four in Canada and number 18 on the Billboard 200 in the US, going platinum in both the UK and Canada. "In a Big Country" was their only American top 40 single. Steeltown came next.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from The Crossing on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In a Big Country | 77 | #3 | – | 1983–2026 | |
| 2 | Fields of Fire | 6 | #55 | – | 1983–2023 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.