The Crossing is the debut album by Scottish band Big Country, released in July 1983. The album reached number three in the United Kingdom; overseas, it hit number four in Canada on the RPM national Top Albums Chart and number 18 in the United States on the Billboard 200 in 1983. It went on to be certified platinum in the UK and Canada. It contains the song "In a Big Country" which is their only US top 40 hit single.
Background
In May 1982, Big Country signed a recording contract with Phonogram and soon began recording what was supposed to be their debut album with producer Chris Thomas. However, the entire recording session would eventually be scrapped when Big Country felt Thomas was not fully committing to the band due to other production commitments. Three songs were salvaged from the sessions – "Harvest Home", "Balcony" and "Flag of Nations (Swimming)" – and released as the "Harvest Home" single in September 1982 through Phonogram's imprint Mercury Records, reaching number 91 on the UK Singles Chart.
With new producer Steve Lillywhite, the band recorded the single "Fields of Fire" in early 1983, which became a UK top ten hit. In May, on the back of the single's success, Lillywhite and the band proceeded to record The Crossing, which would include a re-recorded "Harvest Home".
Stuart Adamson and fellow guitarist Bruce Watson used the MXR Pitch Transposer 129 effect pedal to create a guitar sound reminiscent of bagpipes. Also contributing to the band's unique sound was their use of the EBow, a hand-held device which, through the use of magnets, causes the strings of an electric guitar to vibrate, producing a soft attack which sounds more like strings or a synthesizer.
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In a glowing review for Sounds, Johnny Waller found that Big Country had developed their own "uniquely recognisable" musical style and said that their "spirit and determination... have a ring of truth and integrity", concluding that his "slight reservations about The Crossing are ultimately cut through with the lionheart vigour of a major new band only slightly in too much of a hurry." – additional vocals
;Technical
- Steve Lillywhite – producer
- Will Gosling – engineer
- Steve Chase – assistant engineer
- Mike Nocito – assistant engineer
- Julian Balme – sleeve
- Paul Cox – photography
Production notes for deluxe edition bonus tracks
;Disc 1
- Tracks 11–13 and 15 recorded in June 1982 at AIR Studios, London. Tracks 11, 12 and 15 produced by Chris Thomas, engineered by Bill Price; track 13 produced by Steve Churchyard and Big Country.
- Track 14 produced by Steve Lillywhite, Will Gosling and Big Country.
- Tracks 16 and 17 produced by Steve Lillywhite; track 17 recorded live on 4 July 1983 at Locarno Tiffany’s in Glasgow.
;Disc 2
- Track 7 recorded at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, for BBC2's Riverside; broadcast on 17 January 1983.
- Tracks 8 and 9 recorded by John Brandt in May 1982 at Phonogram Studio.
- Tracks marked with an asterisk (*) are previously unreleased.
- Tracks 4–6 and 14–17 were previously released on Rarities IV, 2003.
Chart performance
Album
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Chart (1983)
!Peak<br>position
|-
|align="left" |Australian Albums Chart
|align="center" |21
|-
|align="left"|Canadian Albums Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|4
|-
|align="left"|Dutch Albums Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|11
|-
|align="left"|New Zealand Albums Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|8
|-
|align="left"|Swedish Albums Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|17
|-
|align="left"|UK Albums Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard 200
| style="text-align:center;"|18
|}
Singles
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Single
!align="left"|Chart
!align="left"|Position
|-
| align="left" |1982
| align="left" |Harvest Home
| align="left" |UK Singles Chart
| style="text-align:center;" |91
|-
| align="left" |1983
| align="left" |Fields of Fire
| align="left" |UK Singles Chart
| style="text-align:center;" |10
|-
|align="left"|1983
|align="left"|In a Big Country
|align="left"|Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play
| style="text-align:center;"|37
|-
|align="left"|1983
|align="left"|In a Big Country
|align="left"|Billboard Mainstream Rock
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|align="left"|1983
|align="left"|In a Big Country
|align="left"|Billboard Hot 100
| style="text-align:center;"|17
|-
|align="left"|1983
|In a Big Country
|RPM 50 Singles (Canada)
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|1983
|In a Big Country
|UK Singles Chart
| style="text-align:center;" |52
|}
Certifications
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!align="left"|Organization
!align="left"|Level
!align="left"|Date
|-
|align="left"|BPI – UK
|align="left"|Gold
|align="left"|15 September 1983
|-
|align="left"|CRIA – Canada
|align="left"|Gold
|align="left"|1 November 1983
|-
|align="left"|CRIA – Canada
|align="left"|Platinum
|align="left"|1 December 1983
|-
|align="left"|RIAA – USA
|align="left"|Gold
|align="left"|19 January 1984
|-
|align="left"|BPI – UK
|align="left"|Platinum
|align="left"|9 February 1984
|}