looks pretty live to me. they brought a huge band with them!
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:10 (eleven years ago) link
Bee Gees tour in 1980 was my first concert ever. I was 8. It was magic. I had seats 10th row center. It was definitely a big band with a BIG sound.
― hutlock, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:12 (eleven years ago) link
omg that must have been amazing
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:19 (eleven years ago) link
He's feathered his hair ever since.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:20 (eleven years ago) link
1. To Love Somebody (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)369 points (13 votes, 3 first place votes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx_R5ZMs4mo
The second single released by the Bee Gees from their third album, "Bee Gees 1st". It was written by Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb, Produced by Robert Stigwood.
At the request of Robert Stigwood, the band's manager, Barry and Robin Gibb wrote "To Love Somebody", a soulful ballad in the style of Sam & Dave or The Rascals, for Otis Redding. The Bee Gees recorded "To Love Somebody" at IBC Studios, London in March 1967 and released it as a single in mid-July 1967 in the U.S. Redding died in an aeroplane crash later that year, before having a chance to record the song.
The song enjoyed only modest chart success, reaching #41 in the UK and #17 in the US. It has been covered extensively over the years, with versions recorded by the Animals, P.P. Arnold, Leonard Cohen, Billy Corgan & Robert Smith, Janis Joplin, Gram Parsons, Nina Simone, Dusty Springfield, and Simply Red.
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:21 (eleven years ago) link
TOTALLY amazeballs, yes. I still remember the fireworks they set off during "tragedy" -- one of those idelible childhood memories.
Also: YESSSSSSSSSSS! That's my #1, right where it belongs! Whoooo!
― hutlock, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:24 (eleven years ago) link
Billy Corgan & Robert Smith
Say what?
Anyway, YAY #1!!!
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:24 (eleven years ago) link
please nobody post that cover please
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:26 (eleven years ago) link
aha, that's the one I was forgetting. And I voted for it! By this point I was assuming SNF era must come out on top.
― Jeff W, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:26 (eleven years ago) link
Not gonna lie: I'm a little disappointed. Like this song (my #23), don't love it unconditionally.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:27 (eleven years ago) link
OMG can totally hear Otis Redding singing "To Love Somebody" and killing it. If only.
― Jeff W, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:29 (eleven years ago) link
well basically anything that got a first place vote was gonna place, this came out on top expressly because it had the most first place votes. I think it's definitely among the best of their early period material.
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:29 (eleven years ago) link
and yeah the Otis thing... man, what a loss.
songs that received at least 2 votes but didn't place:
When the Swallows FlyLamplightIdeaJulietteDogsKathy's GoneOneDown The RoadLove So RightMy ThingThe Worst Girl in This TownAlonePlease Don't Turn Out the LightsBoys Do Fall In Love Morning of My Life
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:32 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks for running this poll, Shakey Mo.
― Jeff W, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:37 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah, this was great fun...even if we had to bully people into participating!
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:39 (eleven years ago) link
I think it's definitely among the best of their early period material.
Regardless, Shakey, this was awesome. Thanks for pushing this thing through to the finish line.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:39 (eleven years ago) link
my pleasure. I hope it makes some new fans, at least. it is very strange to me that such a huge/seminal act is so underappreciated by an (ostensible) community of music nerds.
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:40 (eleven years ago) link
whyyyyyyyyyyyy didn't I vote for To Love Somebody
oversight of the century holy shit
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:43 (eleven years ago) link
but yay it made #1 without me
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:44 (eleven years ago) link
So which song appeared on the most total ballots, regardless of placement?
― hutlock, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:46 (eleven years ago) link
Backtafunk
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:47 (eleven years ago) link
Also, Primal Scream covered "To Love Somebody" at the Cleveland gig on their Screamadelica tour back in the day. I got to meet/greet/etc. (ahem) with them afterwards and I gushed all over Bobby Gillespie about them playing a Bee Gees tune and he had no idea -- said that they learned it from Gram Parsons.
Perfect.
― hutlock, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:48 (eleven years ago) link
Looks like "Nights on Broadway" with 14.
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:50 (eleven years ago) link
yep
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:50 (eleven years ago) link
That's cool - I'm still baffled/impressed that there wasn't one single tune that made all the ballots. I would have thought at least one (maybe more like 5) of the big hits would have, considering there were only 17 voters. Speaks well to the depth of the catalog for sure.
― hutlock, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:53 (eleven years ago) link
yeah I think that's entirely down to them having four decades of material
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 20:57 (eleven years ago) link
...and only 17 people voting probably.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 21:01 (eleven years ago) link
nah more voters would have meant even less ballot uniformity
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 21:05 (eleven years ago) link
Wait, right.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 21:08 (eleven years ago) link
Naive Teen Idol, math major. :-)
― hutlock, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 21:13 (eleven years ago) link
Not enough of a Bee Gees fan to vote but enough of one to be enormously grateful to Shakey for this poll. I've put it all into a Spotify playlist and I'm looking forward to going through the non-hits.
― Get wolves (DL), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 21:37 (eleven years ago) link
You mind sharing it?
Thanks from me too, Shakey. I hate it when people say they didn't vote because ... but that was me here - I'd've been voting for the SNF stuff and nothing else, and figured the poll didn't need me ignorantly boostering just their best-known hits.
I wasn't even going to open the thread, but I'm glad I did. The fun facts with entry were a great idea.
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 21:46 (eleven years ago) link
I'm looking forward to going through the non-hits.
that should cut the list down to about 6 songs :)
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 21:47 (eleven years ago) link
Final results
1. To Love Somebody2. Nights on Broadway3. More Than a Woman 4. How Deep is Your Love5. Jive Talkin'6. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart7. Stayin' Alive8. If I Can’t Have You9. I Started A Joke10. Night Fever11. Mr. Natural12. Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)13. Islands In The Stream14. Massachusetts15. I've Gotta Get A Message To You16. New York Mining Disaster 194117. You Should Be Dancing18. You Win Again19. Tragedy20. Heartbreaker21. Melody Fair22. Every Christian Lionhearted Man Will Show You23. Spicks & Specks24. Run To Me25. Emotion26. Lonely Days27. Holiday27. Spirits Having Flown28. Love You Inside Out29. World30. Lemons Never Forget31. I Just Want To Be Your Everything32. Words33. Grease34. Trafalgar35. Odessa (City on the Black Sea)36. Too Much Heaven37. **TIE** I Can't See Nobody, Sweet Song of Summer, Guilty38. Paradise39. Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself40. For Whom the Bell Tolls41. The Flag I Flew42. Shadow Dancing43. **TIE** Kilburn Towers, Edge of the Universe, Nobody's Someone,Please Read Me44. I Laugh in Your Face45. **TIE** Indian Gin And Whisky Dry, (Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away, Seven Seas Symphony46. Black Diamond47. An Everlasting Love48. **TIE** Throw a Penny, Chain Reaction49. **TIE** A Very Special Day, (Love is) Thicker Than Water50. Woman in Love
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 21:51 (eleven years ago) link
Playlist here. I know almost the entire Top 20, then it gets a bit spotty. Never got around to Odessa, Trafalgar, etc.
spoti.fi/M6rCfH
― Get wolves (DL), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 21:54 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks!
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 22:04 (eleven years ago) link
*25. Emotion (Writers: Barry and Robin Gibb)104 points (5 votes)*
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 21 June 2012 03:43 (eleven years ago) link
"Spicks and Specks" would have made a great Spïnäl Tap song title
― Lee626, Thursday, 21 June 2012 06:33 (eleven years ago) link
I saw them at Maple Leaf Gardens just prior to Saturday Night Fever, but I don't think I was ever that big a fan.
1. “More Than a Woman,” Tavares (40)2. “Night Fever,” Bee Gees (36)3. “If I Can’t Have You,” Yvonne Elliman (33)4. “To Love Somebody,” Bee Gees (30)5. “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” Al Green (28)6. “Run to Me,” Bee Gees (26)
― clemenza, Thursday, 21 June 2012 11:49 (eleven years ago) link
muh ballot
To Love Somebody - 40Paradise - 36Nights on Broadway - 33World - 30You Win Again - 28Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You - 26I Believe in Miracles (Robin Gibb) - 25Spicks and Specks - 24Stayin' Alive - 23Suddenly - 22Cryin' Every Day - 21I Laugh in Your Face - 20Nobody's Someone - 19Bury Me Down by the River - 18Tragedy - 17One - 16Lonely Days - 15Kitty Can - 14Holiday - 13You Know It's for You - 12
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 21 June 2012 14:13 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks for posting!Here's mine:
To Love SomebodyMore Than a WomanHeartbreaker (Dionne Warwick)Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)Emotion (Samantha Sang)I Started A JokeI Just Wanna Be Your Everything (Andy Gibb)New York Mining Disaster 1941Love You Inside OutI've Gotta Get a Message to YouEdge of the UniverseRun To MeHow Deep Is Your Love? Jive Talkin'HolidayAll This Making LoveIslands in the StreamNights on BroadwayI Can't See NobodyWordsNight FeverYou Should Be DancingSpicks & SpecksToo Much HeavenMassachusettsMr. NaturalWildflowerMorning of My LifeIf I Can't Have You (Yvonne Elliman)Living Eyes
Just compared the final list to my ballot -- looks like 26 of my 30 made it. Would love to see some other folks' individual ballots if anyone feels like posting them...
― hutlock, Thursday, 21 June 2012 14:18 (eleven years ago) link
great stuff! here's my ballot:
Love You Inside OutMore Than A WomanTo Love SomebodyLonely DaysWords (Elvis Presley)TragedyHudson's Fallen Wind (Robin Gibb)ParadiseFanny (Be Tender With My Love)Every Christian Lionhearted Man Will Show YouSpicks & SpecksI Just Want To be Your Everything (Andy Gibb)Jive Talkin'Heartbreaker (Dionne Warwick)Nights On BroadwayAn Everlasting Love(Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away (Andy Gibb)Guilty (Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb)You Should Be DancingAloneGive A Hand, Take A Hand (P P Arnold)Shadow Dancing (Andy Gibb)Stayin' AliveKathy's Gone (Robin Gibb)I Started A JokeWalking Back To WaterlooBoys Do Fall In Love (Robin Gibb)How Can You Mend A Broken HeartNight FeverHow Deep Is Your Love
― here's my lumber, so jack me maybe (some dude), Thursday, 21 June 2012 14:26 (eleven years ago) link
Mine: 1. Nights on Broadway 2. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? 3. I Started a Joke 4. Mr. Natural 5. Lamplight 6. Odessa (City on the Black Sea) 7. Fannie (Be Tender With My Love) 8. The Flag I Flew 9. Run To Me 10. Massachusetts 11. For Whom the Bell Tolls 12. Islands in the Stream 13. Kathy's Gone 14. A Very Special Day 15. Heartbreaker 16. World 17. Melody Fair 18. I've Gotta Get a Message to You 19. I Can't See Nobody 20. Juliet 21. Method to My Madness 22. My Life Has Been a Song 23. To Love Somebody 24. Holiday 25. How Deep Is Your Love 26. Please Don't Turn Out the Lights 27. The Worst Girl In This Town 28. Indian Gin and Whisky Dry 29. He Can't Love You 30. First of May
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 21 June 2012 15:18 (eleven years ago) link
Whoops -- Method to My Madness didn't chart, either. Great song, that.
Here’s my ballot. Mostly consensus picks:
01 Sweet Song of Summer02 Spirits (Having Flown) 03 How Deep Is Your Love04 Grease05 Guilty06 If I Can't Have You07 You Should Be Dancing 08 Tragedy09 More Than A Woman 10 Too Much Heaven11 Edge of the Universe12 Robot13 To Love Somebody14 Emotion15 Jive Talkin'16 How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?17 Paying The Price Of Love 18 I Held a Party19 You Win Again20 Trash (from 'Sesame Street Fever')21 I've Gotta Get a Message to You22 Melody Fair23 Chain Reaction24 Night Fever25 Stayin' Alive26 Words27 Morning of My Life28 Woman In Love29 Nights On Broadway30 Spicks and Specks
― Jeff W, Thursday, 21 June 2012 18:57 (eleven years ago) link
sort of kicking myself for forgetting to include the anecdote about how they wrote/came up with the idea for NY Mining Disaster 1941 (ie, warming up by singing in an echo-y stairwell outside the studio and thinking about how it sounded like they were at the bottom of a mineshaft)
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 21 June 2012 18:59 (eleven years ago) link
also meant to point out that every single album through 1987 was represented in the final results, with two exceptions: Life in a Tin Can and Cucumber Castle (if only one more person had voted for Maurice's "My Thing" arggh!)
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 21 June 2012 19:02 (eleven years ago) link
all the anecdotes about how they were inspired to write songs based on car and plane engine sounds and did diy explosion sound effects w/ microphones are so cool, goes to show how resourceful and kinda avant garde they could be for 'professional pop hitmakers' of their era
― here's my lumber, so jack me maybe (some dude), Thursday, 21 June 2012 19:06 (eleven years ago) link
also interesting to note that their "commercial nadir"(from To Whom it May Concern until Main Course) lasted a grand total of only 4 years lol
― a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 21 June 2012 19:16 (eleven years ago) link