"Big Spender" is a song written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for the musicalSweet Charity, first performed in 1966. Peggy Lee was the first artist to record the song (on single released on Jan 29, 1966), also on the album of the same name (released July 30, 1966). It is sung, in the musical, by the dance hostess girls; it was choreographed by Bob Fosse for the Broadway musical and the 1969 film.[1] It is set to the beat of a striptease as the girls taunt the customers.[2]
Paula Kelly (third from right) and Chita Rivera (second from right) as seductive dance hostess girls performing "Big Spender" in Sweet Charity (1969).
In December 2007, the Shirley Bassey version was re-released in a new remixed version as a digital download. This was the third and final single released from the album Get the Party Started. The single features a remix from Pink Pound and two instrumental remixes that were not included on the album release. Unlike the previous two singles this track featured a remix of a previous released recording, the vocal track was taken from a session recorded in 1984 for the album I Am What I Am. There was no promotion undertaken for the single and no video was made to support the release.
The song appeared in US television commercials for Muriel Cigars in the 1970s, sung by Edie Adams. A modified version of the lyrics invited the viewer to "...spend a little dime with me", referring to the price of a Muriel.
In an episode of British Asian sketch comedy show Goodness Gracious Me, the cast perform a parody of the song called "Big Spinster".
In the Discworld Noir computer game the Troll Saphire performed a parody of "Big Spender", with the opening lyrics as "The minute you walked through the wall, I could tell that you were a troll of destruction".
In the "Viva Mars Vegas" episode of Futurama, a parody version is played of "Big Spender", with the lyrics as "Hey Rich Lobster", when Dr. Zoidberg shows up at a casino on Mars with millions of dollars to spend and lose.
A controversial video with flight attendants entreating an elite frequent flier made news in February 2019, generating protest from the flight attendants' union.
A parody appeared on a musical segment of Saturday Night Live on Halloween of 2020 called "Big Spreader", referring to COVID-19.
The song was sung by Ellis on the first episode of The Glee Project.
In the Grounded for Life episode "Mrs. Finnerty, You've Got a Lovely Daughter", Sean gets the song approved for his daughter Lily to perform at her Catholic school talent show.
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