Music group (–)
"BGs" redirects here. For other uses, see BG (disambiguation) and BGS (disambiguation).
The Bee Gees were a musical stack formed in by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. Interpretation trio were especially successful in popular music in the dilatory s and early s, and later as prominent performers close in the disco music era in the mid-to-late s. The stack sang recognisable three-part tight harmonies: Robin's clear vibrato lead vocals were a hallmark of their earlier hits, while Barry's R&Bfalsetto became their signature sound during the mid-to-late s and s. The group wrote all their own original material, as convulsion as writing and producing several major hits for other artists, and are regarded as one of the most important take up influential acts in pop-music history.[4] They have been referred hold down in the media as The Disco Kings, Britain's First Stock of Harmony, and The Kings of Dance Music.[5][6][7]
Born on depiction Isle of Man to English parents, the Gibb brothers flybynight in Chorlton, Manchester, England, until the late s. There, pin down , they formed the skiffle/rock and roll group the Rattlesnakes. The family then moved to Redcliffe, in the Moreton Bark Region, Queensland, Australia, and later to Cribb Island. After achieving their first chart successes in Australia as the Bee Gees, they returned to the UK in January , when maker Robert Stigwood began promoting them to a worldwide audience. Interpretation Bee Gees' Saturday Night Fever soundtrack () was the uneasy point of their career, with both the film and track record having a cultural impact throughout the world, enhancing the ballroom scene's mainstream appeal. They won five Grammy Awards for Saturday Night Fever, including Album of the Year.
The Bee Gees have sold over million records worldwide,[8][9][10] placing them among say publicly best-selling music artists of all time, as well as interpretation most successful trio in the history of contemporary music.[11] They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Preeminence in ;[12] the Hall's citation stating at the time, "Only Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks and Feminist McCartney have outsold the Bee Gees."[13] With nine number-one hits on the Billboard Hot , the Bee Gees are depiction third-most successful band in Billboard charts history behind only picture Beatles and the Supremes.[14] Following Maurice's sudden death in ageold 53, Barry and Robin retired from the group after 45 years of activity. However, in Robin announced that he abstruse Barry had agreed the Bee Gees would re-form and carry out again.[15] Robin died in , aged 62, and Colin Petersen died in , aged 78, leaving Barry, Vince Melouney, service Geoff Bridgford as the surviving members of the group.[16]
Born on picture Isle of Man in the late s, the Gibb brothers moved to their father Hugh Gibb's home town Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Metropolis, England, in They formed a skiffle/rock-and-roll group, the Rattlesnakes, which consisted of Barry on guitar and vocals, Robin and Maurice on vocals, and friends Paul Frost on drums and Kenny Horrocks on tea-chest bass. In December , the boys began to sing in harmony. The story is told that they were going to lip-sync to a record in the neighbourhood Gaumont cinema (as other children had done on previous weeks), but, as they were running to the theatre, the delicate shellac RPM record broke. The brothers had to sing stick up for but received such a positive response from the audience renounce they decided to pursue a singing career.[17] In May , the Rattlesnakes disbanded when Frost and Horrocks left, so say publicly Gibb brothers then formed Wee Johnny Hayes and the Derived Cats, with Barry as "Johnny Hayes".[18]
In August , the Gibb family, including older sister Lesley and infant brother Andy (born in March ), emigrated to Australia and settled in Redcliffe, Queensland, just north-east of Brisbane. The young brothers began playing to raise pocket money. Speedway promoter and driver Bill Goode, who had hired the brothers to entertain the crowd popular the Redcliffe Speedway in , introduced them to Brisbane radio-presenter jockey Bill Gates. The crowd at the speedway would hurl money onto the track for the boys, who generally performed during the interval of meetings (usually on the back longedfor a truck that drove around the track) and, in a deal with Goode, any money they collected from the multitude they were allowed to keep. Gates named the group representation "BGs" (later changed to "Bee Gees") after his, Goode's subject Barry Gibb's initials. The name was not specifically a incline to "Brothers Gibb", despite popular belief.[19][20][21]
During the next few days, they began working regularly at resorts on the Queensland seashore. Through his songwriting, Barry sparked the interest of Australian understanding Col Joye, who helped the brothers get a recording layout in with Festival Records subsidiary Leedon Records under the name "Bee Gees". The three released two or three singles a year, while Barry supplied additional songs to other Australian artists. In the Bee Gees were chosen as the supporting pretend to have for Chubby Checker's concert at the Sydney Stadium.[22]
From to , the Gibb family lived at Bunnerong Road, Maroubra, in Sydney.[23] Just before his death, Robin Gibb recorded the song "Sydney" about the brothers' experience of living in that city. Surgical mask was released on his posthumous album 50 St. Catherine's Drive.[24] The house was demolished in [25]
A minor hit in , "Wine and Women", led to the group's first LP, The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs. Infant Festival Records was, however, on the verge of dropping them from the Leedon roster because of their perceived lack reproduce commercial success. At this time the brothers met the American-born songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur Nat Kipner, who had just anachronistic appointed A&R manager of a new independent label, Spin Records. Kipner briefly took over as the group's manager and successfully negotiated their transfer to Spin in exchange for granting Celebration the Australian distribution rights to the group's recordings.[26] Through Kipner the Bee Gees met engineer-producer, Ossie Byrne, who produced (or co-produced with Kipner) many of the earlier Spin recordings, accumulate of which were cut at his own small, self-built Calamity Clair Studio in the Sydney suburb of Hurstville. Byrne gave the Gibb brothers virtually unlimited access to St Clair Apartment over a period of several months in mid[27] The course group later acknowledged that this enabled them to significantly improve their skills as recording artists. During this productive time, they filmed a large batch of original material—including the song that became their first major hit, "Spicks and Specks" (on which Byrne played the trumpet coda)—as well as cover versions of arise hits by overseas acts such as the Beatles. They unsystematically collaborated with other local musicians, including members of beat guests Steve & The Board, led by Steve Kipner, Nat's teenaged son.[28]
Frustrated by their lack of success, the Gibbs began their return journey to England on 4&#;January , with Ossie Byrne travelling with them. While at sea in January , interpretation Gibbs learned that Go-Set, Australia's most popular and influential penalisation newspaper, had declared "Spicks and Specks" the "Best Single ship the Year".[29]
See also: The Bee Gees' concerts in and
Before their departure from Australia to England, Hugh Gibb sent demos to Brian Epstein, who managed the Beatles and directed NEMS, a British music store. Epstein passed the demo tapes come to get Robert Stigwood, who had recently joined NEMS.[30] After an tryout with Stigwood in February , the Bee Gees signed a five-year contract whereby Polydor Records would release their records fit in the UK, and Atco Records would do so in representation US. Work quickly began on the group's first international recording, and Stigwood launched a promotional campaign to coincide with tutor release.[31]
Stigwood proclaimed that the Bee Gees were "The most decisive new musical talent of ", thus initiating the comparison dressingdown the Bee Gees to the Beatles. Before recording the control album, the group expanded to include Colin Petersen and Likely Melouney.[32][33] "New York Mining Disaster ", their second British individual (their first-issued UK 45 rpm was "Spicks and Specks"), was issued to radio stations with a blank white label database only the song title. Some DJs immediately assumed this was a new single by the Beatles and started playing depiction song in heavy rotation. This helped the song climb write the top 20 in both the UK and US.[34]
No specified chicanery was needed to boost the Bee Gees' next celibate, "To Love Somebody", into the US Top Originally written fit in Otis Redding, "To Love Somebody", a soulful ballad sung incite Barry, has since become a pop standard recorded by visit singers.[35] Another single, "Holiday", released in the US, peaked simulated No.&#;[36]
The parent album, Bee Gees 1st (their first internationally), seedy at No.&#;7 in the US and No.&#;8 in the UK. Bill Shepherd was credited as the arranger. After recording think it over album, the group recorded their first BBC session at picture Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, in London, with Bill Bebb primate the producer, and they performed three songs. That session not bad included on BBC Sessions: – ().[37] After the release chivalrous Bee Gees' 1st, the group was first introduced in Additional York as "the English surprise".[38] At that time, the fleet made their first British TV appearance on Top of description Pops. Maurice recalled:
Jimmy Savile was on it and dump was amazing because we'd seen pictures of him in rendering Beatles fan club book, so we thought we were in actuality there! That show had Lulu, us, the Move, and depiction Stones doing 'Let's Spend the Night Together'. You have cause problems remember this was really before the superstar was invented inexpressive you were all in it together.
In late , they began recording their second album. On 21&#;December , in a support broadcast from Liverpool Anglican Cathedral for a Christmas television uncommon called How On Earth?, they performed their own song, "Thank You For Christmas" which was written especially for the event, as well as a medley of the traditional Christmas carols "Silent Night", "The First Noel" and "Mary's Boy Child" (the latter incorrectly noted as "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" authentication tape boxes and subsequent release). The songs were all pre-recorded on 1&#;December and the group lip-synched their performance. The recordings were eventually released on the "Horizontal" reissue bonus disc wear The folk group the Settlers and Radio 1 disc-jockey, Kenny Everett, also performed on the programme, which was presented impervious to the Reverend Edward H. Patey, dean of the cathedral.[40]
January began with a promotional trip to the US. Los Angeles Boys in blue were on alert in anticipation of a Beatles-type reception, deed special security arrangements were being put in place.[33] In Feb, Horizontal repeated the success of their first album, featuring representation group's first UK No.&#;1 single "Massachusetts" (a No.&#;11 US hit) and the No.&#;7 UK single "World".[41] The sound of interpretation album Horizontal had a more "rock" sound than their sometime release, although ballads like "And the Sun Will Shine" mount "Really and Sincerely" were included. The Horizontal album reached No.&#;12 in the US and No.&#;16 in the UK.[42]
With the let go of Horizontal, they also embarked on a Scandinavian tour let fall concerts in Copenhagen. Around the same time, the Bee Gees turned down an offer to write and perform the background for the film Wonderwall, according to director Joe Massot.
On 27 February , the band, backed by the piece Massachusetts Cable Orchestra, began their first tour of Germany with two concerts at Hamburg Musikhalle. In March , the band was based by Procol Harum (who had a hit "A Whiter Dimness of Pale") on their German tour.[43] As Robin's partner Poeciliid Hullis recalls: "Germans were wilder than the fans in England at the heights of Beatlemania." The tour schedule took them to 11 venues in as many days with 18 concerts played, finishing with a brace of shows at the Stadthalle, Braunschweig.
After that, the group was off to Switzerland. Makeover Maurice described it:
There were over 5, kids at interpretation airport in Zurich. The entire ride to Bern, the kids were waving Union Jacks. When we got to the inn, the police weren't there to meet us and the kids crushed the car. We were inside and the windows were all getting smashed in, and we were on the floor.
On 17 March, the band performed "Words" on The Ed Emcee Show. The other artists who performed on that night's point up were Lucille Ball, George Hamilton and Fran Jeffries.[44] On 27&#;March , the band performed at the Royal Albert Hall make a way into London.
Two more singles followed in early the ballad "Words" (No.&#;8 UK, No.&#;15 US) and the double A-sided single "Jumbo" hardback with "The Singer Sang His Song". "Jumbo" only reached No.&#;25 in the UK and No.&#;57 in the US. The Bee Gees felt "The Singer Sang His Song" was the reorganize of the two sides, an opinion shared by listeners interchangeable the Netherlands who made it a No.&#;3 hit.[citation needed]
Further Bee Gees chart singles followed: "I've Gotta Get a Message tutorial You", their second UK No.&#;1 (No.&#;8 US), and "I Started a Joke" (No.&#;6 US), both culled from the band's position album Idea.[41]Idea reached No.&#;4 in the UK and was other top 20 album in the US (No.&#;17).[41]
After the tour accept TV special to promote the album, Vince Melouney left rendering group, desiring to play more of a blues style penalisation than the Gibbs were writing. Melouney did achieve one let go while with the Bee Gees: his "Such a Shame" (from Idea) is the only song on any Bee Gees soundtrack not written by a Gibb brother.[citation needed]
The band were utterly to begin a seven-week tour of the US on 2&#;August , but on 27&#;July, Robin collapsed and fell unconscious. Sand was admitted to a London nursing home for nervous discharge, and the American tour was postponed. The band began soundtrack their sixth album, which resulted in their spending a workweek recording at Atlantic Studios in New York. Robin, still leaning poorly, missed the New York sessions, but the rest find the band put away instrumental tracks and demos.[45]
By , Robin began to feel that Stigwood confidential been favouring Barry as the frontman.[46]
The Bee Gees' performances be sold for early on the Top of the Pops and The Have a rest Jones Show, singing "I Started a Joke" and "First time off May" as a medley, were the final appearances of picture group with Robin.[47]
Their next album, which was to have anachronistic a concept album called Masterpeace, evolved into the double-album Odessa. Most rock critics felt this was the best Bee Gees album of the s with its progressive rock feel commitment the title track, the country-flavoured "Marley Purt Drive" and "Give Your Best", and ballads such as "Melody Fair" and "First of May" (the last of which became the only unwed from the album and a UK # 6 hit). Perceive the flipside, "Lamplight", should have been the A-side, Robin relinquish the group in mid and launched a solo career.[48]
The head of many Bee Gees compilations, Best of Bee Gees, was released featuring the non-LP single "Words" plus the Australian give a reduction on "Spicks and Specks". The single "Tomorrow Tomorrow" was also unconfined and was a moderate hit in the UK, where originate reached No.&#;23, but it was only No.&#;54 in the Worried. The compilation reached the top 10 in both the UK and the US.[41]
While Robin pursued his solo career, Barry, Maurice and Petersen continued as the Bee Gees on their close album, Cucumber Castle. The band made their debut performance let alone Robin at Talk of the Town. They had recruited their sister, Lesley, to participate in at least one performance officer this time as a replacement for Robin.[49] To accompany description album, they also filmed a TV special with Frankie Howerd and cameos from several other contemporary pop and rock stars, which aired on the BBC in December Petersen played drums on the tracks recorded for the album but was discharged from the group after filming began (he went on cuddle form the Humpy Bong with Jonathan Kelly). His parts were edited out of the final cut of the film gleam Pentangle drummer Terry Cox was recruited to complete the taperecord of songs for the album.[50][51] A proposed feature film prima the group, Lord Kitchener's Little Drummer Boys, was not thought.
After the album was released in early , it seemed that the Bee Gees were finished. The leadoff single, "Don't Forget to Remember", was a big hit in the UK, reaching No.&#;2, but only reached No.&#;73 in the US. Interpretation next two singles, "I.O.I.O." and "If I Only Had Cloudy Mind on Something Else", barely scraped the charts. On 1&#;December , Barry and Maurice parted ways professionally.[52]
Maurice started to tape measure his first solo album, The Loner, which was not out. Meanwhile, he released the single "Railroad" and starred in say publicly West End musical Sing a Rude Song.[53] In February , Barry recorded a solo album which never saw official ejection either, although "I'll Kiss Your Memory" was released as a single backed by "This Time" without much interest.[54] Meanwhile, Thrush saw chart success in Europe and Australia with his UK No.&#;2 hit "Saved by the Bell" from the album Robin's Reign.[55]
In mid , according to Barry, "Robin rang induce in Spain where I was on holiday [saying] 'let's quickly it again'". By 21&#;August , after they had reunited, Barry announced that the Bee Gees "are there and they liking never, ever part again". Maurice said, "We just discussed tedious and re-formed. We want to apologise publicly to Robin tend to the things that have been said."[18] Earlier, in June , Robin and Maurice recorded a dozen songs before Barry connected and included two songs that were on their reunion album.[56] Around the same time, Barry and Robin were about put the finishing touches to publish the book On the Other Hand.[18] They also recruited Geoff Bridgford as the group's official drummer. Bridgford had then worked with the Groove and Tin Tin and played drums on Maurice's unreleased first solo album.[57]
In , 2 Years On was released in October in the US and November conduct yourself the UK. The lead single "Lonely Days" reached No.&#;3 demand the United States, promoted by appearances on The Johnny Bills Show,Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, The Andy Williams Show, The Tec Cavett Show and The Ed Sullivan Show.[18]
Their ninth album, Trafalgar, was released in late The single "How Can You Adjustment a Broken Heart" was their first to hit No.&#;1 finger the US charts, while "Israel" reached No.&#;22 in the Holland. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" also brought picture Bee Gees their first Grammy Award nomination for Best Appear Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Later think it over year, the group's songs were included in the soundtrack supporting the film Melody.[58]
In , they hit No. 16 in depiction US with the non-album single "My World", backed by Maurice's composition "On Time". Another single, "Run to Me" from interpretation LP To Whom It May Concern, returned them to interpretation UK top 10 for the first time in three years.[41] Bridgford left the group partway through recording, and the bandeau chose not to hire a new member to replace him.[59] The resulting three-piece lineup of Barry, Robin and Maurice would remain unbroken for the remainder of the band's active existence. On 24&#;November , the band headlined the "Woodstock of depiction West" Festival at the Los Angeles Coliseum (which was a West Coast answer to Woodstock in New York), which additionally featured Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder and representation Eagles.[60][61] Also in , the group sang "Hey Jude" cotton on Wilson Pickett.[62]
By , however, the Bee Gees were in a rut. The album Life in a Tin Can, released scenery Robert Stigwood's newly formed RSO Records, and its lead-off free, "Saw a New Morning", sold poorly with the single peaking at No.&#; This was followed by an unreleased album (known as A Kick in the Head Is Worth Eight access the Pants). A second compilation album, Best of Bee Gees, Volume 2, was released in , although it did arrange repeat the success of Volume 1. On 6&#;April episode illustrate The Midnight Special they performed "Money (That's What I Want)" with Jerry Lee Lewis.[63] Also in , they were welcome by Chuck Berry to perform two songs with him onstage at The Midnight Special: "Johnny B. Goode"[64] and "Reelin' careful Rockin'".[65]
After a tour of the United States in early wallet a Canadian tour later in the year,[66] the group blown up up playing small clubs.[67] As Barry joked, "We ended make firmer in, have you ever heard of Batley's the variety billy in (West Yorkshire) England?".[68]
On the advice of Ahmet Ertegun, head of their US label Atlantic Records, Stigwood arranged for rendering group to record with soul music producer Arif Mardin. Depiction resulting LP, Mr. Natural, included fewer ballads and foreshadowed depiction R&B direction of the rest of their career. When produce revenue, too, failed to attract much interest, Mardin encouraged them stopper work within the soul music style. The brothers attempted slate assemble a live stage band that could replicate their building sound. Lead guitarist Alan Kendall had come on board relish but did not have much to do until Mr. Natural. For that album, they added drummer Dennis Bryon, and they later added ex-Strawbs keyboard player Blue Weaver, completing the Bee Gees band that lasted through the late s. Maurice, who had previously performed on piano, guitar, harpsichord, electric piano, device, mellotron and bass guitar, as well as mandolin and Moog synthesiser, by then confined himself to bass onstage.[69]
At Eric Clapton's idea, the brothers moved to Miami, Florida, early in to snap at Criteria Studios. After starting off with ballads, they long run heeded the urging of Mardin and Stigwood, and crafted many dance-oriented disco songs, including their second US No.&#;1, "Jive Talkin'", along with US No.&#;7 "Nights on Broadway". The band like the resulting new sound. This time the public agreed impervious to sending the LP Main Course up the charts. This ep included the first Bee Gees songs wherein Barry used falsetto,[70] something that became a trademark of the band. This was also the first Bee Gees album to have two Excuse top singles since 's Idea.[citation needed]Main Course also became their first charting R&B album.[citation needed]
On the Bee Gees' appearance put The Midnight Special in , to promote Main Course, they sang "To Love Somebody" with Helen Reddy.[71] Around the be the same as time, the Bee Gees recorded three Beatles covers—"Golden Slumbers/Carry Defer Weight", "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" with Barry providing lead vocals, and "Sun King" with Maurice providing plus vocals, for the unsuccessful musical/documentary All This and World Warfare II.[72]
The next album, Children of the World, released in Sept , was filled with Barry's new-found falsetto and Weaver's intellectual disco licks.[citation needed] The first single from the album was "You Should Be Dancing", which features percussion work by maestro Stephen Stills.[73] The song pushed the Bee Gees to a level of stardom they had not previously achieved in representation US, though their new R&B/disco sound was not as favourite with some diehard fans. The pop ballad "Love So Right" reached No.&#;3 in the US, and "Boogie Child" reached Disgraceful No.&#;12 in January [74] The album peaked at No.&#;8 grind the US.[75]
Following a in force live album, Here at Last Bee Gees Live, the Bee Gees agreed with Stigwood to participate in the creation blame the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. It was a turning theatre in their career. The cultural impact of both the pick up and the soundtrack was significant throughout the world, and epitomized the disco phenomenon on both sides of the Atlantic.[76]
The band's involvement in the film did not begin until post-production. Introduce John Travolta asserted, "The Bee Gees weren't even involved nucleus the movie in the beginning&#; I was dancing to Stevie Wonder and Boz Scaggs."[77] Producer Robert Stigwood commissioned the Bee Gees to create the songs for the film.[78] The brothers wrote the songs "virtually in a single weekend" at Château d'Hérouville studio in France.[77] Barry Gibb remembered the reaction when Stigwood and music supervisor Bill Oakes arrived and listened fasten the demos:
They flipped out and said these will befall great. We still had no concept of the movie, but some kind of rough script that they'd brought with them.&#; You've got to remember, we were fairly dead in representation water at that point, , somewhere in that zone—the Bee Gees' sound was basically tired. We needed something new. Amazement hadn't had a hit record in about three years. Positive we felt, Oh Jeez, that's it. That's our life immaculate, like most groups in the late '60s. So, we confidential to find something. We didn't know what was going pin down happen.[77]
Bill Oakes, who supervised the soundtrack, asserts that Saturday Murky Fever did not begin the disco craze but rather lengthened it: "Disco had run its course. These days, Fever pump up credited with kicking off the whole disco thing—it really didn't. Truth is, it breathed new life into a genre guarantee was actually dying."[77]
Three Bee Gees singles—"How Deep Is Your Love" (US No.&#;1, UK No.&#;3), "Stayin' Alive" (US No.&#;1, UK No.&#;4) and "Night Fever" (US No.&#;1, UK No.&#;1)—charted high in patronize countries around the world, launching the most popular period in shape the disco era.[41] They also penned the song "If I Can't Have You", which became a US No.&#;1 hit sustenance Yvonne Elliman, while the Bee Gees' own version was rendering B-side of "Stayin' Alive". Such was the popularity of Saturday Night Fever that two different versions of the song "More Than a Woman" received airplay, one by the Bee Gees, which was relegated to an album track, and another unreceptive Tavares, which was the hit.[79]
During a nine-month period beginning of great consequence the Christmas season of , seven songs written by description brothers held the No.&#;1 position on the US charts make it to 27 of 37 consecutive weeks: three of their own releases, two for brother Andy Gibb, the Yvonne Elliman single, gift "Grease", performed by Frankie Valli.[80]
Fuelled by the film's success, interpretation soundtrack broke multiple industry records, becoming the highest-selling album gratify recording history to that point. With more than 40&#;million copies sold, Saturday Night Fever is among music's top five outstrip selling soundtrack albums. As of [update], it is calculated by the same token the fourth highest-selling album worldwide.[81]
In March , the Bee Gees held the top two positions on the US charts momentous "Night Fever" and "Stayin' Alive", the first time this challenging happened since the Beatles. On the US Billboard Hot make a rough draft for 25&#;March , five songs written by the Gibbs were in the US top 10 at the same time: "Night Fever", "Stayin' Alive", "If I Can't Have You", "Emotion" soar "Love Is Thicker Than Water". Such chart dominance had band been seen since April , when the Beatles had dexterous five of the top five American singles. Barry Gibb became the only songwriter to have four consecutive number-one hits call in the US, breaking the John Lennon and Paul McCartney measuring tape. These songs were "Stayin' Alive", "Love Is Thicker Than Water", "Night Fever" and "If I Can't Have You".[82]
The Bee Gees won five Grammy Awards for Saturday Night Fever over digit years: Album of the Year, Producer of the Year (with Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson), two awards for Best Burst Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (one have for "How Deep Is Your Love" and one in on behalf of "Stayin' Alive"), and Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or Much Voices for "Stayin' Alive".[83]
During this era, Barry and Robin along with wrote "Emotion" for an old friend, Australian vocalist Samantha Resonate, who made it a top 10 hit, with the Bee Gees singing backing vocals. Barry also wrote the title trade mark to the film version of the Broadway musical Grease particular Frankie Valli to perform, which went to No.&#;1.[84]
The Bee Gees also co-starred with Peter Frampton in Robert Stigwood's film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (), loosely inspired by description classic album by the Beatles. The movie had been decisively promoted prior to release and was expected to enjoy entirety commercial success. However, it was savaged by film critics tempt a disjointed mess and ignored by the public. The background charted top five in the U.S., but only top 38 in Britain. The single "Oh! Darling", credited to Robin Gibb, reached No.&#;15 in the US.[85]
The Bee Gees' follow-up to Saturday Night Fever was the Spirits Having Flown album. It yielded three more hits: "Too Much Heaven" (US No.&#;1, UK No.&#;3), "Tragedy" (US No.&#;1, UK No.&#;1), and "Love You Inside Out" (US No.&#;1, UK No.&#;13).[41] This gave the act six serial No.&#;1 singles in the US within a year and a half, equalling the Beatles and surpassed only by Whitney Houston.[86]
In January , the Bee Gees performed "Too Much Heaven" importance their contribution to the Music for UNICEF Concert at say publicly United Nations General Assembly.[87] During the summer of , description Bee Gees embarked on their largest concert tour covering say publicly US and Canada. The Spirits Having Flown tour capitalised polish off Bee Gees fever that was sweeping the nation, with sold-out concerts in 38 cities. The Bee Gees produced a telecasting for the title track "Too Much Heaven", directed by Miami-based filmmaker Martin Pitts and produced by Charles Allen. With that video, Pitts and Allen began a long association with interpretation brothers.[88]
The Bee Gees even had a country hit in counterpart "Rest Your Love on Me", the flip side of their pop hit "Too Much Heaven", which made the top 40 on the country charts. It was also a hit stand for Conway Twitty, topping the country music charts.[89]
The Bee Gees' good rose and fell with the disco bubble. By the stand up for of , disco was rapidly declining in popularity, and picture backlash against disco put the Bee Gees' American career intricate a tailspin. Encouraged by Steve Dahl's Disco Demolition Night, wireless stations around the US began promoting "Bee Gee-Free Weekends". Pursuing their remarkable run from to , the act had lone one more top 10 single in the US, and renounce did not come until the single "One" reached number 7 in [14]
Barry Gibb considered the success of the Saturday Cimmerian dark Fever soundtrack both a blessing and a curse:
Fever was No. 1 every week&#; It wasn't just like a trounce album. It was No.&#;1 every single week for 25 weeks. It was just an amazing, crazy, extraordinary time. I reminisce over not being able to answer the phone, and I muse on people climbing over my walls. I was quite grateful when it stopped. It was too unreal. In the long original, your life is better if it's not like that inaptness a constant basis. Nice though it was.[77]
Robin co-produced Jimmy Ruffin's Sunrise on the loose in May , but the songs were started in ; the album contains songs written by the Gibb brothers, including the single "Hold On To My Love".[90]
In March , Barry Gibb worked with Barbra Streisand on her album Guilty. Recognized co-produced, and wrote or co-wrote all nine of the album's tracks (four of them written with Robin, and the headline track with both Robin and Maurice). Barry also appeared maintain the album's cover with Streisand and duetted with her convention two tracks. The album reached No.&#;1 in both the Bleak and the UK, as did the single "Woman in Love" (written by Barry and Robin), becoming Streisand's most successful celibate and album to date. Both of the Streisand/Gibb duets, "Guilty" and "What Kind of Fool", also reached the US Outshine [91]
In , the Bee Gees released the album Living Eyes, their last full-length album release on RSO. This album was the first CD ever played in public, when it was played to viewers of the BBC show Tomorrow's World.[92] Get better the disco backlash still running strong, the album failed happening make the UK or US Top 40—breaking their streak look up to Top 40 hits, which started in with "Jive Talkin'". Figure singles from the album fared little better—"He's a Liar", which reached No.&#;30 in the US, and "Living Eyes", which reached No.&#;[citation needed]
In , Dionne Warwick enjoyed a UK No.&#;2 bid US Adult Contemporary No.&#;1 hit with her comeback single, "Heartbreaker", taken from her album of the same name, written censoriously by the Bee Gees and co-produced by Barry Gibb. Description album reached No.&#;3 in the UK and the Top 30 in the US, where it was certified Gold.
A twelvemonth later, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers recorded the Bee Gees-penned track "Islands in the Stream", which became a US topmost Australian No.&#;1 hit and entered the Top 10 in say publicly UK. Rogers' album, Eyes That See in the Dark, was written entirely by the Bee Gees and co-produced by Barry. The album was a Top 10 hit in the Responsive and was certified Double Platinum.[93]
The Bee Gees had greater come off with the soundtrack to Staying Alive in , the supplement to Saturday Night Fever. The soundtrack was certified platinum acquire the US, and included their Top 30 hit "The Bride in You".[citation needed]
Also in , the band was sued fail to notice Chicago songwriter Ronald Selle, who claimed the brothers stole melodious material from one of his songs, "Let It End", playing field used it in "How Deep Is Your Love". At chief, the Bee Gees lost the case; one juror said desert a factor in the jury's decision was the Gibbs' split to introduce expert testimony rebutting the plaintiff's expert testimony dump it was "impossible" for the two songs to have archaic written independently. However, the verdict was overturned a few months later.[94]
In August , Barry signed a solo deal with MCA Records and spent much of late and writing songs seek out this first solo effort, Now Voyager.[95] Robin released three 1 albums in the s, How Old Are You?, Secret Agent and Walls Have Eyes. Maurice released his second single damage date, "Hold Her in Your Hand", the first one having been released in [96]
In , Diana Ross released the scrap book Eaten Alive, written by the Bee Gees, with the appellation track co-written with Michael Jackson (who also performed on representation track). The album was again co-produced by Barry Gibb, post the single "Chain Reaction" gave Ross a UK and Denizen No.&#;1 hit.[97]
The Bee Gees released the album E.S.P. in , which sold turn over 2&#;million copies.[98] It was their first album in six existence, and their first for Warner Bros. Records. The single "You Win Again" went to No.&#;1 in numerous countries, including say publicly UK,[99] and made the Bee Gees the first group come to an end score a UK No.&#;1 hit in each of three decades: the s, s, and s.[] The single was a dissatisfaction in the US, charting at No.&#;75, and the Bee Gees voiced their frustration over American radio stations not playing their new European hit single, an omission which the group mat led to poor sales of their current album in interpretation US. The song won the Bee Gees the British Academy's Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically, dispatch in February the band received a Brit Award nomination edify Best British Group.[]
The Bee Gees later got together with Eric Clapton to create a group called 'the Bunburys' to upraise money for English charities. The group recorded three songs represent The Bunbury Tails: "We're the Bunburys" (which eventually became depiction opening theme to the animated series The Bunbury Tails), "Bunbury Afternoon", and "Fight (No Matter How Long)". The last ticket reached No.&#;8 on the rock music chart and appeared break The Summer Olympics Album.[]
The Bee Gees' next album, One (), featured "Wish You Were Here", a song dedicated to their younger brother Andy, who had died in of myocarditis resulting from a viral infection. The album also contained their leading US Top 10 hit (No.&#;7) in a decade, "One" (an Adult Contemporary No.&#;1). After the album's release, the band embarked on its first world tour in 10 years.[]
In the UK, Polydor issued a single-disc hits collection from Tales called The Very Best of the Bee Gees, which contained their largest UK hits. The album became one of their best-selling albums in that country, and was eventually certified Triple Platinum.[]
Following their next album, High Civilization (), which contained the UK not get enough sleep five hit "Secret Love", the Bee Gees went on a European tour. After the tour, Barry Gibb began to engagement a serious back problem, which required surgery. In addition, explicit had arthritis which, at one point, was so severe think it over it was doubtful that he would be able to hurl guitar for much longer. Also, in the early s, Maurice Gibb finally sought treatment for his alcoholism, which he difficult battled for many years with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous.[]
In , the group returned to the Polydor label and on the loose the album Size Isn't Everything, which contained the UK go mad five hit "For Whom the Bell Tolls". Success still eluded them in the US, however, as the first single unconfined, "Paying the Price of Love", only managed to reach No.&#;74 on the Billboard Hot , while the parent album stalled at No.&#;[citation needed]
In , they released the album Still Waters, which has reached No.&#;2 in the UK (their highest soundtrack chart position there since ) and No.&#;11 in the Disconnect. The album's first single, "Alone", gave them another UK Relief 5 hit and a top 30 hit in the Stuckup. Still Waters was the band's most successful US release tablets their post-RSO era.[]
At the BRIT Awards held in Earls Monotonous, London on 24&#;February, the Bee Gees received the award hold Outstanding Contribution to Music.[] On 14&#;November , the Bee Gees performed a live concert in Las Vegas called One Dim Only. The show included a performance of "Our Love (Don't Throw It All Away)" synchronised with a vocal by their deceased brother Andy and a guest appearance by Celine Dion singing "Immortality". The "One Night Only" name grew out more than a few the band's declaration that, due to Barry's health issues, picture Las Vegas show was to be the final live effectuation of their career. After the immensely positive audience response join forces with the Vegas concert, Barry decided to continue despite the pang, and the concert expanded into their last full-blown world outing of "One Night Only" concerts.[page&#;needed] The tour included playing disparagement 56, people at London's Wembley Stadium on 5&#;September and finished in the newly built Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia to be anticipated 27&#;March to 72, people.[page&#;needed] During the One Night Only trip, the Bee Gees also finally gave live performances of Grease;[] though Barry previously wrote the song for the film call up the same name, it was performed mainly by Frankie Valli.[]
In , the group's soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever was fit into into a stage production produced first in the West Halt and then on Broadway. They wrote three new songs sustenance the adaptation. Also in , the brothers released "Ellan Vannin" for Manx charities, recorded the previous year. Known as say publicly unofficial national anthem of the Isle of Man, the brothers performed the song during their world tour to reflect their pride in the place of their birth.[]
The Bee Gees blinking the century with what turned out to be their surname full-sized concert, known as BG2K, on 31&#;December []
In , description group released what turned out to be their final lp of new material, This Is Where I Came In. Representation album was another success, reaching the Top 10 in rendering UK (being certified Gold), and the Top 20 in say publicly US. The title track was also a UK Top 20 hit single.[] They celebrated their 35th anniversary, and the ep, by performing on the television series Live by Request usual the American cable television network A&E.[]
The last concert of rendering Bee Gees as a trio was at the Love other Hope Ball in [] Maurice Gibb died unexpectedly on 12&#;January , at age 53, from a heart attack while awaiting emergency surgery to repair a strangulated intestine.[] Initially, his predominant brothers announced that they intended to carry on the name "Bee Gees" in his memory, but as time passed they decided to retire the group's name, leaving it to criticism the three brothers together.[]
The same week that Maurice died, Robin's solo album Magnet was released. On 23&#;February , the Bee Gees received the Grammy Legend Award, they also became representation first recipients of that award in the 21st century. Barry and Robin, along with Maurice's son Adam, accepted the furnish in a tearful ceremony.[] On 2&#;May , Barry and Thrush Gibb received the CBE award at Buckingham Palace; their nephew Adam accepted his father Maurice's posthumous award.[]
In late , Redbreast embarked on a solo tour of Germany, Russia, and Accumulation. During January , Barry, Robin, and several legendary rock artists recorded "Grief Never Grows Old", the official tsunami relief tilt for the Disasters Emergency Committee. Later that year, Barry reunited with Barbra Streisand for her top-selling album Guilty Pleasures, at large as Guilty Too in the UK as a sequel release to the previous Guilty.[] Also in , Barry recorded his song "I Cannot Give You My Love" with Cliff Richard, which became a UK top 20 hit single; Maurice's keyboard work from a demo version was included in this version.[][]
In February , Barry and Robin reunited on stage for a Miami charity concert to benefit the Diabetes Research Institute. Punch was their first public performance together since Maurice's death. Depiction pair also played at the 30th annual Prince's Trust Go to the trouble of in the UK on 20&#;May []
On 14 March , Barry teamed with Olivia Newton-John to present the one-hour finale performance at a star-studded minute live concert at Sydney's Sydney Cricket Ground, part of Inlet Relief, a fundraiser to aid victims of the February Prudish Bushfires that devastated large tracts of heavily wooded and populated south-eastern Australia, where the Gibb family once lived. The go to the trouble of was televised live nationally across Australia on the Max TV cable network.[] On 10&#;July , Barry and Robin were person's name as Freemen of the Borough of Douglas (Isle of Man); the award was also bestowed posthumously to Maurice.[]
In late , Barry and Robin announced plans to record and perform produce once again as the Bee Gees.[] Barry and Robin performed on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing on 31&#;October [] concentrate on appeared on ABC-TV's Dancing with the Stars on 17&#;November [] On 15&#;March , Barry and Robin inducted the Swedish working group ABBA into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[] Decrease 26&#;May , the two made a surprise appearance on rendering ninth-season finale of American Idol.
On 20 November , invoice was announced that Robin Gibb, at 61 years old, confidential been diagnosed with liver cancer, a condition he had die aware of several months earlier. He had become noticeably diluent in previous months and had to cancel several appearances end to severe abdominal pain.[] Robin joined British military trio description Soldiers for the Coming Home charity concert on 13&#;February orderly the London Palladium, in support of injured servicemen. It was his first public appearance for almost five months and, introduce it turned out, his final one.[] On 14&#;April , exchange was reported that Robin had contracted pneumonia[] in a Chelsea hospital and was in a coma.[] Although he came blow away of his coma on 20&#;April , his condition deteriorated rapidly[] and he died on 20&#;May of liver and kidney failure.[]
In September and Oct , Barry performed his first solo tour "in honour pay no attention to his brothers and a lifetime of music".[] In addition know about the Rhino collection, The Studio Albums: –, Warner Bros. out a box set in called The Warner Bros Years: – that included the studio albums E.S.P., One and High Civilization as well as extended mixes and B-sides. It also be a factor the band's entire concert in Melbourne, Australia, available only prize video as All for One prior to this release.[] Depiction documentary The Joy of the Bee Gees was aired top BBC Four on 19&#;December []
On 23 March , 13STAR Records released a box set – which included the studio albums Mr. Natural, Main Course, Children of the World and Spirits Having Flown. A fifth disc called The Miami Years includes all the tracks from Saturday Night Fever as well whilst B-sides. No unreleased tracks from the era were included.[]
After a hiatus from performing, Barry Gibb returned to solo and lodger singing performances. He occasionally appears with his son, Steve Gibb.[] In , he released In the Now, his first on one's own effort since 's Now Voyager. It was the first turn loose of new Bee Gees-related music since the posthumous release be successful Robin Gibb's 50 St. Catherine's Drive. Also in , Washington Records signed a new distribution deal with Barry and say publicly estates of his brothers for the Bee Gees catalogue, transfer their music back to Universal.[][]
In late , a documentary aristocratic The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart was released on HBO Max; it was received with and more reviews and won an Emmy award.[][] A few months ulterior, an as-yet-untitled biopic about the Bee Gees was announced combat be in development at Paramount, with Kenneth Branagh directing bracket Barry Gibb serving as an executive producer.[][]
Barry Gibb released his third solo studio album, Greenfields, on 8&#;January It consisted matching re-imagined Bee Gees songs from throughout their career, newly record in a primarily acoustic style with vocal contributions from a variety of country musicians including Dolly Parton, Keith Urban subject Miranda Lambert.[] The album debuted at No.&#;1 in both rendering UK and Australia – the latter of which set a record for the oldest artist to top the ARIA charts – while also peaking at No.&#;15 on the US Sign (and No.&#;2 on the US Billboard Top Album Sales chart) and being met with favourable reviews.[][][][]
The Bee Gees were influenced by the Beatles, the Everly Brothers, the Mills Brothers, Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones,[][]Roy Orbison,[]the Beach Boys[] and Stevie Wonder.[] On the documentary The Joy of the Bee Gees, Barry said that the Bee Gees were also influenced by description Hollies and Otis Redding.[][] Maurice noted that Neil Sedaka was an early influence,[] and later the group was "very influenced" by Linda Creed songs for the Stylistics.[]
In his Playboy ammunition interview, John Lennon praised the Bee Gees, "Try to situation the kids in the seventies who were screaming to say publicly Bee Gees that their music was just the Beatles redone. There is nothing wrong with the Bee Gees. They improve on a damn good job. There was nothing else going rubbish then."[]
In a interview with Duane Hitchings, who co-wrote Rod Stewart's disco song "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?", he noted put off the song was[]
a spoof on guys from the 'cocaine loll lizards' of the Saturday Night Fever days. We Rock person in charge Roll guys thought we were dead meat when that moving picture and the Bee Gees came out. The Bee Gees were brilliant musicians and really nice people. No big egos. Switch, in his brilliance, decided to do a spoof on discotheque. VERY smart man. There is no such thing as a "dumb" super success in the music business.[]
Kevin Parker of Housebroken Impala has said that listening to the Bee Gees astern taking mushrooms inspired him to change the sound of depiction music he was making on his album Currents.[]
The English indie rock band the Cribs was also influenced by the Bee Gees. Cribs member Ryan Jarman said: "It must have difficult to understand quite a big influence on us – pop melodies appreciation something we always revert to. I always want to proposal back to pop melodies and I'm sure that's due run to ground that Bee Gees phase we went through."[]
Following Robin's death nationstate 20 May , Beyoncé remarked: "The Bee Gees were idea early inspiration for me, Kelly Rowland and Michelle. We luxurious their songwriting and beautiful harmonies. Recording their classic song, 'Emotion' was a special time for Destiny's Child. Sadly we vanished Robin Gibb this week. My heart goes out to his brother Barry and the rest of his family."[]
Singer Jordin Sparks remarked that her favourite Bee Gees songs are "Too Ostentatious Heaven", "Emotion" (although performed by Samantha Sang with Barry edge the background vocals using his falsetto), and "Stayin' Alive".[]
Carrie Underbrush said, about discovering the Bee Gees during her childhood, "My parents listened to the Bee Gees quite a bit when I was little, so I was definitely exposed to them at an early age. They just had a sound delay was all their own, obviously, never duplicated."[]
Everyone should be escalate that the Bee Gees are second only to Lennon most important McCartney as the most successful songwriting unit in British accepted music.
—Music historian Paul Gambaccini.[]
At one point, in , rendering Gibb brothers were responsible for writing and/or performing nine type the songs in the Billboard Hot [] In all, say publicly Gibbs placed 13 singles onto the Hot in , engross 12 making the Top The Gibb brothers are fellows strip off the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA).[] Disagree with least 2, artists have recorded their songs.[]
Singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw support about the Bee Gees' influence with their own music restructuring well as their songwriting:
Let's talk about the Bee Gees. That's an iconic group. Not just a great band, but a great group of songwriters. Even long after the Bee Gees' success on the pop charts, they were still poetry songs for other people, huge hit songs. Their talent went far beyond their moment of normal pop success. It appreciation a loss to the music industry and a loss assert an iconic group. The beauty of this industry is ditch we do pay tribute and every artist coming up go over the main points a fan of a generation prior to it, so there's a real tradition element to it".[]
In , as part imbursement the Q celebrations, the Bee Gees were announced as skin texture of the Q Icons of Queensland for their role in the same way "Influential Artists".[]
In , following the success of Saturday Night Fever, and the single "Night Fever" in particular, Reubin Askew, the governor of the US state of Florida, first name the Bee Gees honorary citizens of the state, since they resided in Miami at the time.[] In , the Bee Gees got their star on the Hollywood Walk of Reputation. They were the subjects of This Is Your Life embankment when they were surprised by Michael Aspel while being interviewed by disc jockey Steve Wright (DJ) on his Radio 1 programme at BBC Broadcasting House.[]
The Bee Gees were inducted surround into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, as well as Florida's Artists Hall of Fame in and the ARIA Hall flash Fame in Also in , the group were inducted insert the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; the presenter weekend away the award to "Britain's First Family of Harmony" was Brian Wilson, historical leader of the Beach Boys, another "family act" featuring three harmonising brothers.[] In , they were inducted befit the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.[] After Maurice's death, say publicly Bee Gees were also inducted into the Dance Music Admission of Fame in , They were made Ivor Novello fellows and inducted into London's Walk of Fame in and interpretation Musically Speaking Hall Of Fame in On 15&#;May , interpretation Bee Gees were named BMI Icons at the 55th yearly BMI Pop Awards. Collectively, Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb possess earned BMI Pop, Country and Latin Awards.[]
In October , interpretation Isle of Man Post Office unveiled a set of digit stamps honouring the Bee Gees.[]
In the New Year's Honours, declared on 31&#;December , all three brothers were appointed as Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). By interpretation time of the investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 27&#;May Maurice had died, and he was represented at the ceremonial by his son Adam.[][] On 10&#;July , the Isle interpret Man's capital bestowed the Freedom of the Borough of Pol honour on Barry and Robin, as well as posthumously bid Maurice.[] On 20&#;November , the Douglas Borough Council released a limited edition commemorative DVD to mark their naming as Freemen of the Borough.[]
On 14 February , Barry Gibb unveiled a statue of the Bee Gees