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

Somebody voted "Seven Seas Symphony" as their #1? Wow!

This is off to an intriguing start!

hurrah to the other "Seven Seas Symphony" voter (my #1)

just to be clear, you were the lone voter for that one Euler

dammit, well, you are all wrong

I laugh in your face

LOL

Spotify playlist -- collaborative if I fail to keep up while at work.

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

I had a chance to listen to a fair bit of material for this poll in the end, & it's funny how bad they were as lyricists until the disco era. Like the Odessa songs, which I love, are pure nonsense lyrically.

e.g.

Your lips could never show a smile
You never tried, you just put me in a file
I never lived inside your hole, child
I thought you needed me, I never had no style

Never say, never say never again
Never say, never say never again
You said goodbye, I declared war on Spain
Never say, never say never again

Your eyes could never show a grin
You never tried, you just put me in a tin
I never lived inside your hole child
You know I needed you and look at the shape I'm in

Never say, never say never again
Never say, never say never again
You said goodbye, I declared war on Spain
Never say, never say never again

song's a jam btw

oh I see Shakey already posted the "I Laugh In Your Face" lyric for similar effect

"You said goodbye I declared war on Spain" is a great lyric fuiud

Yes, love their nonsense lyrics
Sort of a cross between a teenager's idea of poetry with added self-conscious psychedelic weirdness

not that I'm denying their penchant for nonsense... but I see them as keeping pace with Donovan and the Beatles and the Move et al in terms of going for this silly/surreal material. I think where it gets weird is that the Gibbs didn't really draw a line between their nonsense and their more earnest melodrama, often they're combined in the same song. And then occasionally they'd hit these story-in-song type things (like NY Mining Disaster or Gotta Get A Message to You) where the juxtaposition of bizarre historical details and genuine pathos actually complement each other.

xp

I love them too, as sung, but they scan hilariously.

"You said goodbye I declared war on Spain" is like some Wes Anderson dialogue

just reread the "Odessa" lyric & it's another doozy. something about an iceberg & a ship sinking & the Vicar? is "Odessa" the name of the ship? I constructed a story for the album, making it a concept album, about Stalin in Baku, but I dunno, 1899, maybe it's like Tommy, who can put that together.

lol yeah Odessa is very wtf. there was no HMS Veronica iirc.

would totally watch a staged opera of "Odessa" - would open with the shipwreck, maybe killing the parents of a child who lives in Barry's orphanage in Marley Purt Drive, Edison shows up and plays some records, kid escapes from the orphanage and falls in love with Melody Fair, she ditches him, he declares war on Spain, then Xmas and oops I'm old it's the 1st of May what have I done with my life

also there's a song sung around a lamppost in there somewher

ends with a huge international number, lots of flags

aaaaanyway

42. Shadow Dancing (Writers: Barry, Robin, Maurice and Andy Gibb)
44 points (4 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga8sDvcVvCo

Spent 7 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts in 1978, his third and final chart-topping hit in the US.

The song was written by Andy and his brothers (Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb) in Los Angeles, while the trio of brothers were working on the film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. "And one night," Andy would recall, "while we were relaxing, we sat down and we had to start getting tracks together for the album" (also titled Shadow Dancing, which would eventually hit #7 on the U.S. album charts). "So we literally sat down and in ten minutes, we had a group going, (singing) the chorus part. As it says underneath the song, we all wrote it, the four of us."

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.

Yeah, him and Bowie.

I think I’m actually just starting to realize what an incredible song Stayin’ Alive is. Like, in addition to the opening groove and that great drum loop story, I’m not sure I ever fully appreciated how fucking boss and weird the chorus is on this song. I mean, we all know the “ha ha ha” part but that slurry syncopated line that leads into the ha ha ha’s is subtly strange and amazing (and not that it matters but I still have zero idea what they’re singing there). This realization is just another reminder that whole thing is just perfect from top to bottom.

Maybe it is their best song? I’m willing to be convinced here.

Or the way the strings kick in for the bleak-as-fuck "I'm goin' nowhere."

Hey now, there was a thread for that sort of thing but it was only Shakey and me on it most days!

The song by song rundown?

Sorry, couldn’t keep up.

Shakey did tend to press on regardless somewhat.

Oh right! I couldn’t keep up either. Which bummed me out. Was it before quarantine? I feel like it must’ve been because I imagine I would’ve looked forward to every next entry like my life depended on it.

Pretty sure it was. Could have done with some more contributors in the Bee Gees' imperial stage because I found I couldn't think of as many things to say about something like "Staying Alive" as opposed to, er, "I Have Decided to Join the Air Force".

Lol, check out the current last post on that thread

Ha, exactly. It’s good to know my self-hatred pre-dated COVID, I guess.

the Tropical Fuck Storm version of "Stayin' Alive" almost approximates the swagger level of the original, albeit from a scuzzier angle

Where we talking about the Barry Gibb duets record? So good.

i cant remember which thread but I LOVE IT SO MUCH OMG

play "Mr. Natural" at my funeral

Is there some bad news you're keeping from us?

no I'm remaining conscious for now

Literally everything is great about the duets album. The artists, the band, the sound — they recorded at RCA studios in Nashville with a live band in the room & it really shows, just has such a beautiful warmth & depth, i cant get enough

Didn't realize that about the live band but it totally makes sense.