Listen to this track of anthemic proportions, from “big” music proponents from Fife – Big Country. It’s their sole North American hit, the almost self-referential “In A Big Country” as taken from their 1983 album The Crossing.

The song was a smash radio single from a band with an impressive output, none of which had any impact on North American radio waves but for this one song. But, what a song! A tune that fuses folk-influences with big pop choruses and post-punk textures, too.

This tune seemed to come out of nowhere, with the curious addition of guitars that sounded similar to a legion of bagpipers, catching everyone’s attention. But, this tradition of pop music had been well-established in Europe, with U2, and the Alarm scoring success with audiences there, using this same approach of Celtic folk approach filtered through rock presentation.

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