Mitch Ryder – B.I.G. T.I.M.E.

Ever since I heard his growling voice singing the Devil with the Blue Dress On / Good Golly Miss Molly medley, I’ve been a fan of Mitch Ryder. Even his name is cool. He has released more than 25 albums as a solo artist and with the Detroit Wheels. He was born William Sherille Levise Jr. Outside of the medley, I didn’t know much about him, so I spot listened to his songs on albums through the years. He gives a big variety to pick from and some catchy songs. 

This should have been a classic rock song from the ’80s. It doesn’t get played much, but it sounds great, and it captures both the producer’s and Mitch’s sound. The producer of this song was John Mellencamp. John was influenced by Mitch, along with Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen. It was written by Keith Sykes in 1980 and has been covered by George Thorogood and the Destroyers as well. I do remember hearing this song in the early eighties, as it got some play here in Nashville. 

Lyrically, the song is about making it or wanting to make it. Ryder doesn’t use a metaphor here. He spells it out, literally, because that’s what ambition sounds like when you’re clawing your way up from a bar stage to something bigger. It was on the 1983 album Never Kick a Sleeping Dog at the height of Mellencamp’s career. At times in rocking songs, and I’m going to use a phrase I read some critic use years ago, his voice sounded like sandpaper dipped in gasoline. I mean that in the best way. 

He also does a cover of Prince’s When You Were Mine, and Mitch owns it. I have included the video of that one from MTV. Great song as well. 

B.I.G. T.I.M.E.

Well when you hear the bell it’s nine o’clock
That’s the time when you start to rock
Gonna push the hair up outta my face
We gonna rock the rafters right offa this place

Yeah, it’s alright
You and me
Yeah, we gonna have a B.I.G.T.I.M.E

Goin’ out tonight we gonna rock, rock, rock
And we don’t care if they call the cops, ha ha
Gonna get my girl we gonna dance dance dance
And later go home and make romance

Yeah, it’s alright
You and me
Yeah, we gonna have a B.I.G.T.I.M.E

Yeah, it’s alright
You and me
Yeah, we gonna have a B.I.G.T.I.M.E

Well, my mama told me when I left home
She said “Boy you were born to roam
But you better remember just one thing, son
You gotta always try to have some fun.”
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So, it’s alright
You and me
Yeah, we gonna have a B.I.G.T.I.M.E

Hey, B.I.G.T.I.M.E
Hey, B.I.G.T.I.M.E
Hey, B.I.G.T.I.M.E

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

38 thoughts on “Mitch Ryder – B.I.G. T.I.M.E.”

  1. I must confess to not recognizing this song. It is surprising that it was not more popular. Outside of Devil…I know I have heard other Mitch Ryder songs but couldn’t tell you which ones.Nice job on the Prince cover.

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    1. It had that sound that was popular in the 80s on the rock side… I remember hearing it a bit…but he has some terrific songs in his catalog.

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  2. Pingback: Mitch Ryder – B.I.G. T.I.M.E. – MobsterTiger

    1. When I heard it I thought it was written by Mellencamp. Our rock station here played it for a while. He has such a variety in his songs… not just pure rock.

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  5. Believe it or not, I only know of Mitch Ryder, and it’s because of, “There was Frankie Lymon, Bobby Fuller, Mitch Ryder (They were rockin’), Jackie Wilson, Shangri-Las, Young Rascals (They were rockin’), Spotilight on Martha Reeves, let’s not forget James Brown, Rockin’ in the U.S.A. …” Of course, that’s from none other than John Mellencamp and his ’80s hit “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” – the song that really catapulted Mellencamp on my radar screen!

    I love all of the songs you called out here and will write down the friggin’ name before I forget it again!🤣

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    1. Oh yea… I forgot that he was mentioned in that! I knew him for the medley the most…and this one. I probably haven’t heard this since 1983… great song and sound.

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  6. When I think of Detroit one of the things that comes to me is Mitch Ryder. I caught him in a greasy bar a long time ago. Perfect night. Maybe i should start listening to Prince, this is a second time this week an artist I Like covered one of his songs.

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    1. I didn’t know you saw him live…that is really cool. His voice is an instrument all to itself. I did like that cover of Prince he did. Listening to his catalog…he gives you a huge variety of sounds.

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      1. He wa probably a hard sell after his initial beginnings but I will always have a place for Mitch. Back to the other side of the peace love dove 60’s. Hard music from a hard town (ie your Pogues take).

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      3. Yes, I like a lot of music from that town. I’m not up on all my roots but Seger is a Michigan. Pretty sure. Him and Bruce would have caught some great outdoor concerts back then with a lot of cool bands that have disappeared into obscurity. Get me a time machine.

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    1. I do as well obbverse….I almost covered the Prince cover….I wanted them both in there. It took all I could do not to go with the BIG hit he had in the sixties.

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  10. I remember reading at the time that Mellencamp was producing him but I don’t think I ever heard the album. Know and love his big hits. Both songs are very good. Don’t recall ever seeing Mellencamp with a beard before. Good rock’n’soul songs.

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    1. I thought that as well! I never remembered the beard with Mellencamp. They played this song a little here on our rock station at the time. I liked it but then it just vanished. The Prince cover is not bad either.

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  11. Max, I remember Devil with a Blue Dress, but I don’t remember these two from this Michigan boy and his band. But! You are going to love this. Remember that Joe Namath movie, where he was in a motorcycle gang? Here is the theme song from the movie, by none other than Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels.

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      1. Oh this is wonderful…I want to see it now. Broadway Joe! The guy has charisma without speaking a word.
        I remember the panty hose commercial he did…

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      2. And didn’t he do a spread for Playgirl? Or was that Burt Reynolds? I just started watching it but will finish later. Warning: attempted rape and brutality against another couple of females in the first 5 minutes. It is a biker gang, but still… We’ve come a LONG WAY in how women are depicted in film in the last 50 years.

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    2. Michigan had some hell of rockers at that time! Mitch, Bob Seger, MC5, and The Stooges just to name a few!
      You are correct! I love this.

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      1. Joe Namath was also in a movie with Glen Campbell called Norwood. I think it’s from 1970. I saw it at the theater at the time because my oldest sister was a big Campbell fan. Saw True Grit with her too. It won’t win any awards, but there’s some decent music in it. I think Mac Davis wrote a lot of the songs. My sister had the soundtrack album, and I see it’s on streaming now too.

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      2. That sounds about as 70s as you can get! Campbell, Namath, and Mac Davis music…in other words…right up my alley…thank you!

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