You don’t need to hear much beyond those chipper horns and that swooping bass line to recognize it. “Mr. Big Stuff” was a hit when it was first released, and it still maintains cultural impact as a steady presence in commercials, movies, and television.
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Jean Knight made the song her one and only hit, as she delivered a complete takedown of a wannabe player. Her music career was going nowhere at the time. But she stepped up when her opportunity arose.
From a Cafeteria to the Charts
Jean Knight almost received her first big break in the mid-60s. Born in New Orleans, she gained attention from local record labels after performing regularly at a bar in the area. Unfortunately, none of the four singles she recorded did much business outside the New Orleans area.
She had adopted the stage name Jean Knight because she worried others wouldn’t be able to pronounce Caliste, her actual surname. None of that helped, and it looked like Knight’s singing career had run its course.
Knight took a job as a baker for a local college’s cafeteria. But she was given one more opportunity when a songwriter named Ralph Williams took a shine to her vocals. That opened the doors for her to record the song that would make her famous.
“Stuff” Happens
Ralph Williams offered Knight the chance to record “Mr. Big Stuff”, a song that he had just written with Joseph Broussard and Carrol Washington. Williams brought Knight to the attention of Wardell Quezergue, a legendary producer in the area. Knight laid down the track in 1970, and the song’s publisher began shopping it around.
Many labels passed on the song, making it seem like Knight was going to have to endure another near miss. However, “Groove Me” by King Floyd, which had been recorded at the same session as “Mr. Big Stuff”, went on to become a big hit when it was released by a smaller label.
Hoping for similar results, Stax Records took a chance on releasing “Mr. Big Stuff”. The song took off from there, hitting No. 2 on the pop charts in 1971. It also ranked as the No. 1 overall song on the Soul charts from the entire year.
Behind the Lyrics of “Mr. Big Stuff”
“Who do you think you are?” Jean Knight famously asks the one she calls “Mr. Big Stuff”. “You’re never gonna get my love,” she warns him. She explains that she’s unimpressed by his expensive car and fancy clothes. “You think you’re higher than every star above,” she mocks.
She makes note of all the other girls who’ve fallen for his act and have suffered for it. But she’s not going to be one of them. “Cause when I give my love, I want love in return,” Knight insists. “Now I know this is a lesson Mr. Big Stuff you haven’t learned.”
Jean Knight had a few more brushes with singles’ success in her career, but nothing to the extent of her biggest hit. But what a mark she made with “Mr. Big Stuff”, as she memorably spoke for legions of women who’d had enough of characters just like the one she dresses down in the song.
Photo by Gems/Redferns
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