The Gibb brothers were born on the Isle of Man, UK to English parents in 1946 (Barry Alan Crompton Gibb, September 1) and 1949 ( twins Robin Hugh Gibb and Maurice (pronounced "Morris") Ernest Gibb, December 22). The family returned to father Hugh Gibb's home town of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, England in the early 1950s where the boys began to sing in harmony, debuting in public on one memorable occasion at a local cinema. The boys were going to lip sync to a record, which other children had done at the cinema in previous weeks. However, on the way to the cinema, the record was dropped and broken. As a result, the brothers got on stage and sang themselves. They got a very good response from the crowd, which convinced them that singing was what they wanted to do with their lives.
In 1958, the Gibb family, including infant brother Andy (born March 5, 1958 in Manchester), emigrated to Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia, and and went to Humpybong State School. The still very young brothers began performing where they could to raise pocket change. First called the Rattlesnakes, later Wee Johnny Hayes & the Bluecats, and even Les Tosseurs, they were introduced to radio DJ Bill Gates (not to be confused with the founder of Microsoft) by racetrack promoter Bill Goode (who saw them perform at Brisbane's Speedway Circus). Gates renamed them after his and Goode's initials – thus the name was not simply a reference to the brothers Gibb.
By 1960, the Bee Gees were featured on television shows, and in the next few years began working regularly at resorts on the Queensland coast. Barry drew the attention of Australian star Col Joye for his songwriting, and Joye helped the boys get a record deal with Festival Records in 1963 under the name "Bee Gees." The three released two or three singles a year, while Barry supplied additional songs to other Australian artists.
A minor hit in 1965, "Wine and Women," led to the group's first LP Barry Gibb and the Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs. By late 1966, the family decided to return to England, and seek their musical fortunes there. Whilst at sea in January, 1967, they heard that "Spicks and Specks", a song they had recorded in 1966, had gone to #1 in Australia.
1960s in England
The act's arrival in England in January 1967 was not immediately propitious, as they were advised "Groups are out." However, the Bee Gees were signed soon after their arrival by Robert Stigwood, and added Australian musicians Vince Melouney (guitar) and former child actor Colin Petersen (drums). Their first single recorded in England was "New York Mining Disaster 1941" (1967), a surreal, haunting and macabre composition that made the Top 20 on both sides of the Atlantic. Robert Stigwood boldly claimed that the Bee Gees were "the most significant new musical talent of 1967". Their album Bee Gees' 1st scored well with critics and the public, offering an innovative blend of rock and orchestral ballads such as the charting "To Love Somebody" and the well-regarded "I Can't See Nobody."
The next big single was "Massachusetts," which launched the trio into stardom, followed shortly by the followup "Words". 1968 saw the release of two albums, "Horizontal" and "Idea." The latter contained two more hits, "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" and "I Started a Joke." To some critics and fans, these tracks represent the band's golden years, well before any of their ubiquitous disco hits.
The Bee Gees' next release was Odessa (1969), a dense and complex prog rock album with orchestral accompaniment. By this time, Barry and Robin were increasingly at odds about the creative direction of the group. Once Robert Stigwood made clear that he preferred to promote Barry as the act's leader, Robin left. Barry and Maurice released an LP as a duo, Cucumber Castle (the soundtrack to a television special), which contained the #2 UK hit "Don't Forget to Remember." Meanwhile, Robin released a solo album, Robin's Reign, which included his #2 UK hit "Saved by the Bell."
Early 1970s
The three brothers reunited in the later part of 1970, their feelings about the split evident in many songs about heartache and loneliness. Although they had lost traction on the British charts, the Bee Gees hit #3 in America with "Lonely Days" (from the reunion LP 2 Years On) and had their first U.S. #1 with "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?" (from Trafalgar). In 1972, they hit #16 with "Run to Me" from the LP To Whom It May Concern; the single also returned them to the British top ten for the first time in three years.
By 1973, however, the Bee Gees were in a rut. The album, Life in a Tin Can, and its lead-off single, "Saw a New Morning," sold poorly with the single peaking at #94. This was followed by an unreleased album (known as A Kick in the Head Is Worth Eight in the Pants).
On the advice of Ahmet Ertegun of their U.S. label Atlantic Records, Stigwood arranged for the group to record with famed soul music producer Arif Mardin. The resulting LP, Mr. Natural, included few ballads and foreshadowed the R&B direction of the rest of their career. But when it too failed to attract much interest, Mardin encouraged them to work with the soul music style.
The brothers attempted to assemble a live stage band that could replicate their studio sound. Lead guitarist Alan Kendall had come on board in 1971, but didn't 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 late 1970s "Bee Gees band". Maurice, who'd previously performed on piano, guitar, organ, mellotron, and bass guitar, as well as exotica like mandolin and Moog, now confined himself to bass.
At Eric Clapton's suggestion, the brothers relocated to Miami, Florida early in 1975 to record. After starting off with ballads, they eventually heeded the urging of Mardin and Stigwood and crafted more rhythmic songs like "Jive Talkin'" and "Nights on Broadway." The latter featured Barry Gibb's first attempts at singing falsetto, in the backing vocals toward the end. The band liked the resulting new sound, and this time the public agreed, sending the LP Main Course (album) up the charts. Barry Gibb's falsetto would become a staple of subsequent recordings. Mardin was unable to work with the group afterwards, but the Bee Gees enlisted Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson who'd worked with Mardin during the Main Course sessions. This production team would carry the Bee Gees through the rest of the 1970s.
The next album, Children of the World, was drenched in Barry's new-found falsetto and Blue's synthesizer dance licks. Led off by the single "You Should Be Dancing," it pushed the Bee Gees to a level of stardom they had not previously achieved in the USA, though the new disco sound was not as popular with some diehard fans from the 1960s. The stereotype of disco was canned, fabricated music, but the Bee Gees' band was closer to a rock act, with rhythm guitar and real drums behind the falsetto.
Late 1970s: Saturday Night Fever
"Saturday Night Fever", became the number one best-selling soundtrack of all time, selling over 40 million of copies.
Following a successful live album, Here at Last...The Bee Gees...Live, The Bee Gees agreed to participate in the creation of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. It was the turning point of their career. The cultural impact of both the film and the soundtrack was tremendous not only in the United States but in the world, bringing the nascent disco scene into the mainstream.
Three Bee Gees singles ("How Deep Is Your Love", "Stayin' Alive", and "Night Fever") reached #1 in the United States and in most countries around the world, launching the most popular period of the disco era. They also penned the song "If I Can't Have You" which became a #1 hit for Yvonne Elliman. 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 the B-side of "Stayin' Alive," and another by Tavares, which was the hit. The Gibb' sound was inescapable. During an eight-month period beginning in the Christmas season of 1977, the brothers wrote six songs that held the #1 position on the U.S. charts for 25 of 32 consecutive weeks-- three under their own name, two for brother Andy Gibb, and the Yvonne Elliman single.
Fueled by the movie's success, the album broke multiple records, becoming the highest-selling album in recording history to that point. Saturday Night Fever has since sold circa 40 million copies worldwide [1], making it the best selling soundtrack album of all time.
During this era, Barry and Robin wrote "Emotion" for Samantha Sang, who made it a Top Ten hit (the Bee Gees sang back-up vocals). A year later, Barry wrote the title song to the movie version of the Broadway musical Grease for Frankie Valli to perform, which went to #1. At one time, five songs written by the brothers Gibb were in the U.S. top ten at the same time. It was the first time this kind of chart dominance had been seen ever.
The three Bee Gees also co-starred with Peter Frampton in the movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band loosely inspired by the classic Beatles album released in 1967. The film had been heavily promoted prior to release, and was expected to enjoy great commercial success. However, the disjointed film was savaged by the movie critics, and ignored by the public, while the accompanying soundtrack was the biggest flop of that year, with hundreds of thousands of records being returned by retailers for credit.
During this period, the Bee Gees' younger brother Andy followed his older siblings into a music career, and enjoyed considerable success. Produced by Barry, Andy Gibb's first three singles all topped the U.S. charts.
The Bee Gees' follow-up to Saturday Night Fever was the Spirits Having Flown album. It yielded three more #1 hits: "Too Much Heaven", "Tragedy", and "Love You Inside Out." This gave the act six consecutive #1 singles in America within a year and a half (a record only surpassed by Whitney Houston). "Too Much Heaven" ended up as the Bee Gees' musical contribution to the Music for UNICEF Concert at the United Nations General Assembly in January 1979, a benefit organized by the Bee Gees, Robert Stigwood, and David Frostfor UNICEF that was broadcast worldwide. The brothers donated the royalties from the song to the charity.
The Bee Gees' overwhelming success rose and sank with the disco bubble. By the end of 1979, disco was rapidly declining in popularity, and the backlash against disco put the Bee Gees' American career in a tailspin. Following their remarkable run from 1975-79, the act would only have one more top ten single in the U.S., and not until 1989. The Bee Gees' international popularity sustained somewhat less damage.
1980s and 1990s
In 1981, The Bee Gees released the album Living Eyes, but with the disco backlash still running strong, the album failed to make the US top 40. In 1983, The Bee Gees had greater success with the soundtrack to Staying Alive, the sequel to Saturday Night Fever. The soundtrack was certified platinum in the US, but didn't contain a big hit single from the brothers.
Robin and Barry Gibb released various solo albums in the 1980s, but only with sporadic and moderate chart success. However, the brothers had continuing success behind the scenes, writing and producing for artists such as Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross and Kenny Rogers, including Rogers' multi-million seller and U.S. #1 hit with Dolly Parton, "Islands in the Stream".
The Bee Gees released the album E.S.P. in 1987, which sold over 3 million copies. The single "You Win Again" went to #1 in numerous countries, including Britain, but only reached #75 in the US.
On March 10, 1988, the fourth brother, Andy, died at age 30 from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle due to a recent viral infection. His brothers acknowledge that Andy's past drug and alcohol use probably made his heart more susceptible to the ailment. The Bee Gees' following album, One (1989), featured a song dedicated to Andy, "Wish You Were Here." The album also contained their first U.S. top ten hit (#7) in a decade, "One." After the album's release, they embarked on their first world tour in ten years.
Following their next album, High Civilization, which contained the UK top five hit "Secret Love," The Bee Gees went on a European tour. After the tour, Barry Gibb began to battle a serious back problem, which required surgery. In the early 1990s, Barry Gibb was not the only Bee Gee living in serious pain. Maurice had a serious drinking problem, which he had battled for many years, but finally conquered with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous.
In 1993, they released the album Size Isn't Everything, which contained the UK top five hit "For Whom the Bell Tolls." Four years later, they released the album Still Waters, which sold over four million copies, and debuted at #11 in the US. The album's first single, "Alone," gave them another UK Top 5 hit and a top 30 hit in the US.
In late 1997, The Bee Gees performed a live concert in Las Vegas called One Night Only. The CD of the performance sold over 5 million copies. This led to a world tour of "One Night Only" concerts. The tour included playing to 56,000 people at London's Wembley Stadium on September 5, 1998, and concluded in the newly-built Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia. The Bee Gees closed the decade with what turned out to be their last full-sized concert, known as "BG2K," on December 31, 1999.
Later years
In 2001, they released what turned out to be their final album of new material as a group, This Is Where I Came In. The album gave each member a chance to write in their own way, as well as composing songs together. For example, Maurice's compositions and leads are the "Man in the Middle" and "Walking on Air," while Robin contributed "Déjà Vu," "Promise the Earth," and "Embrace," and Barry contributed "Loose Talk Costs Lives," "Technicolour Dreams", and "Voice in the Wilderness". The other songs are collaborative in writing and vocals. The Bee Gees' last public live show together was Live by Request, a special shown on A&E.
Maurice, who had been the musical director of the Bee Gees during their final years as a group, died suddenly on January 12, 2003 from complications of a twisted intestine. Initially, his surviving 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 name, leaving it to represent the three brothers together. The same week Maurice died, Robin's solo album Magnet was released.
Although there was talk of a memorial concert featuring both brothers and invited guests, nothing materialized. Since then Barry and Robin have continued to work independently and have both released recordings with other artists. In late 2004, Robin embarked on a solo tour of Germany, Russia and Asia.
Current news
During January 2005, Barry, Robin and several legendary rock artists recorded "Grief Never Grows Old," the official Tsunami relief record for the Disasters Emergency Committee. Later that year, Barry reunited with Barbra Streisand for her top-selling album Guilty Pleasures, released as Guilty Too in the UK as a sequel album to the previous Guilty. Robin continued touring in Europe.
In February 2006 Barry and Robin reunited on stage for a Miami charity concert to benefit the Diabetes Research Institute. It was their first public performance since the death of brother Maurice. Barry and Robin played at the 30th annual Prince's Trust Concert in the UK on May 20, 2006.
Chain Reaction
Bee Gees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got a pedestal and put me on it
You made me love you out of feeling nothing
Something that you do
And I was there and not dancing with anyone
You took a little, then you took me over
You set your mark on stealing my heart away
Crying, trying, anything for you
I'm in the middle of a chain reaction
You give me all the after midnight action
I want to get you where I can let you make all that love to me
I'm on a journey for the inspiration
To anywhere and there ain't no salvation
I need you to get me nearer to you
So you can set me free
We talk about love, love, love
We talk about love
We talk about love, love, love
We talk about love
You make me tremble when your hand moves lower
You taste a little then you swallow slower
Nature has a way of yielding treasure
Pleasure made for you, oh
You gotta plan, your future is on the run
Shine a light for the whole world over
You never find your love if you hide away
Crying, dying, all you gotta do is
Get in the middle of a chain reaction
You get a medal when you're lost in action
I want to get your love all ready for the sweet sensation
Instant radiation
You let me hold you for the first explosion
We get a picture of our love in motion
My arms will cover, my lips will smother you
With no more left to say
We talk about love, love, love
We talk about love
You let me hold you for the first explosion
My arms will cover you
All you gotta do is get in the middle of a chain reaction
You get a medal when you're lost in action
Don't pass me by
I want to get your love all ready for the chain reaction
These lyrics from the Bee Gees's song "Chain Reaction" describe the intense and passionate love that the singer has for their partner. The partner has taken them by surprise and made them want what was once a mystery, putting them on a pedestal and making them feel loved even though they had previously felt nothing. The singer is so captivated by their partner's actions that they are willing to do whatever it takes to be with them, and they are consumed by the desire to be closer. They talk about love and yearn for the sweet sensation it brings, eager to be in the middle of a chain reaction that will bring them even closer.
The singer describes the physical nature of their love as well, emphasizing how their partner's touch and taste make them tremble and slow down to savor every moment. They believe that nature has granted them this pleasure, and they are willing to do anything to keep it. They paint a picture of a love that is all-encompassing, eventually reaching a point where there is nothing left to say. The chorus repeats the desire to be in the middle of a chain reaction, to get lost in action and receive a medal, to be taken by this love and let it free them.
Overall, the lyrics showcase a passionate, all-consuming love that has captured the singer's heart, body, and soul. They are willing to do anything to keep this love and continue to feel its sweet sensation.
Line by Line Meaning
You took a mystery and made me want it
You presented something unknown and intriguing, causing me to desire it
You got a pedestal and put me on it
You elevated me, treating me with high regard and making me feel special
You made me love you out of feeling nothing
You sparked a love within me despite there being no prior emotions towards you
Something that you do
Your actions or behavior were the catalyst for my feelings and love towards you
And I was there and not dancing with anyone
I was fully committed to you and not interested in anyone else
You took a little, then you took me over
You started with a small gesture, but it grew and took complete control over me
You set your mark on stealing my heart away
You deliberately worked to capture my love and affection for you
Crying, trying, anything for you
I was willing to do whatever it took, even if it meant crying and trying hard, to have you in my life
I'm in the middle of a chain reaction
I am currently in the midst of an intense and unstoppable emotional response
You give me all the after midnight action
You provide me with passionate and exciting experiences, particularly after dark
I want to get you where I can let you make all that love to me
I desire to be in a situation where you can demonstrate your love for me freely and fully
I'm on a journey for the inspiration to anywhere and there ain't no salvation
I am searching for inspiration and purpose, but there is no escape from my love for you
I need you to get me nearer to you
I require your presence and closeness to continue my love for you
So you can set me free
By being close to you and having your love, I will feel liberated and fulfilled
We talk about love, love, love
Our conversations are centered around the topic of love and expressing our feelings for each other
You make me tremble when your hand moves lower
Your touch elicits physical and emotional responses from me, making me tremble with anticipation
You taste a little then you swallow slower
You savor and prolong each moment, taking time to truly experience and appreciate it
Nature has a way of yielding treasure
The natural world has a tendency to allow us to discover valuable and enriching experiences
Pleasure made for you, oh
You are deserving of pleasure and I am eager to provide it for you
You gotta plan, your future is on the run
You have a vision and are actively working to achieve your goals for the future
Shine a light for the whole world over
Your achievements and success will be noticed and celebrated by everyone
You never find your love if you hide away
If you keep yourself closed off and avoid taking risks, you will never find love or true happiness
Crying, dying, all you gotta do is
Even if it means experiencing pain or hardship, what you need to do is
Get in the middle of a chain reaction
Become an active participant in an unstoppable emotional response
You get a medal when you're lost in action
When fully committed and lost in a passionate experience, you are rewarded with great pleasure and satisfaction
Don't pass me by
Don't ignore me or let me slip away
Instant radiation
An explosive start to a passionate and intense experience
You let me hold you for the first explosion
You allow me to be close and intimate with you during the initial stages of a passionate encounter
We get a picture of our love in motion
Our love and passion for each other is captured and experienced in a vivid and dynamic way
My arms will cover, my lips will smother you
I will embrace and express my love for you with physical touch and affection
With no more left to say
After experiencing such intense and passionate emotions, there is nothing left to communicate with words
You let me hold you for the first explosion
You allow me to be close and intimate with you during the initial stages of a passionate encounter
My arms will cover you
I will continue to embrace and provide comfort and security for you
All you gotta do is get in the middle of a chain reaction
Simply become an active participant in an unstoppable emotional response
I want to get your love all ready for the chain reaction
I am eager and excited to build up and prepare for an intense and passionate emotional response in our love for each other
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOSEPH LESLIE SAMPLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
turnitback
Pure, unadulterated genius.
Janet Carroll
I've loved these precious musical geniuses since 1967 💕🎶💕🎶💕🎶
Charo Vaz
2022 aquí deleitándose,con estás belleza,lo mejor,the Best
fernando L.
únicos por siempre❤️👍
Cynthia Nanlohy
VERY NICE SONG...I LOVE IT
fernando L.
los mejores por siempre.
Carl Hamilton
Such a talented man. Excellent song writer. Legend.
Christopher Anderson
All three wrote it. Not just one.
Donna Formica
Barry Gibb was my First man crush when I saw Bee Gees singing Staying Alive, I was 22 years old. I have followed and loved their songwriting, producing and legendary Musicians. Two time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as Songwriters and as Bee Gees ! Over 50 years of Chart topping hits ! Barry Gibb makes me feel “ More Than A Woman”❤ I am so happy to have seen Bee Gees from the beginning of their careers. I, sincerely thank them for bringing such beautiful music and memories into my life. February 24,2023.❤
Ana Lúcia de Souza
They are wonderful!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐