World News – AU – Listen: Robin Gibbs best musical moments

Before the Bee Gees spread disco fever over radio waves, dance floors, and movie screens, they were a little less well known for their exquisite pop ballads. And they had another lead singer: Robin Gibb, who died on Jan.. Died May 2012 at the age of 62. In contrast to Barry Gibbs’ gentle, seductive falsetto that drove 70’s classics like « Stayin ‘Alive », « Jive Talkin' » and « Night Fever », Robin’s lead vocals were shaky yet soulful, raising sad anthems of doom Ships, collapsing caves and lovers strolling to the electric chair. Morrissey fans realize!

Aside from giving the Bee Gees his signature lead and harmony vocals for five decades, Robin was an important songwriting partner for bandleader Barry and, albeit to a lesser extent than his twin brother and talented musician Maurice Multi-instrumentalist. Playing the guitar, organ and harmonica.

Here are some of Robin Gibb’s most transcendent moments from his reign as Bee Gees lead singer.

The first U of the Bee Gees. S.. . beat. That 1967 teardrop – with the catchy chorus, “Did you see my wife, Mr.. . Jones? « – sounded so much like the Beatles that rumors spread that it was actually the Fab Four, performing under a cryptic name that means » Beatles Group « . As for the song title, no, that disaster never happened. Robin took the date and locale out of the air to add substance to the song.

The Bee Gees were a three-man songwriting factory (Frankie Valli’s title track from Grease, Dionne Warwick’s « Heartbreaker », and Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s « Islands in the Stream » were just three of their later exports). . The brothers wrote this ode to homesickness – no, they had never been to Massachusetts, just liked the way Robin’s tongue rolled – for other Australians, the seekers. The seekers passed by and the Bee Gees got their first U. . K. . Number one.

In just over two minutes, the Bee Gees sum up the history of the rock & roll – from Hank Williams’ bloody heartbreak to Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound production, to James Brown’s sweet soul – and may accidentally have that Emo invented. If this death row march doesn’t move you, check your own pulse.

In this Maudlinian ballad, Robin created a world in which humor is a weapon, tears arise and the protagonist imagines his own death in a sea of ​​dramatic complaints and sounds. See “Smiths, The. ”

Like any late sixties band worth their money, the Bee Gees needed a majestic concept album. Originally conceived as Masterpeace, the 1969 double album Odessa wasn’t the commercial success of Bee Gees’ release in the mid-sixties or seventies, but artistically it still lives up to its early accounting. On this seven-minute opening stretch, a castaway Robin tries to sail home on an iceberg he may have formed into a ship to his love, who may have run away with a member of the clergy. There are Bee Gees voice swellings bigger than any waves in the Black Sea, Maurice’s nifty flamenco guitar, and of course geographic and historical lyrical references that don’t match any map or calendar.

This is the song the Bee Gees temporarily split up. When Barry relegated this glowing piece of Robin Longing to the B-side of his own « First of May », Robin left the band. Odessa never produced a single again and remains one of the rock’s undiscovered gems.

On the single from his ironically titled solo album Robin’s Reign (it would fill up on both sides of the Atlantic) Robin says: “I cried for two. “The song didn’t exactly provide Robin’s desired answer to his“ Who Needs the Other Gibb Brothers? « Question, but this story would end happily if Robin returned to the group to start the seventies.

With his short solo career, Robin would use the new decade to become one of the most successful backing singers (and songwriting team members) in the world. . But before he did, he gave the mic everything it had about this soul classic that was cool enough for Al Green.

Bee Gees, Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb