Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy

Alright, Zoo Freaks, you’re tuned into THE ZOO with the Zoo Crew, your favorite hippie DJs spinning the grooviest tracks! Right now, we’re cranking up “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy” by Mr. Big from their 1991 album Lean Into It. This high-energy rocker, often called “The Electric Drill Song,” is a wild ride, and we’ve got some juicy trivia to share. The song’s iconic solo, starting around the 2:29 mark, isn’t played with fingers but with Makita cordless drills! Guitarist Paul Gilbert and bassist Billy Sheehan rigged picks to the drill bits, creating a blistering, superhuman sound that’s become a fan favorite at live shows. In a 2023 Guitar World interview, Sheehan cheekily noted that Paul Gilbert’s drill work was a playful jab at speed-picking guitarists, joking, “It turns out that Paul is faster than the drill!”

Another cool tidbit comes from lead singer Eric Martin, who shared in a 2015 Songfacts interview that the song’s lyrics were inspired by Billy Sheehan’s rockstar lifestyle. Sheehan, known for his charm with fans, penned the original words about his global romantic adventures, with lines like “I’ll be your daddy, your brother, your lover and your little boy.” Martin reworked them to fit the early ‘90s “cock rock” vibe, giving it that swaggering edge. The track, co-written with André Pessis, was the lead single from Lean Into It and set the tone for the album’s mix of technical prowess and catchy hooks. Fun fact: the drill solo wasn’t just a studio gimmick—Mr. Big replicated it live, wowing crowds with the sheer spectacle, as seen in their 2018 live video from Tokyo’s NHK Hall on YouTube.

Now, let’s rewind to how Mr. Big got their start. Formed in 1988 in Los Angeles, the band brought together four virtuoso musicians: Eric Martin on vocals, Paul Gilbert on guitar, Billy Sheehan on bass, and Pat Torpey on drums. Martin, a Bay Area native, had been grinding in the music scene since the ‘70s, fronting bands and releasing solo work before Mr. Big. Sheehan, a bass legend, came from stints with Talas and David Lee Roth’s solo band, while Gilbert was a shredding prodigy from Racer X. Torpey, a seasoned session drummer, rounded out the lineup. Their self-titled debut in 1989 didn’t set the charts on fire in the U.S., but it caught fire in Japan, where their technical skill and melodic hooks won a massive following. This Japanese fandom propelled them to global success with Lean Into It, which hit number 15 on the Billboard 200, thanks to the chart-topping ballad “To Be with You.”

Zoo Freaks, you can keep up with Mr. Big on their official website and socials: Facebook, Instagram, and X. Fans are buzzing in communities like the Mr. Big Fan Group on Facebook, where diehards share concert memories and rare photos. For more fan love, check out Mr. Big Japan, a dedicated fan site with deep dives into the band’s history. So, crank up those speakers, let the drills wail, and stay wild with the Zoo Crew!