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

In the '80s, they used to show these specials on NBC that were made up of hit songs set to music videos that were collages of footage from various Disney cartoons. I used to tape them and watch them over and over again. This was my first exposure to "Stayin' Alive", so my vote had heavy nostalgic vibes attached.

6. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (Writers: Barry and Robin Gibb)
267 points (12 votes, 1 first place vote)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOGODoE4qKc

Written by Barry and Robin Gibb in August 1970, when the Gibb brothers had reconvened following a period of break-up and alienation. They said that they originally offered it to Andy Williams, but ultimately the Bee Gees recorded it themselves and included it on their 1971 album, "Trafalgar". Maurice Gibb possibly had a hand in the writing of "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" although the song is officially credited to Barry and Robin Gibb. In the US, the song became the Bee Gees' first #1 hit. Most famously covered by Al Green on his album "Let's Stay Together".

next up, the highest placing entry with zero first place votes...

My #2. Al Green has nothing on their version.

Not on my ballot. It was the very last song I cut from my list, primarily because I couldn't decide if I preferred the Al Green version to the original or not.

Al's version is great, but it's basically identical to the Bee Gees' version, just with a different singer.

My #1. Not necessarily their best song, and I'm not even sure it's my favorite, but it's the one I can most strongly relate to. I wish that weren't true....

Essay by the late Martin Skidmore of this parish on (mainly) Al Green's version:
http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2004/11/everything-they-say-about-soul-is-wrong/

5. Jive Talkin' (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
280 points (13 votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W42rMjYWlk

Single from the Bee Gees' 1975 album "Main Course", it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top-five on the UK singles chart in the summer of 1975. Largely recognised as the group's "comeback" song.

The song was originally called "Drive Talking". The song's rhythm was modelled after the sound their car made crossing the Julia Tuttle Causeway each day from Biscayne Bay to Criteria Studios in Miami.[1]

According to Maurice, while hearing this rhythmic sound, "Barry didn't notice that he's going "Ji-Ji Jive Talkin'", thinking of the dance, "You dance with your eyes"...that's all he had...exactly 35mph...that's what we got." He goes on to say "We played it to Arif (producer Arif Mardin), and he went "Do you know what "Jive Talkin'" means? And we said, well yeah, it's, ya know, you're dancing. He says NO...it's a black expression for bullshitting. And we went OH, REALLY?!?". Maurice goes on to describe how Arif gave them "the groove, the tempo, everything." Robin then goes on to mention that, because they were English, they were less self-conscious about going into the "no go areas", referring to musical styles that were more black in styles, etc. He then said "We didn't think that there was any "no go" areas, it's music!"

Upon its release to radio stations, the single was delivered in a plain white cover, with no immediate indication of what the song's name was or who sang it. The DJs would only find out what the song was and who played it when it was placed on the turntable; RSO did provide the song with a label on the record itself. It was the second time in the band's career that this strategy had been employed to get airplay for their music, after a similar tactic had popularised their debut US single New York Mining Disaster 1941 in 1967.

On Iron Maiden's song "More Tea Vicar", towards the end, Bruce Dickinson sings a bit of the song in a voice imitating The Bee Gees as a joke, then follows it up with "No, no no! You got the wrong track, you have to go in the studio next door." Then sings "Okay" in a Bee Gees voice.

Wow, that's hilarious that they didn't even know what the phrase meant. I love it.

Yeah I'd heard that before. I don't really get the "dancing with your eyes" thing or how anyone would interpret "jive talking" as a dance...

IIRC that song was the first time I'd ever heard the word "jive". Didn't know what it meant back then either

you jive turkey

I was ridiculed on some other thread about it. But something about the Bee Gees' version of "If I Can't Have You" has never worked for me. One of the chords in the chorus seems off somehow.

― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, June 20, 2012 10:07 AM (1 hour ago)

I think the chords are the same, but the Bee Gees version has an embellishment on the chord after the "Go crazy is what I will do" line. Is that the part you're talking about?

Key centers are so far apart in the two versions. Bee Gees did it in E, Elliman version is in B.

lol Shakey. It always makes me think of Airplane

4. How Deep Is Your Love? (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
286 points (13 votes, 1 first place vote)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpqqjU7u5Yc

Written and 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. In the United States, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed in the Top 10 for a then-record 17 weeks. The single spent six weeks atop the US adult contemporary chart. It is listed at # 20 on Billboard's All Time Top 100. Alongside "Stayin' Alive", it is one of the group's two tracks on the list. Covered by bajillion people.

It's impossible for me to be impartial or objective when ranking the SNF songs, especially "How Deep Is Your Love" which is so inextricably linked to my first-ever middle-school slow dances.

The main thing I remember about that video is just how much taller Barry is than his brothers. Gotta be a solid 4 or 5 inches there.

One of my earliest home tapes is a cover of "How Deep Is Your Love", with me on backing vocals, keyboards, and maybe guitar, can't remember, with an excellent vibraphone player I haven't seen since. Not bad considering how young I was and the limitations of overdubbing with only a 2-track reel-to-reel. I need to digitize this stuff someday.

Interestingly, given that he isn't really featured on it, this is the song Robin wanted played at his funeral.

Re. "How Can You Mend..." to me, the Al Green version is...what you'd expect: soulful, melismatic, heartfelt. The Brothers' version, OTOH, is pure melodrama with a hit of country heartbreak. The ensemble vocal on "Please/Help me mend my/Broken heart" at the end of the chorus is among the most powerful moments in their catalog.

OK baffled now as to what at least one of the top 3 is. All the 'big hitters' seem to have gone(?)

NB - this is not an invitation to post guesses.

*Excitement* = what I'm trying to say, basically.

Re. "How Can You Mend..." to me, the Al Green version is...what you'd expect: soulful, melismatic, heartfelt. The Brothers' version, OTOH, is pure melodrama with a hit of country heartbreak. The ensemble vocal on "Please/Help me mend my/Broken heart" at the end of the chorus is among the most powerful moments in their catalog.

― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, June 20, 2012 6:57 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yeah, that harmony on the lines quoted above is heavenly, as is the "da-da-da-DA-da" ad-lib part at the end.

OK baffled now as to what at least one of the top 3 is. All the 'big hitters' seem to have gone(?)

NB - this is not an invitation to post guesses.

*Excitement* = what I'm trying to say, basically.

― Jeff W, Wednesday, June 20, 2012 6:57 PM (7 minutes ago)

Just so you know, we are all totally guessing in our heads.

But yeah, I don't want to see a bunch of guesses posted either -- looking forward to the surprises!

(but I will say that my #1 hasn't been posted yet, so I have to hope that's up here...)

3. More Than a Woman (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
306 points (11 votes, 1 first place vote)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjZmSkUL6Ws&feature=fvwrel

Written and recorded by the Bee Gees for the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack. Not released as a single.

*cross arms, spin round and round and round and round*

the phrasing of the verses is great, I'm so addicted to this song...the samba(?) beat, all of it

My #2. In my head, this is TOTALLY tied to the scene in the movie.

my mind plays out the choreography every time I hear it

every
single
time

A bit surprised this is #3 actually, but it makes sense.

It does, because it is awesome.

2. Nights on Broadway (Writers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb)
309 points (14 votes, 2 first place votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=322iA3nSMqs

From the "Main Course" album released in 1975. The second single released from the album, it immediately followed their number-one hit "Jive Talkin'".

"Nights on Broadway" reached number seven on the American Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, giving the Bee Gees back-to-back top 10 hits for the first time in seven years (since 1968).

Oh, damn -- my #1. I had hopes.

Great tune, but I had it at 18 myself.

My number 1 hasn't appeared yet, so I'm hoping that is a good sign for things to come...

it's my #1 too, I'm guessing. (and there's no way it won't appear at this point)

1. Backtafunk (Writer: Barry Gibb
712 points (19 votes, 6 first place votes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8wmItpZRRo

d'oh

Not as good as "Meaningless Songs In Very High Voices" by The Hee Bee Gee Bees but a worthy winner lol.

Nights on Broadway!!

yay I'm glad it got so high, it's so fkn good

I do really love that live take on "Nights..." by the way, almost more so than the studio cut. Fun to see Maurice hit those high notes!

There was some debate as to how *live* it really is.

Can I just...

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/barry-gibb-talk-show/1329182

On Midnight Special?! Oh come on, now... Totally live, straight into the boards!

;-)

Can I just...

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/barry-gibb-talk-show/1329182

― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, June 20, 2012 7:53 PM (2 minutes ago)

I thought this was funny when it first aired and it holds up well, but I gotta say, Timberlake clearly never studied Robin. He's dancing around WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much!

otm but the teeth are pretty spot on, lol

the 'Robin, do you have anything to add?' "Naw I don't" is classic

we should discuss their worst songs at some point too

looks pretty live to me. they brought a huge band with them!

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.

omg that must have been amazing