The Big Money

This article is about the Rush song. For the novel by John Dos Passos, see U.S.A. (trilogy). For the 1958 film, see The Big Money (film). For similarly-titled songs and other uses, see Big Money (disambiguation).
"The Big Money"
Single by Rush
from the album Power Windows
B-side
  • "Red Sector A" (live) (US) "Middletown Dreams" (UK) "Territories" (UK)
ReleasedOctober 4, 1985[1]
Genre
Length5:35
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Rush singles chronology
"Afterimage"
(1984) 		"The Big Money"
(1985) 		"Mystic Rhythms"
(1986)
Music video
"The Big Money" on YouTube

"The Big Money" is a song by Canadian rock band Rush, originally released on their 1985 album Power Windows. It peaked at #45 on the Billboard Hot 100[2] and #4 on the Mainstream Rock chart, and has been included on several compilation albums, such as Retrospective II and The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974-1987.

The lyrics, written by drummer Neil Peart, reflect on the power of "big money" and the sheer magnitude of trade in the modern global economy, particularly during the 1980s.[3] When asked about the idea that the song's lyrics were inspired by a John Dos Passos book of the same name, Peart replied, "I am a big fan of Dos Passos' stylistic ability, his poetic approach to prose, but the ideas presented in the songs are quite different from those which he exemplified." Peart also stated that "the only connection is in the titles".[4]

Cash Box said that it has "a huge production sound, a dynamic arrangement and a techno-rock feel."[5]

  1. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 20.
  2. ^ "Rush - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  3. ^ Banasiewicz, Bill (1997). Rush Visions: The Official Biography. Omnibus Press.
  4. ^ Hansen, Eric. ""'Hold Your Fire' by Neil Peart" - Backstage Club Newsletter, January 1988". www.2112.net. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  5. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. November 9, 1985. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-08-02.