The Ultimate Bee Gees
Encyclopedia
The Ultimate Bee Gees is a compilation album
released to coincide with the 50'th anniversary of the Bee Gees
. Though the group did not start recording until 1963 on Festival Records in Australia
, they began calling themselves the "Bee Gees" in 1959 after several name changes such as "Wee Johnny Hayes and the Bluecats", "The Rattlesnakes" and "BG's". Each disc is themed with the first containing more upbeat songs, called A Night Out, and the second containing slower songs and ballads, called A Night In, though the cover art does not distinguish this theme. Liner notes were written by Sir Tim Rice
.
s Top Album chart.
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
released to coincide with the 50'th anniversary of the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
. Though the group did not start recording until 1963 on Festival Records in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, they began calling themselves the "Bee Gees" in 1959 after several name changes such as "Wee Johnny Hayes and the Bluecats", "The Rattlesnakes" and "BG's". Each disc is themed with the first containing more upbeat songs, called A Night Out, and the second containing slower songs and ballads, called A Night In, though the cover art does not distinguish this theme. Liner notes were written by Sir Tim Rice
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
.
Track listing
Though every song in The Bee Gees catalog since 1967 has been mixed in stereo, a few early tracks are presented here in the mono mixes heard on the original single releases, for the first time on a CD compilation. (The mono mixes were previously released on CD on the 2006 box set Studio Albums 1967-1968.)- All songs written by Barry GibbBarry GibbBarry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
, Robin GibbRobin GibbRobin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
& Maurice GibbMaurice GibbMaurice Ernest Gibb, CBE was a musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He was born on the Isle of Man, the twin brother of Robin Gibb, and younger brother to Barry. He is best known as a member of the singing/songwriting trio the Bee Gees, formed with his brothers...
except where noted (with this °)
Disc one
- "You Should Be DancingYou Should Be Dancing"You Should Be Dancing" is a single by the Bee Gees, from the album, Children of the World, in 1976. The single hit number one for one week on the American Billboard Hot 100, number one for seven weeks on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart, and in July the same year, reached number five on the UK...
" - "Stayin' AliveStayin' Alive"Stayin' Alive" is a song by the pop group Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever motion picture soundtrack. The song was written by the Bee Gees and produced by the Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson. It was released on 13 December 1977, as the second single from the Saturday Night Fever...
" - "Jive Talkin'Jive Talkin'"Jive Talkin" is a song by the Bee Gees, which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top-five on the UK singles chart in the summer of 1975. Largely recognized as the group's "comeback" song, it was their first U.S. top ten hit since "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" in...
" - "Nights on BroadwayNights on Broadway"Nights on Broadway" is a song by the Bee Gees for the Main Course album in 1975. The second single release from the album, it immediately followed their number-one hit "Jive Talkin'"....
" - "TragedyTragedy (song)"Tragedy" is a song recorded by the Bee Gees, included on their 1979 album Spirits Having Flown. The single reached number one in the UK in February 1979 and repeated the feat the following month on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100...
" - "Night FeverNight Fever"Night Fever" is a disco song, written and performed by The Bee Gees. It first appeared on the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever. Producer Robert Stigwood wanted to call the film Saturday Night, but singer Robin Gibb expressed hesitation at the title. Stigwood liked the title Night Fever but was...
" - "More Than a WomanMore Than a Woman (Bee Gees song)"More Than a Woman" is a disco song written by the Bee Gees for the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever....
" - "Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)"Fanny " is a song written and performed by the Bee Gees for their Main Course album in 1975. It was the third single release from the album and peaked at number 12 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and reached number two in Canada-Chart performance:...
" - "Spirits (Having Flown)Spirits (Having Flown)"Spirits " is song by The Bee Gees which was originally released on the 1979 album Spirits Having Flown. Though not issued as a single in conjunction with the parent album, it was issued as a single in the UK to promote the compilation Bee Gees Greatest, which was released in December, 1979.The...
" - "If I Can't Have YouIf I Can't Have You"If I Can't Have You" is a song written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees. It was most famously recorded by Yvonne Elliman for the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.-Background:...
" - "Boogie ChildBoogie Child"Boogie Child" is the third hit single from The Bee Gees 1976 platinum album Children of the World. Released in the U.S. in early 1977, "Boogie Child" peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100....
" - "Love You Inside OutLove You Inside Out"Love You Inside Out" is 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...
" - "You Win AgainYou Win Again (song)"You Win Again" is a 1987 song written and performed by the Bee Gees. Barry Gibb wrote the melody while brother Maurice conceived the drum sounds that open the track....
" - "OneOne (Bee Gees song)"One" is the second international single from the Bee Gees' album, One. This was the song that returned the Bee Gees to American radio and would turn out to be their biggest US hit in the 1980s. It peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989, and it stayed in the Top 40 for ten...
" - "Secret LoveSecret Love (Bee Gees song)"Secret Love" is a song by the Bee Gees. It was the lead single of their album High Civilisation, released in March 1991. It is an up-tempo ballad with a clear Supremes style similar to the 1986 Diana Ross hit "Chain Reaction", which was written by The Bee Gees...
" - "AloneAlone (Bee Gees song)"Alone" is a song by the Bee Gees. It is the opening track on the multi-platinum Still Waters album released by the Bee Gees in 1997, and the first single from the album. The song is a pop ballad written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb and recorded in 1996. The track was a big hit worldwide,...
" - "Still Waters (Run Deep)Still Waters (Run Deep)"Still Waters " is a song by the Bee Gees. It was the third and final single issued from their multi-platinum Still Waters album, released in 1997. The song is a pop ballad written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb and recorded between 1996 and 1997. The recording and the producing of the song were...
" - "This Is Where I Came In"
- "Spicks and SpecksSpicks and Specks (song)"Spicks and Specks" is a song by The Bee Gees .An instrumental version of the song is part of the soundtrack for Melody, which also featured several other Bee Gees songs.-Live performances:...
" (Live) °(Barry GibbBarry GibbBarry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
)
Disc two
- "How Deep Is Your LoveHow Deep Is Your Love"How Deep Is Your Love" is a pop song recorded by the Bee Gees in 1977 and released as a single in September. Originally intended for Yvonne Elliman, it was ultimately used as part of the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever. It was a number three hit in the United Kingdom and Australia...
" - "To Love SomebodyTo Love Somebody (song)"To Love Somebody" is the second single released by the Bee Gees from their third LP, Bee Gees 1st.The band's manager Robert Stigwood wanted Barry Gibb to write a soul song for Otis Redding. Barry, along with Robin wrote "To Love Somebody," a soulful ballad in the style of Sam & Dave or The Rascals...
" °(Barry GibbBarry GibbBarry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
& Robin GibbRobin GibbRobin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
) - "WordsWords (Bee Gees song)"Words" is a song written and sung by the Bee Gees, released in the beginning of 1968. Barry Gibb said in 1996 on the VH1 Storytellers television show that it was written for their manager Robert Stigwood. It was originally intended for Cliff Richard, but he never got round to recording the track...
" (mono mix) - "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"
- "Too Much HeavenToo Much Heaven"Too Much Heaven" is a song by the Bee Gees, which was the band's 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...
" - "Emotion"
- "Lonely DaysLonely Days"Lonely Days" is a 1970 song by the Bee Gees, featured on their album 2 Years On. The song incorporated the innovative structure and knack for changing tempos exemplified by the second side of The Beatles' Abbey Road album, released the previous year and a clear influence on this single...
" - "Run to Me"
- "Love So RightLove So Right"Love So Right" is a R&B/pop ballad by the musical group the Bee Gees in 1976. It was the first Bee Gees single to feature Barry's falsetto exclusively as the lead vocal...
" - "For Whom the Bell TollsFor Whom the Bell Tolls (Bee Gees song)"For Whom the Bell Tolls" is a song by the Bee Gees, released as their second single from their album Size Isn't Everything in 1993. It peaked at #4 on the UK charts. There is also a music video for this song.-Chart performance:...
" (single edit) - "I've Gotta Get a Message to YouI've Gotta Get a Message to You"I've Gotta Get a Message to You" is a song recorded by The Bee Gees in 1968, which became their second number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, and reached number eight on the U.S. pop chart....
" (mono single mix) - "New York Mining Disaster 1941New York Mining Disaster 1941"New York Mining Disaster 1941" was the first song to be released by the Bee Gees in the United States , and their first song to hit the charts in the US or UK...
" (mono mix) °(Barry GibbBarry GibbBarry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
& Robin GibbRobin GibbRobin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
) - "MassachusettsMassachusetts (Bee Gees song)"Massachusetts" is a song written, recorded, and released by the Bee Gees in 1967 and later appearing on their 1968 album, Horizontal. It was their first Number 1 hit in the UK and eventually became one of the best selling singles of all times....
" (mono mix) - "I Started a JokeI Started a Joke"I Started a Joke" is a 1968 song by the Bee Gees from their album Idea, which was released in September of that year.Curiously, it was not released as a single in the UK, where buyers who could not afford the album had to content themselves with a Polydor version by Heath...
" - "WorldWorld (Bee Gees song)"World" is the second UK single from the Bee Gees second album Horizontal, released in 1967 in the United Kingdom. Though it was a big hit in Europe, Atco Records did not issue it as a single in the United States...
" (mono mix) - "First of MayFirst of May (Bee Gees song)"First of May" is a song recorded by the Bee Gees with lead vocals by Barry Gibb, released as a single from their 1969 double album Odessa. The flip side of a single was "Lamplight" on which Robin Gibb sang the lead. Robert Stigwood, the Bee Gees manager chose "First of May" for the A-side...
" (mono mix) - "HolidayHoliday (Bee Gees song)"Holiday" is a song by the Bee Gees. The song is haunting, even eerie, having been composed primarily in the minor key with a strong organ presence. Brothers Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb who also wrote the song share lead vocals...
" - "Don't Forget to RememberDon't Forget to Remember"Don't Forget to Remember" is a country ballad from the Bee Gees.It was released as a single in August 1969...
" °(Barry GibbBarry GibbBarry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
& Maurice GibbMaurice GibbMaurice Ernest Gibb, CBE was a musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He was born on the Isle of Man, the twin brother of Robin Gibb, and younger brother to Barry. He is best known as a member of the singing/songwriting trio the Bee Gees, formed with his brothers...
) - "Islands in the StreamIslands in the Stream"Islands in the Stream" is the title of a song written by the Bee Gees and sung by American country music artists Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It was released in August 1983 as the first single from Rogers' album Eyes That See in the Dark and the second pop number-one for both Rogers and Parton...
" (Live) - "HeartbreakerHeartbreaker (Dionne Warwick song)"Heartbreaker" is a 1982 single released by American pop and soul singer Dionne Warwick. The song was written by The Bee Gees' Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, with Barry Gibb's distinctive backing vocal being heard on the chorus...
" (Live) - "Guilty" (Live)
DVD bonus disc
The Ultimate Bee Gees [Deluxe Edition] came with a bonus DVD containing promotional clips and videos. Though the promo clip for Tomorrow, Tomorrow is included on the DVD, the song is not included in the collection. All tracks are original studio recordings unless otherwise noted.- "Spicks and SpecksSpicks and Specks (song)"Spicks and Specks" is a song by The Bee Gees .An instrumental version of the song is part of the soundtrack for Melody, which also featured several other Bee Gees songs.-Live performances:...
" - Promo Clip aired on Bandstand (Australia)Bandstand (Australia)Bandstand was an Australian musical/variety television show which screened from November 1958 to 1972. It was produced at the studios of TCN-9 in Sydney and eventually became a national program as Nine Network expanded into other Australian cities in the early 1960s.Bandstand was created by Nine...
- 11/19/1966 - "New York Mining Disaster 1941New York Mining Disaster 1941"New York Mining Disaster 1941" was the first song to be released by the Bee Gees in the United States , and their first song to hit the charts in the US or UK...
" Promo Clip - 1967 (mono album version) - "MassachusettsMassachusetts (Bee Gees song)"Massachusetts" is a song written, recorded, and released by the Bee Gees in 1967 and later appearing on their 1968 album, Horizontal. It was their first Number 1 hit in the UK and eventually became one of the best selling singles of all times....
" - Performed live on Top of the PopsTop of the PopsTop of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
UK TV - 12/26/1967 - "I've Gotta Get a Message to YouI've Gotta Get a Message to You"I've Gotta Get a Message to You" is a song recorded by The Bee Gees in 1968, which became their second number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, and reached number eight on the U.S. pop chart....
" - from IdeaIdea (album)Idea is the Bee Gees' fifth studio album, and their third international release on the ATCO label in the US and Polydor in the UK. Released in August, 1968, the album sold over a million copies worldwide. This album features "Such a Shame", the only Bee Gees song where lead vocals aren't sung by a...
TV Special - 1968 (mono single mix) - "Tomorrow, TomorrowTomorrow Tomorrow (Bee Gees song)"Tomorrow Tomorrow" is a song by the Bee Gees and was originally intended for singer Joe Cocker. It is the first Bee Gees single released after Robin Gibb had quit the group which was now down to a trio featuring Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Colin Petersen on drums...
" - Promo Clip - 1969 - "Lonely DaysLonely Days"Lonely Days" is a 1970 song by the Bee Gees, featured on their album 2 Years On. The song incorporated the innovative structure and knack for changing tempos exemplified by the second side of The Beatles' Abbey Road album, released the previous year and a clear influence on this single...
" - Promo Clip - 1970 (alternate studio version) - "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" - Performed live on Whitaker's World Of Music - 6/5/1971
- "Run to Me" - Performed live on 'In Session' U.S. TV - 1973
- "Jive Talkin'Jive Talkin'"Jive Talkin" is a song by the Bee Gees, which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top-five on the UK singles chart in the summer of 1975. Largely recognized as the group's "comeback" song, it was their first U.S. top ten hit since "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" in...
" - Promo Clip - 1975 - "Night FeverNight Fever"Night Fever" is a disco song, written and performed by The Bee Gees. It first appeared on the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever. Producer Robert Stigwood wanted to call the film Saturday Night, but singer Robin Gibb expressed hesitation at the title. Stigwood liked the title Night Fever but was...
" - Promo Clip - 1977 - "Stayin' AliveStayin' Alive"Stayin' Alive" is a song by the pop group Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever motion picture soundtrack. The song was written by the Bee Gees and produced by the Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson. It was released on 13 December 1977, as the second single from the Saturday Night Fever...
" - Promo Clip - 1977 (slightly sped up studio version) - "How Deep Is Your LoveHow Deep Is Your Love"How Deep Is Your Love" is a pop song recorded by the Bee Gees in 1977 and released as a single in September. Originally intended for Yvonne Elliman, it was ultimately used as part of the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever. It was a number three hit in the United Kingdom and Australia...
" - Promo Clip - 1977 (slightly sped up studio version) - "Too Much HeavenToo Much Heaven"Too Much Heaven" is a song by the Bee Gees, which was the band's 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...
" - Promo Clip - 1979 - "For Whom the Bell TollsFor Whom the Bell Tolls (Bee Gees song)"For Whom the Bell Tolls" is a song by the Bee Gees, released as their second single from their album Size Isn't Everything in 1993. It peaked at #4 on the UK charts. There is also a music video for this song.-Chart performance:...
" - Promo Clip - 1993 - "AloneAlone (Bee Gees song)"Alone" is a song by the Bee Gees. It is the opening track on the multi-platinum Still Waters album released by the Bee Gees in 1997, and the first single from the album. The song is a pop ballad written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb and recorded in 1996. The track was a big hit worldwide,...
" - Promo Clip - 1997 - "Still Waters (Run Deep)Still Waters (Run Deep)"Still Waters " is a song by the Bee Gees. It was the third and final single issued from their multi-platinum Still Waters album, released in 1997. The song is a pop ballad written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb and recorded between 1996 and 1997. The recording and the producing of the song were...
" - Promo Clip - 1997 - "You Win AgainYou Win Again (song)"You Win Again" is a 1987 song written and performed by the Bee Gees. Barry Gibb wrote the melody while brother Maurice conceived the drum sounds that open the track....
" - Promo Clip - 1987 - "OneOne (Bee Gees song)"One" is the second international single from the Bee Gees' album, One. This was the song that returned the Bee Gees to American radio and would turn out to be their biggest US hit in the 1980s. It peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989, and it stayed in the Top 40 for ten...
" - Promo Clip - 1989 (Version 1)
Charts
Though there are not any new songs included in this compilation and there has been little promotion for it, the set has charted in the U.K. at #19 in its first week and in the U.S. at #116 on BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Top Album chart.