Sweet Big Time is a collective venture between singer/composer twin brothers, Mitch and Mark Flanagan, and lyricist Tommy Ogren. Also singing are Jennifer Flanagan and Mary Rose "Rosie" O'Leary.
We like to write lots of upbeat, fun music with lyrics that often explore the fun and magic in our lives that is all too often overlooked or taken for granted.
We also do a good number of original western songs to appeal to the cowboy or cowgirl in any of us.
Story behind the song
I was sitting around a campfire all by myself up at Topaz Mountain in west-central Utah. It was a balmy night, bats buzzing around overhead, moths crashing into my lantern. Overhead in the big night sky were millions of stars.
I started thinking about how no one wanted to go camping with me, 'cause I was always roughing it...and I thought, my, how nice it is right here tonight. I wrote the lyrics to Roughin' It in about five minutes and never did have to change any of it. This is also one of those rare songs where I (Tommy Ogren) also wrote the tune, and I'm singing along with Mark Flanagan and his fine guitar on the song.
Lyrics
Roughing It
People think I’m roughing it, but really I’m living large
Got smokes, got chew, got water and whiskey I do
And I’m writing this song for you
Yeah, they think I’m roughing it, camping out here all alone
But I’m feeling fine, just a passing the time
Writing this song for you, yeah, writing this song for you
Yes, they think I’m roughing it, out here with no TV or bed
But it’s warm tonight, my lantern is bright
And there’s millions of stars overhead
Yep, they think I’m roughing it, and I’m sure glad that they do
But I’ll be honest with you; they don’t have a clue, ‘cause I’m feeling fine,
Just a passing the time, writing this song for you, yeah, writing this song for you
