HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? - THE BEE GEES
Jun 11 '03 (Updated Apr 30 '06)
The Bottom Line THE BEE GEES WERE ALSO KNOWN AS THE “BROTHERS GIBB”. THEY WERE “BARRY ALAN CROMPTON GIBB”, “ROBIN HUGH GIBB” & “MAURICE ERNEST GIBB”
This group was formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1958. The core group consisted of brothers "Barry Gibb", "Robin Gibb" and "Maurice Gibb". The later two are twins and were born on December 22, 1949 on the Douglas, Isle of Man, England and Barry was born also in Douglas, Isle of Man, England on September 1, 1946 and is the oldest brother. The brothers performed together at local Movie Houses in 1955. They performed under the name of “Wee Johnny Hays and The Blue Cats” and also under the name of “The Rattlesnakes”. They moved to Australia in 1958 and started writing their own songs and performing in local talent shows. In 1960 they started performing at Brisbane’s Speedway Circus where they meet the racetrack organizer “Bill Good”. Bill introduces them to a local DJ (Disc Jockey) named “Bill Gates” who takes some of their early recordings on tape and plays them on his weekly radio show called “Clatter Chatter” on station 4KQ in Australia. As he continues to play their music and starts getting a lot of requests for their music he decides to start calling them “The B.G.’s”. One rumor has it that the new name was a takeoff of Bills’ name in initials and another rumor has it that it stood for “The Brothers Gibb”. They appear on a local TV show in Australia called “Anything Goes” and this leads to a weekly appearance on another local TV show called “Cottie’s Happy Hour”. They also start a 6-week singing engagement at the Surfer’s Paradise Beachcomber Hotel Nightclub in Brisbane.
They started performing on their very own ˝ hour weekly TV show in Brisbane at the ages of 10 & 13. In 1962 the Gibb Family moved to Sydney and the brothers started playing at the Sydney Stadium as the second act following “Chubby Checker”. It’s at this time they decided to change their name to “The Bee Gees”. They write their very first song “Let Me Love” and also write “Starlight Of Love” for local recording artist “Col Joyce” that tops the charts in Australia. In January 1963 after an 18-month gig as the house band at the club in Queensland they signed their first recording contract with the Australian record label called “Festival” and released their very first single called “Three Kisses Of Love”. This was followed by “Wine And Women”. They next release their debut album on “Leedon” records titled “The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs”. They next sign a new contract with “Spin” records”. From 1963 to 1966 they released 10 singles all with very poor charting success in Australia until their 11th single titled “Spicks And Specks” that is released in August 1966. On 3 January 1967 it peaks at #1 on the Australian singles charts and is their very first official hit.
On 24 February 1967 they are signed to a 5-year contract by “Brian Epstein” with “Robert Stigwood” and the “Polydor” records label. In March they decide to add 2 additional members to their trio in “Vince Melouney” on guitar and “Colin Peterson” on drums. Colin had been in a play as a child actor called “Cry From The Streets” and later played in a local group called “Steve & The Board”. Vince was previously a member of the group “The Vibratones” and later had his own group called “Vince & Tony’s Two”. He later was a member of another local group called “Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs”. On 11 May they make their very first appearance on BBC TV on the shop “Top Of The Pops” and debut their next single release titled “New York Mining Disaster 1941”. On 27 May it peaks at #12 in the UK and also on the same day it peaks at #14 in the US on the singles charts and their national hits begin. When that single was originally released their was wide speculation that it was really “The Beatles” recording under assumed names. The voices, the sound the melodies everything on that song led to people in the US to believe this since no one had ever heard of the group “The Bee Gees” or seen a picture of them.
Their next singles were Top 20 hits in the US and England and were called “To Love Somebody” followed by “Holiday”, and “Massachusetts” all in 1967. Their singles in England and Europe were released on the “Polydor” label and in the US they were released on the “Atco” record label a subsidiary of “Atlantic” records.
In 1968 they released “Words” that peaked at #15 followed by “Jumbo” that only peaked at #57 followed by their biggest hit to date called “I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You” that peaked at #8. Their very next single called “I Started A Joke” was also a very big hit and it peaked at #6 on 21 December. In 1969 their single releases were “First Of May”, “Tomorrow, Tomorrow” and “Don’t Forget To Remember” that were all just mild hits. In March 1969 Robin left the group to pursue his solo career. Colin and Vince also leaves as Vince forms “Ashton, Gardner & Dyke” working as their writer and producer. On 18 April Maurice marries Scottish born singer “Lulu”. In August Barry and Maurice begin filming the Movie “Cucumber Castle” with “Lulu”, “Vincent Price”, “Frankie Howard”, “Spike Mulligan” and others. Colin Peterson decided to file a lawsuit for ownership of the group’s name and so the bothers didn’t record or perform for 18 months.
In 1970 all 3 brothers decided to reform the group and released 3 singles. First was “If Only I Had My Mind On Something Else” followed by “I.O.I.O’ and then by “Lonely Days” which ended up being the group’s biggest selling hit to date when it peaked at #3 on 5 December in the US and also their very first Gold single. On 26 June 1971 the have their first #1 single hit in the US with “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?” that stays at the top for 4 weeks. This is followed by “Don’t Want To Live Inside Myself” that only peaks at #53 on 23 October. In 1972 they released the singles “My World”, “Run To Me” and “Alive” that were all mild successes. In 1973 they are signed to a contract with Stigwood’s own private label called RSO Records and release one single titled “Saw A New Morning” that only peaks at #94 on 24 March.
They didn’t release any singles again until 1975 when they started releasing a string of hits. They had decided to drift away from their so called romantic ballads and go the way of dance rhythms, disco and funk. They released “Jive Talkin’” which became their 2nd #1 Hit in the US on 31 May. It was followed by their next hit titled “Nights On Broadway” that peaked at #7 on 4 October. Their last release in 1975 was “Fanny (Be Tender With My Love) that peaked at #12 on 27 December. In 1976 they had 2 big hits first was “You Should Be Dancing” that peaked at #1 on 4 July followed by “Love So Right” that peaked at #3 on 18 September. In 1977 they recorded songs for the “John Travolta” Hit Movie Soundtrack “Saturday Night Fever”. The big hits that came from this album all made it to #1 on the US Charts. They were “How Deep Is Your Love?”, “Stayin’ Alive”, and “Night Fever”. Night Fever was #1 for 8 consecutive weeks and the Album itself was #1 for 24 consecutive weeks and is said to have caused the Disco Era of music.
In 1978 they released only 2 singles, the aforementioned “Night Fever” that had peaked at #1 on 4 February and their next #1 hit titled “Too Much Heaven” that peaked at #1 on 18 November. They had 2 more #1 hits released in 1979 called “Tragedy” and “Love You Inside Out”. They didn’t release any singles in 1980. In 1981 “He’s a Liar” peaked at #30 and “Living Eyes” only made it to #45. The Disco Era had finally ended as quickly as it rose. They released their next single in 1983 titled “The Woman In You” that peaked at #24 and “Someone Belonging To Someone” that only made it to #49. They tried one more time with a single release in 1987 called “You Win Again” and this song only made it to #75 on the US singles charts. They released a new album in 1989 called “One” and it was also the title of their next single as well. The single peaked at #7 on 29 July and was their first Top 10 US singles hit in over 10 years.
The Bee Gees only released 1 single released in the US in the early to mid 90’s titled “Playing The Price Of Love” that peaked at #74 on 23 October 1993. They would have mild success with “Above And Beyond” and “For Whom The Bell Tolls” all released in the UK in 1993. In 1997 “The Bee Gees” were inducted into the Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame. They also released “Alone” that peaked at #28 on 7 June. Their final US Top 100 single was titled “Still Waters (Run Deep)” that peaked at #57 on the US singles charts on 13 December 1997. They also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at “The American Music Awards” as well as awards from Britain, Germany and Australia all in 1997. In 1998 they decided to begin a very long World Tour called “One Night Only”. They began in London and over the next several years toured Germany, France, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, South America and North America. In 1999 their average attendance in New Zealand was 43,000 and in Australia was 65,000.
On 12 January “Maurice Ernest Gibb” died at the age of 53 in a Miami Hospital after suffering a Heart Attack during Emergency Surgery for an intestinal blockage. It was on 10 March 1988 that a forth brother “Andy Gibb” had died from myocarditis (an inflammation of the heart muscle caused by a viral infection). The Bee Gees have written and produced hits for “Dolly Parton”, “Kenny Rogers”, “Barbra Streisand”, “Diana Ross” and their youngest brother “Andy Gibb” who had his own solo career of hits. My favorite CD by “The Bee Gees” is titled “BEST OF THE BEE GEES” that was originally released on “Polydor” records in June 1969. The songs on this CD are listed below in the order as they appear, followed by the length of each song and then my rating of each and then my overall rating of the CD:
1. HOLIDAY – 2:52 - 5
2. I’VE GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU – 2:59 - 5
3. I CAN’T SEE NOBODY – 3:43 - 5
4. WORDS – 3:13 - 5
5. I STARTED A JOKE – 3:04 - 5
6. TOMORROW, TOMORROW – 3:55 - 4
7. FIRST OF MAY – 2:48 - 5
8. WORLD – 3:12 - 5
9. MASSACHUSETTS – 2:22 - 5
10. TO LOVE SOMEBODY – 2:58 - 5
11. EVERY CHRISTIAN LION HEARTED MAN WILL SHOW YOU – 3:32 – 3
12. NEW YORK MINING DISASTER 1941 (HAVE YOU SEEN MY WIFE MR. JONES) – 2:09 - 4
TOTAL POINTS: 56 DIVIDED BY 12 = 4.66 OR 4 ˝ STARS
RATING KEY:
5 – GREAT
4 – VERY GOOD
3 – GOOD
2 – FAIR
1 – POOR
0 – THIS SONG DOESN’T BELONG HERE!
BILLBOARD US Top 100 Pop Singles for “THE BEE GEES”
1. New York Mining Disaster 1941 (Have You Seen My Wife Mr. Jones)/I Can’t See Nobody – Peaked at #14 on 05/27/67
2. To Love Somebody/Close Another Door – Peaked at #17 on 07/15/67
3. Holiday/Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You – Peaked at #16 on 09/30/67
4. (The Lights Went Out In) Massachusetts – Peaked at #11 on 11/11/67
5. Words/Sinking Ships – Peaked at #15 on 01/20/68
6. Jumbo/The Singer Sang His Song – Peaked at #57 on 04/06/68
7. I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You – Peaked at #8 on 08/17/68
8. I Started A Joke – Peaked at #6 on 12/21/68
9. First Of May – Peaked at #37 on 03/22/69
10. Tomorrow, Tomorrow – Peaked at #54 on 05/31/69
11. Don’t Forget To Remember – Peaked at #73 on 09/20/69
12. If Only I Had My Mind On Something Else – Peaked at #91 on 03/28/70
13. I.O.I.O. – Peaked at #94 on 07/11/70
14. Lonely Days – Peaked at #3 on 12/05/70 (GOLD)
15. HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART- Peaked at #1 for 4 weeks on 06/26/71 (GOLD)
16. Don’t Wanna Live Inside Myself – Peaked at #53 on 10/23/71
17. My World - Peaked at #16 on 01/29/72
18. Run To Me – Peaked at #16 on 07/29/72
19. Alive – Peaked at #34 on 11/18/72
20. Saw A New Morning – Peaked at #94 on 03/24/73
21. Mr. Natural – Peaked at #93 on 03/09/74
22. JIVE TALKIN’- Peaked at #1 for 2 weeks on 05/31/75 (GOLD)
23. Nights On Broadway – Peaked at #7 on 10/04/75
24. Fanny (Be Tender With My Love) – Peaked at #12 on 12/27/75
25. YOU SHOULD BE DANCING- Peaked at #1 on 07/04/76 (GOLD)
26. Love So Right/You Stepped Into My Life – Peaked at #3 on 09/18/76 (GOLD)
27. Boogie Child – Peaked at #12 on 01/15/77
28. Edge Of the Universe/Words (Live version) – Peaked at #26 on 07/23/77
29. HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE- Peaked at #1 for 3 weeks on 09/24/77 (GOLD)
30. STAYIN’ ALIVE/IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU- Peaked at #1 for 4 weeks on 12/10/77 (PLATINUM)
31. NIGHT FEVER- Peaked at #1 for 8 weeks on 02/04/78 (PLATINUM)
32. TOO MUCH HEAVEN-Peaked at #1 for 2 weeks on 11/18/78 (PLATINUM)
33. TRAGEDY- Peaked at #1 on 02/10/79 (PLATINUM)
34. LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT- Peaked at #1 on 04/21/79 (GOLD)
35. He’s A Liar – Peaked at #30 on 09/26/81
36. Living Eyes – Peaked at #45 on 11/07/81
37. The Woman In You/Stayin’ Alive – Peaked at #24 on 05/21/83
38. Someone Belonging To Someone – Peaked at #49 on 08/20/83
39. You Win Again – Peaked at #75 on 09/19/87
40. One – Peaked at #7 on 07/29/89
41. Paying The Price Of Love – Peaked at #74 on 10/23/93
42. Alone/Stayin’ Alive (Live version) – Peaked at #28 on 06/07/97
43. Still Waters (Run Deep) – Peaked at #57 on 12/13/97
BILLBOARD US Top 40 Pop Albums for “THE BEE GEES”
1. Bee Gee’s 1st – Peaked at #7 on 09/16/67
2. Horizontal – Peaked at #12 on 02/24/68
3. Idea – Peaked at #17 on 09/28/68
4. Odessa – Peaked at #20 on 03/08/69
5. Best Of The Bee Gees – Peaked at #9 on 08/02/69 (GOLD)
6. 2 Years On – Peaked at #32 on 02/06/71
7. Trafalgar – Peaked at #34 on 10/02/71
8. To Whom It May Concern – Peaked at #35 on 12/16/72
9. Main Course – Peaked at #14 on 08/16/75 (GOLD)
10. Children Of The World – Peaked at #8 on 10/02/76 (PLATINUM)
11. Here At Last…Bee Gees…Live – Peaked at #8 on 06/04/77 (PLATINUM)
12. SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER- Peaked at #1 for 24 weeks on 12/10/77 (PLATINUM)
13. SPIRITS HAVING FLOWN- Peaked at #1 for 6 weeks on 02/17/79 (PLATINUM)
14. BEE GEES GREATEST- Peaked at #1 on 11/17/79 (PLATINUM)
15. Staying Alive – Peaked at #6 on 07/30/83 (PLATINUM)
SOME SONG LYRICS
HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART
I can think of younger days when living for my life
Was everything a man could want to do.
I could never see tomorrow, but I was never told about the sorrow.
And how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
How can you mend a this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again.
I can still feel the breeze that rustles through the trees
And misty memories do days gone by
We could never see tomorrow, noone said a word about the sorrow.
And how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
How can you mend this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again
HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE
I know your eyes in the morning sun
I feel you touch me in the pouring rain
And the moment that you wander far from me
I wanna feel you in my arms again
Then you come to me on a summer breeze
Keep me warm in your love
Then you softly leave
And it's me you need to show
How deep is your love
Chorus
How deep is your love, how deep is your love
I really mean to learn
'Cause we're living in a world of fools
Breaking us down
When they all should let us be
We belong to you and me
I believe in you
You know the door to my very soul
You're the light in my deepest darkest hour
You're my saviour when I fall
And you may not think I care for you
When you know down inside that I really do
And it's me you need to show
How deep is your love
JIVE TALKIN’
It's just your jive talkin'
you're telling me lies, yeah
Jive talkin'
you wear a disguise
Jive talkin'
so misunderstood, yeah
Jive talkin'
You really no good
Oh, my child
You'll never know
Just what you mean to me
Oh, my child
You got so much
You're gonna take away my energy
With all your jive talkin'
You're telling me lies, yeah
Good lovin'
Still gets in my eyes
Nobody believes what you say
It's just your jive talkin'
That gets in the way
Oh my love
You're so good
Treating me so cruel
There you go
with your fancy lies
Leavin' me lookin'
like a dumbstruck fool
with all your
Jive talkin'
You're telling me lies, yeah
Jive talkin'
You wear a disguise
Jive talkin'
so misunderstood, yeah
Jive talkin'
you just ain't no good
Love talkin'
is all very fine, yeah
Jive talkin'
Just isn't a crime
And if there's somebody
You'll love till you die
then all that jive talkin'
just gets in your eye
Jive talkin'
You're telling me lies,yeah
Good lovin'
Still gets in my eyes
Nobody believes what you say
It's just your jive talkin'
That gets in the way
NIGHT FEVER
Listen to the ground:
there is movement all around.
There is something goin' down
and I can feel it.
On the waves of the air,
there is dancin' out there.
If it's somethin' we can share,
we can steal it.
And that sweet city woman,
she moves through the light,
controlling my mind and my soul.
When you reach out for me
yeah, and the feelin' is bright,
then I get night fever, night fever.
We know how to do it.
Gimme that night fever, night fever.
We know how to show it.
Here I am,
prayin' for this moment to last,
livin' on the music so fine,
borne on the wind,
makin' it mine.
Night fever, night fever.
We know how to do it.
Gimme that night fever, night fever.
We know how to show it.
In the heat of our love,
don't need no help for us to make it.
Gimme just enough to take us to the mornin'.
I got fire in my mind.
I got higher in my walkin'.
And I'm glowin' in the dark;
I give you warnin'.
And that sweet city woman,
she moves through the light,
controlling my mind and my soul.
When you reach out for me
yeah, and the feelin' is bright,
then I get night fever, night fever.
We know how to do it.
Gimme that night fever, night fever.
We know how to show it.
Here I am,
prayin' for this moment to last,
livin' on the music so fine,
borne on the wind,
makin' it mine.
STAYIN’ ALIVE
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,
I'm a woman's man: no time to talk.
Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around
since I was born.
And now it's all right. It's OK.
And you may look the other way.
We can try to understand
the New York Time's effect on man.
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother,
you're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin',
and we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.
Well now, I get low and I get high,
and if I can't get either, I really try.
Got the wings of heaven on my shoes.
I'm a dancin' man and I just can't lose.
You know it's all right. It's OK.
I'll live to see another day.
We can try to understand
the New York Time's effect on man.
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother,
you're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin',
and we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me.
Somebody help me yeah. Stayin' alive.
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,
I'm a woman's man: no time to talk.
Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around
since I was born.
And now it's all right. It's OK.
And you may look the other way.
We can try to understand
the New York Time's effect on man.
TRAGEDY
Here I lie
in a lost and lonely part of town
Held in time
In a world of tears I slowly drown
Goin'home
I just can't make it all alone
I really should be holding you
Holding you
Loving you loving you
Tragedy
When the feeling's gone and you can't go on
It's tragedy
When the morning cries and you don't know why
It's hard to bear
With no-one to love you you're
goin' nowhere
Tragedy
When you lose control and you got no soul
It's tragedy
When the morning cries and you don't know why
It's hard to bear
With no-one beside you you're
goin' nowhere
When the feeling's gone and you can't go on
Night and day
there's a burning down inside of me
Burning love
With a yearning that won't let me be
Down I go
and I just can't take it all alone
I really should be holding you
Holding you
Loving you loving
Tragedy
When the feeling's gone and you can't go on
It's tragedy
When the morning cries and you don't know why
It's hard to bear
With no-one to love you you're
goin' nowhere
Tragedy
When you lose control and you got no soul
It's tragedy
When the morning cries and you don't know why
It's hard to bear
With no-one beside you you're
goin' nowhere
JAG’S FINAL THOUGHTS:
This is my Favorite Group to ever come out of Australia and one of my Top 5 favorite Groups of all time. I have never heard a song by them I disliked. I have loved their early years of slow songs as well as their songs from their Disco years. I use to own every single by them to include a rare copy of “Spicks And Specks” that I lost in the 1980’s somehow and I have owned at least 6 or their albums. I currently have 7 CD’s by them in my collection including the soundtrack from “Saturday Night Fever”. Their music has always been clean and easy to listen to as well as to learn the words of their songs. No talk of drugs, sex, guns, booze, violence and no bad language as well as no hidden bad meanings or innuendo. Another group that is rated G for all ages and audiences. So basically, all their records and the group itself should be rated “G” not only for General Audiences but also for Great Music. That ends this Part of our music History listen for today Ladies and Gentlemen and I still have not decided on whom I will cover next? My choices are listed below. I Hope Everyone Has A Great Day and as always God Bless You All, Ron.
GEORGE BENSON
BROOK BENTON
CHUCK BERRY
BIG BOPPER, THE
BLACK SABBATH
BLIND FAITH
BLONDIE
BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS
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Epinions.com ID:
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Member: Ron Drain
Location: Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Reviews written: 235
Trusted by: 493 members
About Me:
I LOVE Music/TV/Movies & sports like Football - NFL/College, Baseball, Olympics - Summer/Winter and Wrestling.
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