Bee Gees tunes written for, or performed by, other folks - search and destroy

what is the particular musical/melodic trick that makes "heartbreaker" almost instantly identifiable as a song by the gibbs?

the way dionne sings "suddenly, everything" is fantastic.

I love that the Bee Gees managed to be nearly as popular doing this at a time when they were at their own commercial nadir. It's like, "You say you don't like us? Well, how about our fucking SONGS?"

yeah the bee gees album around the same time as heartbreaker was "living eyes" which was about as huge a commercial drop-off as any major act has ever experienced.

i can't really name a truly _bad_ song by the brothers gibb. some mediocre ones, sure. but there's an extraordinary level of craft there always. i wouldn't put them in the same category as bacharach (who is one of the two or three greatest composers of the rock era), but similarly even bacharach's schlocky 80s tunes ("best that you can do," etc.) have a melodic interest and integrity that keeps them interesting. and come to think of it, dionne warwick fits in there in both cases!

ok just to verify re. living eyes:

It sold 750,000 copies worldwide (compared to 30 million copies of their previous studio album "Spirits Having Flown" in 1979)

ouch.

of course nowadays even most major pop acts with donate their left testicle to sell 750,000 copies of an album.

with WOULD

I dislike the BeeGees immensely, but the Fastbacks have a pretty good cover on their "Zucker" album.

I dislike the BeeGees immensely

suggest ban

search
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic2CDyepAXw

destroy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIH4k2hXyXY

Nina Simone In the Morning is brilliant. not sure what it's from other than Sugar In My Bowl but it's lovely. Only place I've found a Bee Gees version of it has been a live set from '68 that was on a torrent site.

search

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZuJmbDL9q4

^Low covering I Started A Joke.

search: "Emotion", both the Samantha Sang original (w/Barry producing and singing backup vocals) and the very nice Destiny's Child cover. It was only after hearing the latter that I realized the lyric is not "cry me a river/that leads to erosion" lol, though that would have still made perfect sense

great disco tune written by barry:

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

Spotify playlist I'm making collaborative for folks to add to:

http://open.spotify.com/user/124420673/playlist/6p4YO0L93OA5GAYEI2XHdW

would def vote in a Bee Gees tracks poll amateurist, but I dunno how many other people would...

everybody knows Al Green's "How Do You Mend a Broken Heart" right...?

and wasn't "To Love Somebody" originally intended for Otis Redding? or am I misremembering that

awesome clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDzcDlksUqI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaYHRx9-v2M

Totally forgot about that Al Green cover, yeah that's a great one def.

Yes, "To Love Somebody" written for Otis Redding and was played live for him, but he died before he had a chance to record it.

I adore "Woman in Love."

i can't hear otis doing tLS, honestly.

"I adore 'Woman in Love.'"

As a song, it's not bad, but Streisand does the verses in an accented staccato (Barry Gibb) style that tips it over into ridiculousness for me -- I don't make it to the soaring chorus.

It's almost camp and maybe it is anyway (It's a RIIIIGHT I'LL DEFFEEEEND)

Tavares - More Than A Woman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQcCRo2b-ZE

probably my favorite thing related to the Bee Gees not called "Night Fever"

oh yeah, that Al Green cover. he owns it completely

> i can't hear otis doing tLS, honestly.

Neither can i, but then again if i only knew "Try a Little Tenderness" as sung by the likes of Bing Crosby (or even Sam Cooke) i'd never imagine what Otis could do with the same song, which he now owns.

It doesn't appear to be known if Otis Redding liked "To Love Somebody" enough to want to record it.

kinda surprised - I can totally hear Otis doing it, "Try a Little Tenderness" is an obvious ref pt in that regard

Surely 'Emotion' by Samantha Sang is a massive, massive search? such sickly backing vocals, such a cloying tune...so good!

oh yeah, that Al Green cover. he owns it completely

― gospodin simmel, Wednesday, April 25, 2012 12:45 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

well yeah, he's al green.

true that

oh yeah, that Al Green cover. he owns it completely

he sticks pretty closely to the original arrangement but I don't see how anyone could fault his delivery

Really, "To Love Somebody" could be its own thread...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF64iyEkwPQ

he sticks pretty closely to the original arrangement but I don't see how anyone could fault his delivery

Really, "To Love Somebody" could be its own thread...


The Bee Gees' version of "I Can't Have You" is tremendous!

Has James Carr version of “To Love Somebody” been posted yet?

everybody knows Al Green's "How Do You Mend a Broken Heart" right...?