JOE JACKSON'S BIG WORLD: FORTY YEARS AGO

Joe Jackson

Big World Released on March 24, 1986, Big World still stands as one of the legendary Joe Jackson's finest albums. The concept and running themes of the album feature various perspectives on world travel and international geopolitics. Including no small measure of Jackson's obligatory acerbic observations on modern love, there's also lots of biting sarcasm and insightful commentary about the then-current state of the American mindset. (A picture no prettier then than it is now.) Joe and his band sound like lightning in a bottle. The lyrics, melodies, and hooks all fine examples of Mr. Jackson's well established mastery of the craft. A deeper dive into its creation illuminates just how unique and truly intriguing this album is, down to the nuts and bolts of the recording process. Jackson, hoping to capture the crackling energy of a live band in front of an audience, invited fans to the Roundabout Theater on 17th Street in New York City for a handful of recording dates so they could be present for the process and asked them to remain quiet until each song was completely finished. During rehearsals and warm up gigs in the same room, recording engineers were able to actually set levels on all the vocal mics and instruments, essentially mixing the album before it was recorded. Around the time of the record's release there was also a VHS home video counterpart to this album, featuring live video of the band performing 6 songs from the album with a little bit of Joe's witty banter between songs. Another interesting side note, the vinyl release was actually a three-sided record. With more music than he could fit on a single disc but not quite enough to fill two LPS, Jackson simply left the fourth side of a two record set blank. 

The ‘80s were a great time to be a Joe Jackson fan. He was busy cranking out a string of classics from his 1979 debut Look Sharp followed by I’m The Man, Beat Crazy, Jumpin’ Jive, Night and Day, and all the way through Body and Soul from 1984. With extensive worldwide touring and American college radio’s embrace, Joe built his name. Indeed he built the bulk of his legend in that time frame as all of his best known songs date from that era. Though he initially enjoyed the channel's embrace in its first few years of existence, MTV and indeed the mainstream music listening audience in general moved steadily away from Jackson throughout the 1980s but his records just got better and better. Indeed the substantive nature of his lyrical content was the polar opposite of what 80s music culture wanted in that disposable dayglow era of girls who just want to have fun and hair metal chicks with dicks. Highlights from the album are numerous as the collection simply contains no duds. I can’t even pick a favorite tune. All killer, no filler, as we used to say back in the mall record store days when we played the shit out of this album and sold dozens of copies to all our friends and regular customers. Imagine how thrilled we were to hear Joe singing, “And all the record stores are filled with pretty boys and their material girls” in the Big World cut “Soul Kiss”. Possessed of a playful pathos, the LP is in turns mysterious, wistful, irreverent, sophisticated, sarcastic, nostalgic. Each track invariably packed with emotion and undulating with a fiery passion.

Worthy of special mention here is legendary drummer Gary Burke, who presents an astonishing clinic on drum subtlety and percussive grace on the Big World album, a display of dynamics ranging from a whisper to thunder and everything in between. Sadly, Burke passed away earlier this year at age 77.

Seeing as this album contains a song called “Forty Years Ago” about the end of World War II,  I'm dying to know what Joe thinks about international relations and the current state of affairs now that another forty years has passed. (This Tango Atlantico isn’t over yet!) Jackson’s 24th album Hope and Fury has a release date of April 10, 2026, with an 80-show world tour to follow. I’m curious to see if he’ll include “Forty Years Ago” in the setlist, but I’d be happy with any track from this album. Hope to see you out there, Joe. Would be lovely just to have an opportunity to say thanks for everything, especially Big World. Still in heavy rotation four decades later, forever my favorite. ~ Ric Hickey

March 24, 2026