How Can You Poll a Broken Heart - the Robin Gibb Memorial BEE GEES TRACKS POLL RESULTS

I didn't realize til after I submitted my ballot how great Shadow Dancing is, kicking myself for not voting.

such a great track

Yeah, it was my only Andy song. I went soft on the disco stuff, but "Shadow Dancing" is just undeniably great.

41. The Flag I Flew (Writer: Robin Gibb)
49 points (2 votes)

Unfortunately I can't find a youtube of this. here's a pic of Robin instead.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/5/21/1337557346443/Robin-Gibb-life-in-pics-006.jpg

This is another track from Robin's unreleased "Sing Slowly Sisters" solo album from 1970, which was abandoned when Robin rejoined his brothers to work on "2 Years On".

40. For Whom the Bell Tolls (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
51 points (2 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMhF6dskM5k

Released as the Bee Gees' second single from their album "Size Isn't Everything" in 1993. It peaked at #4 on the UK charts.

For Whom the Bells Tolls is typical of post-80s Bee Gees, in that it sounds lush and good and but I never remember it when the song's over.

I had never heard of it prior to this poll (which goes for several of their other late-period tracks as well)

I am one of the votes on each of these. Love them both. Robin's vocal break in the chorus of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is amazing. And "The Flag I Flew" is just heartmeltingly good.

39. Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself (Writer: Barry Gibb)
59 points (3 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0L_3SehWCk

The second single from the Bee Gees 1971 album "Trafalgar". Even though this was the follow-up to the huge hit "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart", the song not chart. Robin, in the liner notes of Tales from the Brothers Gibb box set, described the song as "...the dawning, or the closing, of the 'gotta find out who I really am' era."

lol Robin

dawning..or closing...lol

beautiful tune from a really solid, underrated album imho

38. Paradise (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
60 points, 2 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho35ySu18QA

From the Bee Gees 1981 album "Living Eyes". "Living Eyes" was chosen to be the first ever album to be manufactured on CD, for demonstration purposes, and was featured on the inaugural issue of the Compact Disc trade magazine

Wow, I never knew that about the first cd thing!

Also, YAY! This was my #2!

TIE
37. I Can't See Nobody (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
62 points (5 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkeVEqxdUIA

From the Bee Gees' 1967 album "Bee Gees 1st", and the b-side to "New York Mining Disaster 1941". Live footage above is from the 1973 Love Sounds Special (live in Japan).

Personally I would just like to interject that this clip is a great example of how insanely perfect their harmonies were, particularly live, surpassing the Beach Boys and pretty much any other vocal group ensemble in rock.

37. Sweet Song of Summer (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
62 points (2 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ic0rPq30Vc

A "deep cut" from the Bee Gees 1972 album "To Whom It May Concern". In the 2010 documentary In Our Own Time, Maurice explained (in archival footage) that by 1972 they didn't really know who their audience was, hence the title.

37. Guilty (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
62 points (3 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr-fOJdeUus

Released as a single from Barbra Streisand's 1980 album of the same name, "Guilty" peaked at #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. "Guilty" won a Grammy Award in the category Best Pop Vocal Performance, Duo or Group.

36. Too Much Heaven (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
65 points (5 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SINhvDM7qF4

"Too Much Heaven" was the Bee Gees' contribution to the "Music for UNICEF" fund. They performed it at the Music for UNICEF Concert on 9 January 1979. The song later found its way to the group's thirteenth original album, "Spirits Having Flown". The recording process was the longest of all the tracks on "Spirits Having Flown" as there are nine layers of three-part harmony, creating 27 voices.

oops forgot to note that Sweet Song of Summer had one #1 vote

Even tho Guilty is the beginning of Barry being the man in charge, esp. when it comes to writing and recording demos for other artists, I find it interesting that all the big hits ("Guilty, "Islands," "Heartbreaker") continued to have co-writing credits by all three brothers.

yeah I had assumed "Guilty" was a Barry/Barbra co-write

35. Odessa (City on the Black Sea) (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
66 points (2 votes, 1 first place vote)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiQ6gHcrSiQ&feature=fvwrel

The title track of the Bee Gees' 1969 double album opus. Wikipedia says the geography of the song is "not to be taken literally."

please do not use Bee Gees for geographical reference points lol

34. Trafalgar (Writers: Maurice Gibb)
71 points (4 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9qpERA1kJM

The title track to the Bee Gees' 1971 album "Trafalgar". Maurice is the sole band member to appear on the recording, singing and playing every instrument.

30. Grease (Writer: Barry Gibb)
74 points (3 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXsrHGOQe5I

The title song for the musical motion picture "Grease", sung by Frankie Valli. It became a No. 1 single in the United States in 1978. The song was written to order for Robert Stigwood, and recorded shortly after filming for the 1978 musical film "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", which was probably when Gibb invited Peter Frampton to the session, The other uncredited musicians were some of those from the Andy Gibb album that was being made around the same time.

argh that should be 33

Hats off to whoever had "Sweet Song of Summer" at #1!

32. Words (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
79 points (7 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfxD4ERYLa0&feature=fvwrel

Released as a single in 1967 by the Bee Gees, reaching #8 in the UK and #15 in the US. Originally written and intended for Cliff Richard, it has since been covered by many artists, including Elvis Presley, Rita Coolidge, and Boyzone.

31. I Just Want to Be Your Everything (Writer: Barry Gibb)
87 points (4 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-xfFqWaK1s

The first single released from Andy Gibb's debut album, "Flowing Rivers", it became the first of three consecutive number one Billboard Hot 100 singles. Although brother Barry is the only credited writer for the song, both he and Andy wrote "Everything" in Bermuda as a tribute to Andy's recent marriage and his new wife. The song features guitar work by Joe Walsh.

last one for today...

30. Lemons Never Forget (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
88 points (4 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFnvk8x0-f8

Non-single track from the Bee Gees' 1968 album "Horizontal".

Results so far

30. Lemons Never Forget
31. I Just Want To Be Your Everything
32. Words
33. Grease
34. Trafalgar
35. Odessa (City on the Black Sea)
36. Too Much Heaven
37. **TIE** I Can't See Nobody, Sweet Song of Summer, Guilty
38. Paradise
39. Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself
40. For Whom the Bell Tolls
41. The Flag I Flew
42. Shadow Dancing
43. **TIE** Kilburn Towers, Edge of the Universe, Nobody's Someone,
Please Read Me
44. I Laugh in Your Face
45. **TIE** Indian Gin And Whisky Dry, (Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away, Seven Seas Symphony
46. Black Diamond
47. An Everlasting Love
48. **TIE** Throw a Penny, Chain Reaction
49. **TIE** A Very Special Day, (Love is) Thicker Than Water
50. Woman in Love

*35. Odessa (City on the Black Sea) (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
66 points (2 votes, 1 first place vote)*



/The title track of the Bee Gees' 1969 double album opus. Wikipedia says the geography of the song is "not to be taken literally."/

TOO LOW!

My #1

The live rendition Shakey posted upthread is good, but let's all take a few minutes to bask in the afterglow of the studio version of this brilliant, tragically underappreciated song I almost made my #1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VMBGsQgMf8

Andy Gibb will forever be lumped into the teenybopper-idol ghetto, putting out his last record when he was 23. In stark contrast to the banal and sophomoric fare usually sold to this demographic (hello, One Direction), Andy dropped this catchy yet wonderfully complex ditty, chock full of starts and stops, crunge-y dissonant guitar riffs, enough time-signature shifts to do Dave Brubeck proud, and two contrasting instrumental bridges - the first which adroitly reverses its way back to the main verse over a bed of guitars and synths not heard anywhere else in the record, the second which takes the song for a unexpectedly quiet and contemplative turn, before wordless vocals repeating the main verse return for one of the longest fadeouts this side of "Hey Jude".

This was the second of three consective US #1 hits for AG. But it only reached #13 in Australia, and missed the charts altogether in the UK. Hit or no, it's an exquisite slice of 1977 pop, a standout even in a year bursting through its seams with great music.

Deeply regretting not giving Andy a listen before voting. Best discovery of the poll so far for me. "Shadow Dancing" is all time!

Hats off to whoever had "Sweet Song of Summer" at #1
That'd be me. Having poked fun at Maurice's moog-ing in the voting thread, I thought I owed him one. It is an amazing track all things considered though.

Fascinating results so far - lots for me to educate myself about.

Great footage here of Andy Gibb doing Love Is Thicker Than Water and Shadow Dancing on an Olivia Newton John TV special (with ABBA!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViIUlPADAzw

29. World (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
92 points (5 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc2hq3vbO7w

The second UK single from the Bee Gees second album "Horizontal", released in 1967. Though it was a big hit in Europe, Atco Records did not issue it as a single in the United States.

28. Love You Inside Out (Writers:
98 points (4 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbPRTI_ugys

A 1979 hit single for the Bee Gees, from their album "Spirits Having Flown". It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in June 1979 interrupting Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff", It would be the ninth and final number-one hit for the Bee Gees in the US.

Allegedly, the brothers sent off a special version to Robert Stigwood with the alternate line "backwards and forwards with my cock hanging out" (instead of "with my heart hanging out"), just to see if he was paying attention. (He was).

"Love You Inside Out" was a statistically important single for The Bee Gees. It helped them rewrite the history books in several ways when it reached number one on June 9, 1979.

1) It was the group's ninth number one single in the U.S. (tenth if you include "Lonely Days", which reached number one on the Cashbox charts in 1971). That is the most number one singles of any artist during the 1970's.
2) It was The Bee Gees sixth consecutive number one single. The only other group to achieve this was The Beatles.
3) It was the third consecutive number one single from "Spirits Having Flown", which followed three consecutive number one singles from their previous album "Saturday Night Fever". No other artist has ever had three consecutive number one singles from two successive albums.

er written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb

also received one first place vote

Allegedly, the brothers sent off a special version to Robert Stigwood with the alternate line "backwards and forwards with my cock hanging out" (instead of "with my heart hanging out"), just to see if he was paying attention. (He was).

omg please tell me this has been bootlegged

I love the cascading chorus melody of "World" so much.

Agreed. It's a great song.

Also that really farfisa-ish organ during the verses.

think that's a mellotron

and now, the last tie in the countdown...

What CAN'T a mellotron do?!

TIE
27. Spirits Having Flown (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
101 points (5 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whzH79zwQd0

The title track from the Bee Gees' 1979 album. Not issued as a single at the time of the album's release

27. Holiday (Writers: Barry and Robin Gibb)
101 points (6 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bOwDli7Nck

From 1967's "Bee Gees 1st". Released as a single in the US, reaching #16 on the charts, but not in the UK (where "World" was released instead).

The "If not you're just/Throwing stones/Throwing stones/Throwing stones" couplet from "Holiday" is possibly the single most melancholy moment in their massive catalog.

Just updated the Spotify playlist, fyi...

http://open.spotify.com/user/124420673/playlist/54TCvvJ2yOMoYxl2fu6mQ5

26. Lonely Days (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
103 points (5 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpIcjNa1cqQ

Featured on the 1970 Bee Gees album "2 Years On", in the US it reached #3, their highest chart up to that point. Recorded on the same night as "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?", immediately following their reunion.

So tempted to "TOO LOW" right now... :)

Didn't make my ballot.

yeah was kinda surprised this was the consensus track from 2 Years On. Also surprised it was their highest charting US single up to that point, that just seems bizarre. It's a bit stiff imho.