The Enduring Songs of
the Bee Gees
For a while
‘disco’ went out of fashion and so did the Bee Gees songs. They drew a lot of
attention for their songs for the cult movie Saturday Night Fever in 1977 (Night Fever, More Than A Woman, Jive Talking, You Should be Dancing) and also for the movie Staying
Alive in 1983.
But the
caricature of Travolta in his white suit, while successful did little for the
Bee Gees image, as Disco fever became passé with the advent of punk.
And so the
Bee Gees began writing songs for other artists – the incredible ‘Islands in the Stream’ was covered by
Dolly Parton and Kenny Rodgers. Yet check the BeeGees own version which I much
prefer.
I first
heard the Bee Gees songs when Massachusetts, How Deep is Your Love, Gotta Get a Message
To You were played at the end of Disco dance nights and I thought the close
harmonies and powerful emotions of the songs really stood out.
If you
check their back catalogue they have written so many unforgettable songs.
Recently on YouTube I discovered some amazing clips from a concert the Bee Gees
did in Las Vegas in 1997.
Just two
weeks back I found this song they wrote for Celine Dion ‘Immortality’, yet again I thought wow.
They always
knew the heart of the song, and they never over sang or over played their
songs. Robin Gibb sang Massachusetts and he had an awesome falsetto voice.
He was such a great and unassuming talent.
(Robin's
twin Maurice died in 2003. Robin is survived by older brother Barry Gibb.)
Among the artists who have covered their songs are Ardijah, Michael Bolton, Boyzone, Eric Clapton, Billy Corgan, Destiny's Child, Faith No More, Feist, The Flaming Lips, Al Green, Jinusean, Elton John, Tom Jones, Janis Joplin, Lulu, Elvis Presley, Nina Simone, Percy Sledge, Robert Smith, Take That, and John Frusciante. The band's music has also been sampled by dozens of hip hop artists.
Celine Dion ‘Immortality’
