The Bee Gees, The #6 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Five

 

(Continued from Part Four)

This incredible run from 1975-79, as great as it was, also had dire consequences for the group.  They so dominated the charts during these years that their songs could be heard on nearly any popular music station in the country at least once an hour and in some cases two or three an hour.  The overexposure, plus the backlash against Disco at the time, doomed the Bee Gees. All of this is, to use the words of this immensely talented group, a tremendous tragedy. They put out some solid music in the years that follow, songs which most of the world know and love, but Americans were deprived by their radio stations.   

Barry recalls:

             'Fever' was No. 1 every week...It wasn't

             just like a hit album.  It was No. 1 for 24

             weeks.  It was just an amazing, crazy,

             extraordinary time.  I remember not being

             able to answer the phone, and I

             remember people climbing over my walls.

             I was quite grateful when it stopped.  It

             was too unreal.  In the long run, your life

             is better if it's not like that on a constant

             basis.  Nice though it was.

       

           

Realizing that their music had 

oversaturated the market, the brothers

began writing songs for other artists.Those artists, many of them

superstars, were thrilled to be

associated with the legendary songwriting talent of the brothers.  The 

Gibbs wrote "Hold On To My Love" for

Jimmy Ruffin, which Robin co-produced, and in 1980, Barry wrote or co-wrote all

of the songs on Barbra Streisand's album Guilty, which he also produced.

That album scored four Top 20 hits.

In 1981, the Bee Gees released the

album Living Eyes, but neither single did well.  Singles drive album sales and thus exposure, but don't be fooled--

the album contains several of their best

songs.  Here is the power ballad "Living Eyes".

 

 

Robin shines in this song and the deep

harmonies are sublime. They were truly

the masters of harmonies, such talented

brothers--"I Still Love You".

 

The Bee Gees stayed in Miami

to record Living Eyes as well.  "Nothing 

Could Be Good" is another 

solid track.

 

"He's A Liar" features Don Felder of the

Eagles on guitar.

 

We also want to feature "Don't Fall In

Love With Me".

In 1982, the brothers wrote and Barry

co-produced the self-titled album for

Dionne Warwick, which enabled her to makee a huge comeback with the #1

smash "Heartbreaker".

The next year, the Bee Gees wrote and

Barry co-produced songs for the album 

Eyes That See in the Dark for superstar

Kenny Rogers.  "Islands In The

Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton rose to #1, was one of the biggest

hits of the year, and is another of The

Top 500 Songs* that the Bee Gees wrote.

The trio recorded songs for the 

"Staying Alive" Soundtrack in 1983, but

both the movie and soundtrack

paled by comparison to Saturday Night Fever.

All three brothers recorded solo albums

over the next several years.  In 1985, the

Bee Gees wrote songs for Diana Ross's

solo album Eaten Alive, with "Chain"

Reaction" going to #1 in the U.K. and Australia.

 

In 1987, the Bee Gees released the album E.S.P., their first album in six years and one of their most successful.  "You Win Again" was one of the top songs of the year in the U.K., and when it went to #1, it made the Bee Gees the first group to land a #1 hit there in each of three decades--the 60's, the 70's, and the 80's.  The single also roared to #1 in Germany, Ireland, New Zealand and Austria.  The single is one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

 

"Live Or Die (Hold Me Like A Child)" is a quality track.

But with that success came terrible tragedy.  In 1988, younger brother Andy died of myocarditis at the age of 30.  Later in the year, the Bee Gees joined Eric Clapton in the group the Bunburys, which raised money for charity.  The group recorded three songs, including "How Long", which was included on the 1988 Summer Olympics Album.

 

In 1989, the Bee Gees released the album One.  The title song rose to #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and was their biggest hit overall since "Love You Inside Out" 10 years earlier, reaching #7 and selling over one million copies.

The group still wasn't done.  One of the only acts in history to need six segments to cover all their great music is back tomorrow, exclusively on Inside The Rock Era!