JANICE'S BLUES ALLEY PRESENTS
THE BEE GEES
THE BEE GEES
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No popular music act of the '60s, '70s, '80s, or '90s attracted a more varied audience than the Bee Gees. Beginning in the mid- to late '60s as a Beatlesque ensemble, they quickly developed as songwriters and singers to create a style of their own that carried them from psychedelia to progressive pop. Then, after hitting a popular trough, they reinvented themselves as perhaps the most successful white soul act of all time. What remained a constant throughout their history is their extraordinary singing, rooted in three voices that were appealing individually and melded together perfectly.
The group was also music's most successful brother act. Barry Gibb, born on September 1, 1946, in Manchester, England, and his fraternal twin brothers Robin Gibb and Maurice Gibb, born on December 22, 1949, on the Isle of Man, were three of five children. The three of them gravitated toward music, encouraged by their father, who saw his sons at first as a diminutive version of the Mills Brothers. The three Gibb brothers made their earliest performances at local movie theaters in Manchester in 1955, singing between shows. The family moved to Australia in 1958, resettling in Brisbane. Now known as the Brothers Gibb -- with Barry writing songs -- they attracted the attention of a local DJ, and eventually got their own local television show. It was around this time that they took on the name the Bee Gees (for Brothers Gibb). The trio was astoundingly popular in the press and on television, but actual hit records eluded them.
By late 1966, they'd decided to return to England -- which, thanks to the Beatles, was now the center of the world for rock and popular music. The group had sent demo recordings ahead of them, and "Spicks & Specks" -- which became their first Australian hit while they were in mid-ocean -- had attracted the interest of manager Robert Stigwood. The trio was signed by Stigwood upon their arrival, and began shaping their sound in the environment of Swinging London. Barry and Robin Gibb alternated the lead vocal spot, harmonizing together and with Maurice. Barry played rhythm guitar, while Maurice played bass, piano, organ, and Mellotron, among other instruments. Their first English recording, "New York Mining Disaster 1941," an original by the group with a haunting melody and a strangely surreal, almost psychedelic ambience, was released in mid-1967 and made the Top 20 in England and America. They had successful follow-ups with "Holiday" and "To Love Somebody," the latter actually written for Otis Redding to record, and "Massachusetts," which topped the U.K. charts.
After Bee Gees' 1st, the Gibb brothers took over producing their own records. It was easy, amid the sheer beauty of their recordings, to overlook the range of influences that went into their sound, which came from a multitude of sources, including American country music and soul music. At this point in their history, they were most comfortable deconstructing elements in the singing and harmonies of black American music and rebuilding them in their style.
In 1969, the trio split up in a dispute involving the Odessa album. A lushly orchestrated double LP, it was their most ambitious recording to date, but they were unable to agree on which song would be the single, and Robin walked out. Barry and Maurice held on to the Bee Gees name for one LP, Cucumber Castle, while Robin released Robin's Reign. Without a group to promote it, the Odessa album never sold the way it might have, even with a hit, "First of May." Cucumber Castle generated several successful singles in England and Germany, including the gorgeous, African-influenced "I.O.I.O.," while Robin had a hit with "Saved by the Bell."
In 1970, almost two years older and a good deal wiser, they decided to get back together. They related to each other better and had also evolved musically, now creating a progressive pop/rock sound similar to the Moody Blues. They came back on a high note with two dazzling songs: the soulful "Lonely Days," the group's first number one hit in America; and the achingly lyrical "Morning of My Life," which proved so popular with fans that the group was still doing it in concert decades later.
Their success began to ebb, however, after another huge international hit with "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" in 1971. The single "Run to Me" made the Top 20 in 1972, but the album To Whom It May Concern was forgotten almost instantly after a brief chart run. Their fortunes continued in reverse during 1973 withLife in a Tin Can and the single "Saw a New Morning" -- despite a move to America and a heavy promotional push, the song never made the Top 40 and the album stalled out.
The trio was falling into a deep creative and commercial hole. Rescue came from a suggestion by Eric Clapton, that they try recording at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida, where he had just cut an album. the Bee Gees took his advice and came back with Mr. Natural (1974), produced by Arif Mardin. This record was a departure with its heavily Americanized R&B sound, and the following year they plunged headfirst into the new sound with Main Course -- the emphasis was now on dance rhythms, high harmonies, and a funk beatthat register. "Jive Talkin'," the first single off the album, became their second American number one single, and was followed up with "Nights on Broadway" and then the album Children of the World, which yielded the hits "You Should Be Dancing" and "Love So Right." Then, in 1977, their featured numbers on the soundtrack to the Robert Stigwood-produced Saturday Night Fever, "Stayin' Alive," "How Deep Is Your Love," and "Night Fever," each topped the charts, even as the soundtrack album stayed in the top spot for 24 weeks. In the process, the disco era in America was born -- Saturday Night Fever, as an album and a film, supercharged the phenomenon and broadened its audience by tens of millions, with the Bee Gees at the forefront of the music.
It was a profound moment although, ironically, there wasn't that much difference in their sound. Amid the dance numbers, the Bee Gees still did a healthy portion of romantic ballads that each offered memorable hooks. They'd simply decided, at Arif Mardin's urging, to forget the fact that they were white Englishmen and plunged into soul music, emulating, in their own terms, the funkier Philadelphia soul sounds that all three brothers knew and loved. In one fell swoop, the group had managed to meld every influence they'd ever embraced, from the Mills Brothers and the Beatles to early-'70s soul, into something of their own that was virtually irresistible. Spirits Having Flown was their croBy the end of the '70s, however, the disco era was waning from a combination of the bad economy, political chaos domestically and internationally (leading to the election of Ronald Reagan), and a general burnout of the participants from too many drugs and profligate sex (which would precipitate an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases and herald the outbreak of AIDS in the United States). There had already been an ad hoc reaction against the group's dominance of the airwaves, with mass burnings of Bee Gees posters and albums organized by DJs. The group itself helped contribute to the end of the party with their participation (at Stigwood's insistence) in the film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, "inspired" (if that's the word) by the Beatles' album. The movie was a commercial and critical disaster, and an embarrassment to all concerned.
In America, the Bee Gees were virtually invisible for most of the '80s. Instead, Barry Gibb pursued work as a producer for other artists, creating hits for Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross. By 1987 and the E.S.P. album, their sales had rebounded everywhere but the United States, yielding a number one single (outside of the U.S.) in "You Win Again." Their 1989 album One got a good reception around the world and generated a Top Ten U.S. single. And in the '90s, Polygram Records released the four-CD anthology Tales from the Brothers Gibb, which sold well around the world. The trio's 1997 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame led to a resurgence of interest, which heralded the release of the live album One Night Only (1998), cut at their first American concert in almost a decade.
the Bee Gees remained active until the death of Maurice in January 2003, from cardiac arrest during surgery. Following his death, Robin and Barry decided to cease performing as the Bee Gees. Their recorded legacy, however, subsequently became more visible than it had been in decades with the move of their catalog to Warner/Reprise. The latter company began the long-awaited upgraded CD reissue of the Bee Gees' post-1966 library, including the first-ever release of outtakes and rehearsal versions of songs. Robin was diagnosed with and underwent treatment for cancer in 2011. He died in London in May 2012 due to complications from cancer and intestinal surgery; he was 62 years old. Given the previous deaths of Andy (who had several number one hits and who died of an inflammatory heart virus in 1988) and Maurice Gibb, Robin was the third Gibb brother and second member of the Bee Gees to pass away.
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01. I Was A Lover, Leader Of Men 02. I Don't Think It's Funny 03. How Love Was True 04. To Be Or Not To Be 05. Timber 06. Claustrophobia 07. Could It Be |
08. And The Children Laughing 09. Wine And Women 10. Don't Say Goodbye 11. Peace Of Mind 12. Take Hold Of That Star 13. You Wouldn't Know 14. Follow The Wind |
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01. Turn Of The Century 02. Holiday 03. Red Chair, Fade Away 04. One Minute Woman 05. In My Own Time 06. Every Christian Lion Hearted Man 07. Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy Of Arts |
08. New York Mining Disaster 1941 09. Cucumber Castle 10. To Love Somebody 11. I Close My Eyes 12. I Can't see Nobody 13. Please Read Me 14. Close Another Door |
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01. World 02. And The Sun Will Shine 03. Lemons Never Forget 04. Really And Sincerely 05. Birdie Told Me 06. With The Sun In My Eyes |
07. Massachusetts 08. Harry Braff 09. Day Time Girl 10. The Earnest Of Being George 11. The Change Is Made 12. Horizontal |
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01. Let There Be Love 02. Kitty Can 03. In The Summer Of His Years 04. Indian Gin And Whiskey Dry 05. Down To Earth 06. Such A Shame 07. I've Gotta Get A Message To You |
08. Idea 09. When The Swallows Fly 10. I Have Decided To Join The Airforce 11. I Started A Joke 12. Kilburn Towers 13. Swan Song |
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01. Odessa (city on the black sea) 02. You'll Never See My Face Again 03. Black Diamond 04. Marley Purt Drive 05. Edison 06. Melody Fair 07. Suddenly 08. Whisper Whisper 09. Lamplight |
10. Sound Of Love 11. Give Your Best 12. Seven Seas Symphony 13. With All Nations (International Anthem) 14. I Laugh In Your Face 15. Never Say Never Again 16. First Of May 17. The British Opera |
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01. If I Only Had My Mind On Something Else 02. I.O.I.O. 03. Then You Left Me 04. The Lord 05. I Was A Child 06. I Lay Down And Die |
07. Sweetheart 08. Bury Me Down By The River 09. My Thing 10. The Chance Of Love 11. Turning Tide 12. Don't Forget To Remember |
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01. 2 Years On 02. Portrait Of Louise 03. Man For All Seasons 04. Sincere Relation 05. Back Home 06. The 1st Mistake I Made |
07. Lonely Days 08. Alone Again 09. Tell Me Why 10. Lay It On Me 11. Every Second, Every Minute 12. I'm Weeping |
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01. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart 02. Israel 03. The Greatest Man In The World 04. It's Just My Way 05. Remembering 06. Somebody Stop The Music |
07. Trafalgar 08. Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself 09. When Do I 10. Dearest 11. Lion In Winter 12. Walking Back To Waterloo |
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01. Run To Me 02. We Lost The Road 03. Never Been Alone 04. Paper Mache, Cabbages & Kings 05. I Can Bring Love 06. I Held A Party 07. Please Don't Turn Out The Lights |
08. Sea Of Smiling Faces 09. Bad, Bad Dreams 10. You Know It's For You 11. Alive 12. Road To Alaska 13. Sweet Song Of Summer |
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01. Saw A New Morning 02. I Don't Wanna Be The One 03. South Dakota Morning 04. Living In Chicago |
05. While I Play 06. My Life Has Been A Song 07. Come Home Johnny Birdie 08. Method To My Madness |
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01. Charade 02. Throw A Penny 03. Down The Road 04. Voices 05. Give A Hand, Take A Hand 06. Dogs |
07. Mr. Natural 08. Lost In Your Love 09. I Can't Let You Go 10. Heavy Breathing 11. Had A Lot Of Love Last Night |
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01. Nights On Broadway 02. Jive Talkin' 03. Wind Of Change 04. Songbird 05. Fanny (be tender with my love) |
06. All This Making Love 07. Country Lanes 08. Come On Over 09. Edge Of The Universe 10. Baby As You Turn Away |
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01. You Should Be Dancing 02. You Stepped Into My Life 03. Love So Right 04. Lovers 05. Can't Keep A Good Man Down |
06. Boogie Child 07. Love Me 08. Subway 09. The Way It Was 10. Children Of The World |
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01. I've Gotta Get A Message To You 02. Love So Right 03. Edge Of The Universe 04. Come On Over 05. You Can't Keep A Good Man Down 06. New York Mining Disaster 1941 07. Run To Me 08. World 09. Holiday 10. I Can't See Anybody 11. I Started A Joke |
12. Massachusetts 13. How Can You Meld A Broken Heart 14. To Love Somebody 15. You Should Be Dancing 16. Boogie Child 17. Down The Road 18. Words 19. Wind Of Change 20. Nights On Broadway 21. Jive Talkin' 22. Lonely Days |
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01. Stayin' Alive 02. How Deep Is Your Love 03. Night Fever 04. More Than A Woman 05. If I Can't Have You (Y Elliman) 06. Fifth Of Beethoven (W Murphy) 07. More Than A Woman (Tavares) 08. Manhattan Skyline (D Shire) 09. Calypso Breakdown (R Macdonald) |
10. Night On Disco Mountain (D Shire) 11. Open Sesame (Kool & The Gang) 12. Jive Talkin' 13. You Should Be Dancing 14. Boogie Shoes (KC & Sunshine Band) 15. Salsation (D Shire) 16. K-Jee ( MFSB) 17. Disco Inferno (Trammps) |
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01. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 02. With A Little Help From My Friends 03. Here Comes The Sun 04. Getting Better 05. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds 06. I Want You (she's so heavy) 07. Good Morning, Good Morning 08. She's Leaving Home 09. You Never Give Me Your Money 10. Oh! Darling 11. Maxwell's Silver Hammer 12. Polythene Pam 13. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window 14. Nowhere Man |
15. Got To Get You Into My Life 16. Strawberry Fields Forever 17. When I'm Sixty-Four 18. Mean Mister Mustard 19. Fixing A Hole 20. Because 21. Golden Slumbers 22. Carry That Weight 23. Come Together 24. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite 25. The Long And Winding Road 26. A Day In The Life 27. Get Back |
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01. Tragedy 02. Too Much Heaven 03. Love You Inside Out 04. Reaching Out 05. Spirits Having Flown |
06. Search, Find 07. Stop (think again) 08. Living Together 09. I'm Satisfied 10. Until |
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01. Living Eyes 02. He's A Liar 03. Paradise 04. Don't Fall In Love With Me 05. Soldiers |
06. I Still Love You 07. Wildflower 08. Nothing Could Be Good 09. Crying Every Day 10. Be Who You Are |
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01. The Woman In You 02. I Love You Too Much 03. Breakout |
04. Someone Belonging To Someone 05. Life Goes On 06. Staying Alive |
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01. E S P 02. You Win Again 03. Live Or Die (hold me like a child) 04. Giving Up The Ghost 05. The Longest Night |
06. This Is Your Life 07. Angela 08. Overnight 09. Crazy For Your Love 10. Backtafunk |
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01. Ordinary Lives 02. One 03. Bodyguard 04. It's My Neighborhood 05. Tears 06. Tokyo Nights |
07. Flesh And Blood 08. Wish You Were Here 09. House Of Shame 10. Will You Ever Let Me 11. Wing And A Prayer |
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01. High Civilization 02. Secret Love 03. When He's Gone 04. Happy Ever After 05. Party With No Name 06. Ghost Train |
07. Dimensions 08. The Only Love 09. Human Sacrifice 10. True Confessions 11. Evolution |
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01. Paying The Price Of Love 02. Kiss Of Life 03. How To Fall In Love, Pt. 1 04. Omega Man 05. Haunted House 06. Heart Like Mine |
07. Anything For You 08. Blue Island 09. Above And Beyond 10. For Whom The Bell Tolls 11. Fallen Angel |
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01. Alone 02. I Surrender 03. I Could Not Love You More 04. Still Waters Run Deep 05. My Lover's Prayer 06. With My Eyes Closed |
07. Irresistible Force 08. Closer Than Close 09. I Will 10. Obsessions 11. Miracles Happen 12. Smoke And Mirrors |
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01. You Should Be Dancing 02. Alone 03. Massachusetts 04. To Love Somebody 05. Words 06. Closer Than Close 07. Islands In The Stream 08. Our Love (don't throw it all away) 09. Night Fever 10. More Than A Woman 11. Lonely Days 12. New York Mining Disaster 1941 13. I Can't See Nobody |
14. And The Sun Will Shine 15. Nights On Broadway 16. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart 17. Heartbreaker 18. Guilty 19. Immortality 20. Tragedy 21. I Started A Joke 22. Grease 23. Jive Talkin' 24. How Deep Is Your Love 25. Stayin' Alive |
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01. This Is Where I Came In 02. She Keeps On Coming 03. Sacred Trust 04. Wedding Day 05. Man In The Middle 06. Deja Vu |
07. Technicolor Dreams 08. Walking On Air 09. Loose Talk Costs Lives 10. Embrace 11. The Extra Mile 12. Voice In The Wilderness |
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01. In The Morning 02. Melody Fair 03. Spicks And Specks 04. Romance Theme In F 05. Give Your Best 06. To Love Somebody |
07. Working On It Night And Day 08. First Of May 09. Seaside Banjo 10. Teacher's Chase 11. Teach Your Children |
