1969


The Bee Gees broke up in 1969. The tension between Barry and Robin came to a head early in the year over the first single from the Odessa album. It was almost set to be a song featuring Robin ‘Lamplight’, but Robert Stigwood preferred to feature Barry singing ‘First of May’. Stigwood had long had a theory that well-dressed handsome young men sold records. Even though Stigwood said that the song ‘Odessa’ is one of his favorite Bee Gees tracks, Robin felt more and more that his songs could not get proper attention within the confines of the group. He had worked all his life with Barry. No doubt he wondered what he could do on his own.

On March 19, Robin announced that he would make solo recordings. For a short time some uncertainty remained as to whether he would also work with the Bee Gees. Robin recorded a few songs, and so did Barry and Maurice, and then when Robin made it clear that he was out for good, lawsuits over Robin’s contractual obligations to the Bee Gees stopped him recording at all until September.

In the meantime Barry and Maurice decided to go ahead with the Cucumber Castle project that had been kicking around since late in 1967. It was now to be made as a one-off television ‘spectacular’. Songs were recorded for it and filming began on August 11. Then, a few days in, Colin Petersen was fired from the group.

Colin Petersen had gone into artist management earlier in 1969. At some point he began asking questions about the Bee Gees’ own finances, and it led to questioning the conflict of interest in Robert Stigwood being the Bee Gees’ manager and yet also effectively their employer. This Colin believes was the reason he was told his services were no longer required. He responded with a lawsuit to the effect that the Bee Gees included him and that Barry and Maurice should not continue to trade on the name without him— quixotic at best, and misunderstood by Barry as Colin claiming to be the Bee Gees.

Cucumber Castle was then filmed with only two Bee Gees, and those two completed an album of songs for it afterwards. By that time too a contractual settlement had cleared Robin to record and he was simultaneously working on his album. The two album projects were completed by October and released early in 1970.

Besides their Bee Gees work, Barry and Maurice worked separately as producers with other artists. Maurice worked throughout the year with Tin Tin, a duo of Steve Kipner, formerly of Steve and the Board, and another Australian, Steve Groves. Barry produced singles for Australian singer Samantha Sang and American expatriate P P Arnold.

In October, plans were announced for a Bee Gees record label, with first releases by P P Arnold and Billy Lawrie. The label was at first to be called Diamond, but when it was learned that there was a Diamond label in the US, it was changed by October to Gee Gee (for the two Gibb brothers). It was talked about until December.

In December Barry and Maurice announced that they had split, ending the Bee Gees. Maurice, already working with his brother-in-law Billy Lawrie and friends on outside projects, quickly began to record songs for a solo album.


songs


THE WALLS FELL DOWN
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
A side by the Marbles, March 1969

LOVE YOU
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
B side by the Marbles, March 1969

LITTLE BOY
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
B side by the Marbles, May 1969

MODULATING MAURICE
Richard Starkey, Maurice Gibb
no record

SAVED BY THE BELL
Robin Gibb
A side by Robin Gibb, June 1969; album cut by Robin Gibb, 1970

MOTHER AND JACK
Robin Gibb
B side by Robin Gibb, June 1969; album cut by Robin Gibb, 1970

ALEXANDRIA GOOD TIME
Robin Gibb
Windmill Music (US). proposed B side by Robin Gibb, June 1969. Saved by the Bell, 2015

JANICE
Robin Gibb
Windmill Music (US). Saved by the Bell, 2015

LOVE JUST GOES
Robin Gibb
Windmill Music (US). Saved by the Bell, 2015

FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS
Robin Gibb
Windmill Music (US). no record

OLD FASHIONED BAND
Robin Gibb
Windmill Music (US). no record

TOMORROW TOMORROW
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
A side by Bee Gees, May 1969

SUN IN MY MORNING
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
B side by Bee Gees, May 1969

WHO KNOWS WHAT A ROOM IS
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
no record

DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
A side by Bee Gees, August 1969; album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

THE LOVE OF A WOMAN
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
A side by Samantha Sang, August 1969

DON’T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
B side by Samantha Sang, August 1969

BETWEEN THE LAUGHTER AND THE TEARS
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
no record

BURY ME DOWN BY THE RIVER
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
A side by P P Arnold, September 1969; album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

GIVE A HAND, TAKE A HAND
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
B side by P P Arnold, September 1969; album cut by Bee Gees, 1974

THE STATESMAN
Robin Gibb
June 1969 interview. no record

MOON ANTHEM
[ TO HEAVEN AND BACK ]
[ HEAVEN AND EARTH ]
Robin Gibb
album cut by Robin Gibb, 2015

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
Robin Gibb
album cut by Robin Gibb, 2015

THE DAY YOUR EYES MEET MINE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
(or Barry Gibb)
album cut by Lou Reizner, 1971

I LAY DOWN AND DIE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

EVERY TIME I SEE YOU SMILE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
no record

THE LORD
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
B side by Bee Gees, August 1969; album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

MY THING
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

THEN YOU LEFT ME
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

I WAS THE CHILD
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

CUCUMBER CASTLE THEME
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
no record

THE FLAG I FLEW FELL OVER
Robin Gibb
August 1969 interview.

I’LL HERD MY SHEEP
Robin Gibb
August 1969 interview. no record

THE MAN MOST LIKELY TO BE
Robin Gibb
August 1969 interview. no record

MAKE BELIEVE
Robin Gibb
August 1969 interview.

I WAS YOUR USED TO BE
Robin Gibb
August 1969 interview. no record

THE COMPLETE AND UTTER HISTORY
Robin Gibb
August 1969 interview. no record

SEVEN BIRDS ARE SINGING
Robin Gibb
August 1969 interview. no record

IT’S NO USE CRYING ANY MORE
Robin Gibb
August 1969 interview. no record

SING A SONG OF SISTERS
Robin Gibb
August 1969 interview. no record

BEAT THE DRUM
Robin Gibb
August 1969 interview. no record

THERE GOES MY HEART AGAIN
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
no record

ONE MILLION YEARS
Robin Gibb
A side by Robin Gibb, November 1969

THE WORST GIRL IN THIS TOWN
Robin Gibb
album cut by Robin Gibb, 1970

MOST OF MY LIFE
Robin Gibb
album cut by Robin Gibb, 1970

DOWN CAME THE SUN
Robin Gibb
album cut by Robin Gibb, 1970

HUDSON’S FALLEN WIND
[ FARMER FERDINAND HUDSON ]
Robin Gibb
album cut by Robin Gibb, 1970

GIVE ME A SMILE
Robin Gibb
B side by Robin Gibb, February 1970; album cut by Robin Gibb, 1970

WEEKEND
Robin Gibb
B side by Robin Gibb, November 1970; album cut by Robin Gibb, 1970

GOODBYE GOOD WORLD
Robin Gibb
acetate dated 1969. album cut by Robin Gibb, 2015

YOU’RE GOING AWAY
Robin Gibb
acetate dated 1969. no record

SPREAD YOUR WINGS
Robin Gibb
acetate dated 1969. no record

MIDNIGHT TO DAWN
Robin Gibb
acetate dated 1969. no record

LAVENDER WATER
Robin Gibb
for the Eurovision song contest (1970?). no record

EVERY MORNING, EVERY NIGHT
[ THE ONLY WAY ]
Barry Gibb
no record

GO TELL CHEYENNE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
(or Barry Gibb)
no record

HIGH AND WINDY MOUNTAIN
[ HIGH ON A WINDY MOUNTAIN ]
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
(or Barry Gibb)
album cut by P P Arnold, 2017

ONE BAD THING
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
(or Barry Gibb)
A side by Ronnie Burns, 1971

IF ONLY I HAD MY MIND ON SOMETHING ELSE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

SWEETHEART
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
B side by Bee Gees, March 1970; album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

THE CHANCE OF LOVE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

TWINKY
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
no record

AUGUST OCTOBER
Robin Gibb
A side by Robin Gibb, February 1970; album cut by Robin Gibb, 1970

GONE GONE GONE
Robin Gibb
album cut by Robin Gibb, 1970

LORD BLESS ALL
Robin Gibb
album cut by Robin Gibb, 1970

NO OTHER HEART
Ken Thorne, Vic Lewis, Robin Gibb
B side by the Vic Lewis Orchestra, 1970

JULIA
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
no record

BE MY FRIEND
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
no record

PICCANINNY
Barry Gibb
no record

RAILROAD
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie
A side by Maurice Gibb, April 1970

TAKE IT EASY, GREASY
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie
no record

I’VE COME BACK
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie
B side by Maurice Gibb, April 1970

LAUGHING CHILD
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie
no record

SHE’S THE ONE YOU LOVE
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie
no record

TOUCH AND UNDERSTAND LOVE
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie
A side by Myrna March, 1971

THE LONER
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie
A side by the Bloomfields, 1972

The breakup generated an enormous number of titles, most of them never released in any form. The two teams of Robin, and of Barry and Maurice, each prepared more than thirty songs.


recording sessions


The Marbles

Graham Bonnet — vocal
Trevor Gordon — vocal
Barry Gibb — guitar
Maurice Gibb — bass, piano
Colin Petersen — drums
orchestra arranged by Bill Shepherd
engineer: ?
producer: Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Robert Stigwood
January 1969, IBC Studios, London

THE WALLS FELL DOWN
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
10 January 1969
mono 3:02, lead vocal Graham Bonnet
A side, March 1969

LOVE YOU
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
10 January 1969
mono 3:03, lead vocal Trevor Gordon
B side, March 1969

LITTLE BOY
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
mono 2:47, lead vocal Trevor Gordon
B side, May 1969

Following the release of the Marbles’ first single Graham Bonnet made a remark to a reporter as to ‘Only One Woman’ being a bit boring, angering Barry. This was patched up by January 1969 when Barry provided Graham with a similar song ‘The Walls Fell Down’ as a followup single. The B side ‘Love You’ sounds like Robin’s work, and he presumably attended the sessions since he is credited as a co-producer.

The date of January 10 is from a notation in the Atlantic Records tape log, presumably something stated on the tape when received.

The date of the last song ‘Little Boy’ is unknown, but it is no later than April. It may be from the same session, because it sounds like Barry, Maurice, and Colin playing, even though when released the producer was credited only as Barry Gibb. The song was used as the B side for the Marbles’ third single and did not appear on their album in 1970. One other Marbles recording date in 1969 is documented: February 4 for Trevor Gordon’s song ‘Elizabeth Johnson’.


Bee Gees

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
Robin Gibb — vocal
Maurice Gibb — vocal, piano, guitar
Colin Petersen — drums
engineer: ?
producer: ?
February 1969, IBC Studios, London

On February 5 the Bee Gees recorded three songs listed only as ‘demos’ on the tape box, no titles given. Robin was still with the group so probably he attended. Either this or the Marbles session above was the last with all three brothers for over a year and a half.


Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr — synthesizer
Maurice Gibb — vocal
engineer: ?
producer: Richard Starkey
unknown date, Ringo Starr home studio

MODULATING MAURICE
Richard Starkey, Maurice Gibb (1969)
unknown, probably January or February 1969
stereo?, voice Maurice Gibb
unreleased

Ringo Starr recorded instrumental pieces for a synthesizer album at home in early 1969. His friend and next-door neighbor Maurice came by one day and they recorded Maurice speaking random words and phrases as Ringo played the synthesizer. The result was a track they called ‘Modulating Maurice’ according to a March 1969 newspaper interview with Ringo. It must be the only composition ever for which Maurice wrote ‘lyrics’ and not music— so to speak. The proposed album was abandoned and none of it has been heard.

This is not the countryish instrumental that has been bootlegged as ‘Modulating Maurice’. That is actually ‘To Dance Again’, a Bee Gees recording from late 1970.


Bee Gees

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
Maurice Gibb — vocal, bass, piano, guitar
Colin Petersen — drums
engineer: ?
producer: Robert Stigwood and the Bee Gees
March 1969, IBC Studios, London

TOMORROW TOMORROW
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
19, 21 March 1969
mono 4:05, lead vocal Barry Gibb
A side, May 1969
stereo (mixed in 1990) 4:07, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Tales from the Brothers Gibb, 1990

SUN IN MY MORNING
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
19 March 1969
mono 2:57, lead vocal Barry Gibb
B side, May 1969
stereo (mixed in 1990) 2:57, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Tales from the Brothers Gibb, 1990

On the same day that Robin announced his solo plans, Barry, Maurice, and Colin got going on the next Bee Gees single. Robert Stigwood made the odd choice of ‘Tomorrow Tomorrow’, originally intended for intense rock singer Joe Cocker, and the Bee Gees struggled with it, finally getting a good take in a second session two days later. The B side ‘Sun in My Morning’ was more of a Bee Gees song with the two on guitar and vocals. These were the last Bee Gees songs mixed to mono for single release. Since they did not appear on the next Bee Gees album, they were not mixed to stereo until 1990, where ‘Tomorrow Tomorrow’ appears with a countdown intro.


Robin Gibb

Robin Gibb — vocal, guitar, organ, drum machine
Maurice Gibb — bass, piano
orchestra arranged by Kenny Clayton
engineer: ?
producer: Robin Gibb
March 1969, De Lane Lea Studio, London

SAVED BY THE BELL
Robin Gibb (1969)
possibly 13 March 1969
mono 3:20, lead vocal Robin Gibb
A side, June 1969
stereo 3:06, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Robin’s Reign, 1970

MOTHER AND JACK
Robin Gibb (1969)
unknown, March 1969
mono 4:26, lead vocal Robin Gibb
B side, June 1969
stereo 4:06, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Robin’s Reign, 1970

ALEXANDRIA GOOD TIME
Robin Gibb (1969)
unknown, March 1969
mono 2:56, lead vocal Robin Gibb
proposed B side, June 1969. Saved by the Bell, 2015

JANICE
Robin Gibb (1969)
possibly March 1969
mono 5:38, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

Robin began recording in March. Maurice participated in at least one session, under the impression that it was an outside project, but Barry was not happy to hear about it later. Robin said that Maurice played piano on ‘Saved by the Bell’ and he may have played bass as well. The bass on ‘Mother and Jack’ is certainly Maurice. An acetate of ‘Saved by the Bell’ has the date March 13th written on the label.

Robin’s method of recording was peculiar. First he recorded himself playing either organ or guitar accompanied by an electronic drum machine, and to this he added one or more tracks of vocals. The resulting demo was then sent to Kenny Clayton, who wrote an orchestral arrangement, adding much detail to Robin’s sparse melodic ideas. The novelty was that in some cases the orchestra recording was tracked right onto Robin’s demo. These are believed to be the first commercially released recordings featuring an electronic drum machine. The contrast between Robin’s very simple playing and the accomplished performance of the orchestra is strangely pleasing. Robin’s many tracks of lead and backing vocals, unblended with Barry or Maurice, are similarly both professional and yet slightly off-kilter.

‘Saved by the Bell’ has the right combination: the opening sweep of huge orchestra, and the sing-along chorus, the ingredients of ‘Odessa’ but shorter and catchier. The B side ‘Mother and Jack’ was even better musically, a patchwork of short pieces in John Lennon tradition, helped along musically by Maurice’s and Kenny’s work. The originally planned B side ‘Alexandria Good Time’ is actually more typical of Robin at this time, randomly interesting lyrics paired with a plodding predictable melody on organ, and ‘Janice’ is a more extreme example. The latter two were not released until 2015. Three more titles may have been recorded, those noted as Windmill Music in the song list.

Probably only mono mixes were made at the time. ‘Saved by the Bell’ has a poorly edited repeat of the chorus in mono that was not done when the stereo mix was made for the album. On the other hand ‘Mother and Jack’ is longer in mono simply because it fades twenty seconds later.


Clare Torry

Clare Torry — vocal
others
orchestra arranged by John Fiddy
engineer: ?
producer: Ronnie Scott, Robin Gibb
April and May 1969, London

LOVE FOR LIVING
Clare Torry (1969)
9 April, 28 May 1969
mono 3:18, lead vocal Clare Torry
A side, June 1969

In 2006 Clare recalled that Robin heard her demo at writer Chris Hutchins’s office and wanted to produce a record of it consisting of the demo plus brass and string overdubs, similar to the way he was doing his own songs. The overdub session overseen in some way by Robin was on May 28.

Robin is credited on the label, and he mentioned producing the record in at least two published interviews in 1969, and there is a publicity photo of him and Clare. But strangely enough by the 1980s Robin denied having had any involvement at all. The other producer Ronnie Scott is not the jazz player but a producer of the same name.

The B side was another Clare Torry original, ‘Live Tomorrow, Live Today’, but Robin was not involved with it. It was produced by Dick Rowe.


Tin Tin

Steve Groves — vocal, guitar, drums
Steve Kipner — vocal, piano, drums
Maurice Gibb — bass, piano, harpsichord, drums, mellotron
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
May 1969, IBC Studios, London

BAD NIGHT
probably Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
1 May 1969
mono, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

LISTEN
probably Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
6 May 1969
mono, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

ONLY LADIES PLAY CROQUET
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
unknown, probably May 1969
mono 2:21, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
A side, July 1969; Tin Tin, 1970

HE WANTS TO BE A STAR
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
unknown, probably May 1969
mono 2:12, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
B side, July 1969; Tin Tin, 1970

Steve Kipner, son of Bee Gees’ Australian producer Nat Kipner, once of Steve and the Board, formed a partnership with Australian-born Steve Groves in 1967 as Tin Tin, and the two emigrated to England in 1968 and cut an album there as Steve and Stevie together with young arranger Gerry Shury. Steve Kipner ran into Barry in 1969, one thing led to another, and the two Steves were signed to Robert Stigwood with Maurice as their producer. The first sessions were two unknown songs in May. Probably the two sides of their first single was recorded around the same date. Only mono mixes exist.

Maurice did not just produce Tin Tin, but joined in playing on their songs. Steve Kipner recalls that they had fun trying to play everything themselves without even a drummer. ‘Only Ladies Play Croquet’ has Steve Groves on guitar and drums, Steve Kipner on drums, and Maurice on harpsichord, bass, drums, and mellotron. ‘He Wants to Be a Star’ has Steve Groves on guitar, and Maurice on bass and piano. All vocals are by the two Steves.


Bee Gees

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
Maurice Gibb — vocal, bass, piano, guitar, mellotron
Colin Petersen — drums
Peter Mason — vocal
engineer: ?
producer: Robert Stigwood and the Bee Gees
May 1969, IBC Studios, London

WHO KNOWS WHAT A ROOM IS
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
7 May 1969
stereo 4:02, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
7 May 1969
stereo 3:27, lead vocal Barry Gibb
A side, August 1969; Cucumber Castle, 1970

The new smaller Bee Gees gathered for only the second time to record two songs, possibly for a single, but the intention is not known. As late as October Barry mentioned the hard-edged ‘Who Knows What a Room Is’ as a candidate for the next album, but it was never released. The next single would be the sentimental ballad ‘Don’t Forget to Remember’. Barry was by now singing strongly in a lower register, and he and Maurice started to write and record in a country-influenced style. The big orchestral sound of Odessa left with Robin.

Peter Mason attended one or more Bee Gees sessions in 1969 after Barry picked him to ‘replace’ Robin in the three-part harmonies. This was probably near the end of June. Peter recalls adding a vocal to the tape of ‘Don’t Forget to Remember’ and singing on two other songs that he cannot now identify. He says Barry was much influenced by the Band at the time. Robert Stigwood nixed the idea of replacing Robin within days, and Peter was out. His vocals may have been wiped from the songs. He cannot hear himself on any of released versions.

I LAY DOWN AND DIE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo (backing vocals) 3:34, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased
mono (backing vocals, reduction from stereo) 3:34, lead vocal Barry Gibb
B side (Canada), August 1969
stereo 3:34, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Cucumber Castle, 1970

The date of ‘I Lay Down and Die’ is unknown, but since it was the B side of ‘Don’t Forget to Remember’ and is not otherwise associated with the Cucumber Castle film songs, it is probably around this time. Atlantic received tape of both sides of the single on July 11.

‘I Lay Down and Die’ was recorded with many tracks of backing vocals throughout the song, but was heard this way, reduced to mono, only on a single released in Canada. A different mix with most of the backing vocals omitted appeared on the album in 1970.

GIVE A HAND, TAKE A HAND
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo 3:32, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

BURY ME DOWN BY THE RIVER
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo 3:25, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Cucumber Castle, 1970

Two undocumented recordings are also from about this date. The Bee Gees re-made ‘Give a Hand, Take a Hand’ in 1974. Compared to that, this version is a little faster, and the arrangement is more based on Barry’s rhythm guitar. The first version to be released was that by P P Arnold, which Barry recorded with her in June.

Maurice told NME in June that the Bee Gees had recorded ‘Bury Me Down By the River’ that month as possibly the next Bee Gees single. The song would instead become a single by P P Arnold. She may have been in the backing vocals to the Bee Gees version as well, and it did appear on the next Bee Gees album.


Samantha Sang

Samantha Sang — vocal
Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
others
orchestra arranged by Bill Shepherd
engineer: ?
producer: Barry Gibb
probably June 1969, IBC Studios, London

THE LOVE OF A WOMAN
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
mono or stereo 3:36, lead vocal Samantha Sang
A side, August 1969

DON’T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
mono or stereo 3:30, lead vocal Samantha Sang
B side, August 1969

As a teenager Cheryl Sang had some success in Australia singing as Cheryl Gray, using her father’s stage surname. Her single ‘You Made Me What I Am’ was a hit in 1967. During a visit to England she signed with Robert Stigwood, took a new name, and began working there until visa problems forced her to return to Australia.

The ‘Love of a Woman’ single features Barry on guitar and backing vocals, and arrangements by Bill Shepherd, but the piano and bass do not sound like Maurice (who was probably busy with Tin Tin). The record has unusually great dynamic range for a single in those days, with whispering passages and others loud enough to reach the back row. It has never appeared on any album collection.


P P Arnold

P P Arnold — vocal
others
orchestra arranged by Bill Shepherd
engineer: ?
producer: Barry Gibb
June 1969, IBC Studios, London

GIVE A HAND, TAKE A HAND
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
12 June 1969
mono or stereo 3:47, lead vocal P P Arnold
B side, September 1969

American P P Arnold started as a backup singer for Ike and Tina Turner. She emigrated to England in 1966 and toured extensively, releasing records for the Immediate label. In 1969 she signed with Robert Stigwood and Barry became her producer. The first documented recording was ‘Give a Hand, Take a Hand’. The personnel are unknown. The single was mono, but this may be a reduction from unreleased stereo mixes.


Bee Gees

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
Maurice Gibb — vocal, bass, piano
Colin Petersen — drums
engineer: ?
producer: Robert Stigwood and the Bee Gees
June 1969, IBC Studios, London

BETWEEN THE LAUGHTER AND THE TEARS
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
12 June 1969
stereo, lead vocal probably Barry Gibb
unreleased

Dated the same day as the first P P Arnold song is this unknown song by the Bee Gees.


Tin Tin

Steve Groves — vocal, guitar, bass, sound effects (‘Toast and Marmalade for Tea’)
Steve Kipner — vocal, piano, drums
Maurice Gibb — bass, mellotron
orchestra arranged by Gerry Shury (‘Swans on the Canal’, ‘Toast and Marmalade for Tea’)
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
May 1969, IBC Studios, London

TUESDAY’S DREAMER
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
13 June 1969
stereo 1:22, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
Tin Tin, 1970

SWANS ON THE CANAL
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
13 June 1969
stereo 2:13, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
Tin Tin, 1970

SPANISH SHEPHERD
Steve Groves (1969)
13 June 1969
stereo 2:36, instrumental
Tin Tin, 1970

TOAST AND MARMALADE FOR TEA
Steve Groves (1969)
undated 1969
mono 2:22, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
A side, 1970; Tin Tin, 1970

SHOULD IT BE OVER
probably Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
undated 1969
stereo?, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

Maurice recorded Tin Tin again in June, working toward an eventual album. He does not play on ‘Tuesday’s Dreamer’ and ‘Swans on the Canal’, recorded June 13, but the third song that date was an instrumental with Steve Groves on guitars and Maurice on mellotron. A mono reel dated June 27 includes these and the two other songs shown above so they are presumably also from some session in June.

‘Toast and Marmalade for Tea’ is the best known Tin Tin song. The personnel are Steve Groves, guitar and sound effects, Steve Kipner, piano and drums, and Maurice, bass. Steve Kipner recalls it as a rushed session with a half-finished song. Only a mono mix exists.


Robin Gibb Orchestra and Chorus

orchestra and choir arranged by Kenny Clayton
engineer: ?
producer: Robin Gibb
June 1969, Chappell Recording Studios, London

MOON ANTHEM
Robin Gibb (1969)
27 June 1969
mono 5:36, instrumental
Saved by the Bell, 2015

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
Robin Gibb (1969)
27 June 1969
mono 7:32, instrumental
Saved by the Bell, 2015

Prevented by lawsuits from recording as a solo artist, Robin prepared two long instrumental pieces with Kenny Clayton to be recorded by what was called the Robin Gibb Orchestra and Chorus. Robin does not sing or play on them.

In the NME of July 19, he described one of them under the title ‘To Heaven and Back’ as to be recorded that day to commemorate the first moon landing the following day, but ‘Moon Anthem’ was actually recorded a few weeks earlier— a lesson in trusting even contemporary sources. ‘Ghost of Christmas Past’ may be part of a Christmas special that Robin mentioned in an August interview. Despite the great expense of recording a 43-piece orchestra, these recordings were not released until 2015. Kenny Clayton deserves a great deal of credit for the score, which must have been based on no more than simple organ playing and vocalization. Only mono mixes have survived.


P P Arnold

P P Arnold — vocal
others
orchestra arranged by Bill Shepherd
engineer: ?
producer: Barry Gibb
July 1969, IBC Studios, London

BURY ME DOWN BY THE RIVER
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
9 July 1969
mono or stereo 3:33, lead vocal P P Arnold
A side, September 1969

LET THERE BE LOVE
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1968)
9 July 1969
mono or stereo, lead vocal P P Arnold
unreleased

In Barry’ second session with P P Arnold they completed her single and recorded a Bee Gees song from the Idea album. The personnel are unknown. The single was mono, but this may be a reduction from unreleased stereo mixes.


Bee Gees

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
Maurice Gibb — vocal, bass, piano, guitar, mellotron
Colin Petersen — drums
engineer: ?
producer: Robert Stigwood and the Bee Gees
July 1969, IBC Studios, London

THE DAY YOUR EYES MEET MINE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
9 July 1969
stereo 3:14, lead vocal probably Barry Gibb
unreleased

The remaining Bee Gees now had to settle down to work on recording some songs for the Cucumber Castle film, which was to be made in August. The same day as Barry’s second P P Arnold session, they recorded a soft ballad ‘The Day Your Eyes Meet Mine’,

EVERY TIME I SEE YOU SMILE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo 2:45, lead vocal Maurice Gibb, Barry Gibb
unreleased

THE LORD
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo 2:19, lead vocal Barry Gibb
B side, August 1969; Cucumber Castle, 1970

THEN YOU LEFT ME
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo 3:11, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Cucumber Castle, 1970

I WAS THE CHILD
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo 3:14, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Cucumber Castle, 1970

An undated reel, probably from July, contains an unreleased song and three more for the forthcoming project. ‘Every Time I See You Smile’ is a beautiful melody sung by either Maurice or Barry, marred by Barry’s two spoken passages of greeting-card sentiments. Another piano ballad, ‘I Was the Child’ made the cut, and so did a guitar ballad with a spoken title line ‘Then You Left Me’. Contrasting to these three dramatic pieces ‘The Lord’ is a lively country number with guitars and growly low vocals. Barry continued to be in fine voice for all these songs, and Maurice was ubiquitous on harmonies, guitar, piano, and bass.

THERE GOES MY HEART AGAIN
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

This unreleased song is on a mono mix reel of August 12, the date of another reel with ‘Don’t Forget to Remember’ and three older Bee Gees songs. These would all be related to Cucumber Castle which started filming August 11. ‘There Goes My Heart Again’ is therefore probably from July or August.

CUCUMBER CASTLE THEME
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo, instrumental
unreleased

Bill Shepherd arranged this tune as an opening theme for the film. He also made new instrumentals of ‘Cucumber Castle’ and ‘Holiday’ heard in the film.


Bee Gees

Maurice Gibb — vocal, guitar, bass, piano, mellotron, drums
engineer: ?
producer: Robert Stigwood and the Bee Gees
July 1969, IBC Studios, London

MY THING
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo 2:20, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
Cucumber Castle, 1970

While not going solo like Robin, Maurice did record this song entirely by himself. He mentioned it in an interview published July 19. Compared to Bee Gees songs it’s looser in feel, almost light jazz.


The Fut

Steve Groves — vocal, guitar
Steve Kipner — vocal, piano
Maurice Gibb — vocal, bass
Billy Lawrie — vocal
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
August 1969, IBC Studios, London

HAVE YOU HEARD THE WORD
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
6 August 1969
mono, lead vocal Maurice Gibb, Steve Kipner, Steve Groves
A side, 1970

The infamous ‘Have You Heard the Word’ was recorded at a Tin Tin session on August 6. Maurice had broken his arm that day falling down a flight of stairs. He showed up with a cast on and shot full of painkillers, and he proceeded to take advantage of the open bar in the studio. The Steves were not happy with this listless song to begin with, and as the session deteriorated they eventually left. Maurice put on tape his best John Lennon vocal impression, and somehow played bass as well in his distinctive style. Billy Lawrie vaguely recalls that he might have been there too, but admits his memory of the late 1960s is none too good.

It would have remained one night’s foolishness if a mono mix of the tape had not found its way to release on the Beacon label in 1970, with the artist credited as The Fut. Maurice would say years later that he had no idea how that happened. The record appeared as early as 1970 on Beatles bootlegs as a rare Beatles recording. It did not help clarify things when Lenono Music, cleaning house in 1985, registered a copyright on it as a John Lennon composition. Evidently it was in John’s collection of Beatles bootlegs and someone once again thought it sounded like John. He had denied the song in his lifetime. At any rate, the song had already been registered in May 1974 (by someone reviewing tapes at RSO) as written by Kipner and Groves. The American licensing agency BMI lists it as by Kipner, Groves, and Lawrie.


Billy Lawrie

Billy Lawrie — vocal
possibly Maurice Gibb — instruments
others
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
August 1969, IBC Studios, London

SUPER DUCK
unknown
8 August 1969
stereo?, lead vocal Billy Lawrie
no release

No one knows what this was! Maurice might play on it, and may have co-written it.


Tin Tin

Steve Groves — vocal, guitar, bass
Steve Kipner — vocal, piano, harpsichord
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
August and September 1969, IBC Studios, London

ANOTHER DAY
probably Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
17 August 1969
stereo, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

SHE SAID RIDE
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
4 September 1969
stereo 2:42, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
Tin Tin, 1970

FAMILY TREE
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
4 September 1969
stereo 2:31, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
Tin Tin, 1970

A few more Tin Tin songs, with no instrumental (or vocal) work by Maurice.


Robin Gibb

Robin Gibb — vocal, guitar, organ, drum machine
orchestra arranged by Kenny Clayton (except ‘The Worst Girl in This Town’)
orchestra arranged by Zack Lawrence (‘The Worst Girl in This Town’)
engineer: ?
producer: Robin Gibb, Vic Lewis
about September 1969, London

ONE MILLION YEARS
Robin Gibb (1969)
26 Sep 1969
mono 4:05, lead vocal Robin Gibb
A side, November 1969
stereo 4:10, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015
stereo (mixed in 1974) 4:10, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Gotta Get a Message to You, 1973
mono (‘Un Milione de Ani’) 4:05, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

THE WORST GIRL IN THIS TOWN
Robin Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo 4:30, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Robin’s Reign, 1970

MOST OF MY LIFE
Robin Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
mono 3:51, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015 undated 1969
stereo 5:12, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Robin’s Reign, 1970

DOWN CAME THE SUN
Robin Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
mono (demo) 2:45, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015 stereo 2:45, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Robin’s Reign, 1970

HUDSON’S FALLEN WIND
Robin Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo 12:19, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015
stereo (‘Farmer Ferdinand Hudson’) 3:05, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Robin’s Reign, 1970

Robin was free to record again once Robert Stigwood agreed to let him out of the Bee Gees contract. Robin signed with Vic Lewis of NEMS and began preparing songs. In June he had mentioned one about Winston Churchill called ‘The Statesman’, and in August he gave the press eleven titles for his forthcoming album My Own Work, namely ‘Alexandria Good Time’ and ten more which are in the song list at the top of this page. While he may have made demo recordings of them, not one was on his album when it came out in 1970, and no recordings of the titles survive. In the same interview Robin mentioned that he was working on a book, a Christmas special, and two screenplays and musical scores, which other articles of this time identified as an original story called The Family Circle and a musical version of Shakespeare’s Henry VIII.

An acetate LP documents the titles immediately above as being of interest around the same time as each other. Since he named none of these songs in August, they are presumably later, so they are dated here as September. One whole side of the acetate is given to the epic ‘Hudson’s Fallen Wind’. The other side has the four titles shown and then ‘Moon Anthem’. The songs were recorded the same way as before, orchestra added to Robin’s demos, as illustrated by the demo of ‘Down Came the Sun’ which has the same vocal and organ parts as the finished recording. ‘Most of My Life’ was an exception, re-made with all studio musicians.

‘One Million Years’, built up from a slow guitar and drum rhythm, would become the next single. The lyric is intriguing but it lacks both the orchestral grandeur and brevity of ‘Saved the Bell’. Robin was still making separate mono mixes, so the mono mix, or electronically channelled versions of it, appeared on a few collections until 1974 when a true stereo mix was made for Gotta Get a Message to You. That mix has a different or partially different lead vocal, most easly distinguished in the second verse with ‘I shall stand’ in mono but ‘I will stand’ in stereo. Lastly, Robin also recorded an alternate vocal track for the song in Italian.

‘The Worst Girl in This Town’ was an experiment in sound that went a bit beyond the abilities of Robin and his engineers. The the idea was to rave up by adding vocal tracks until it was just a noise, something like what other bands did with electric guitars. It almost works, but it needed more dynamic range and clarity. ‘Down Came the Sun’ started as organ and drum machine, of which some organ still comes through. Kenny Clayton once again adds a great deal to the arrangement forming a good setting for Robin’s lyric.

‘Hudson’s Fallen Wind’ at full length was Robin’s masterpiece. By some failure of nerve it would be cut down to only its last three minutes for release. It starts with a spoken introduction over orchestra, and then goes into a three-minute song with Robin on guitars and drum machine, telling about a prosperous farming community. Then the music changes to Robin on electric 12-string, sounding like a synthesizer, as he tells of a gigantic wind storm that came by night and destroyed all. The destruction is told from the farmer’s limited view: from the shaking house he looks out into the dark, and see trees bending and can hear animals screaming, but what is happening? He feels his children’s fear and clings to the walls. Robin stops and the orchestra alone performs the storm. This is where the short released ‘Farmer Ferdinand Hudson’ comes in, and it is followed then by the last part in which the farmer lives to see the dawn but despairs and dies. The full version finally appeared in 2015.


Robin Gibb

Robin Gibb — vocal, guitar
orchestra arranged by Kenny Clayton, conducted by Vic Lewis
engineer: ?
producer: Robin Gibb, Vic Lewis
unknown date, London

GIVE ME A SMILE
Robin Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo 3:05, lead vocal Robin Gibb
B side, February 1970; Robin’s Reign, 1970

WEEKEND
Robin Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo 2:10, lead vocal Robin Gibb
B side, November 1969; Robin’s Reign, 1970

Robin’s manager Vic Lewis personally conducted the orchestra for two songs much lighter in tone than the others. Vic was a bandleader back to the 1940s and continued to record the occasional big band album. These two songs were probably made at the same time but there is no clue exactly when that was.

‘Weekend’ has a dropout around 1:00 in the violin track, ‘repaired’ for the Polydor Germany release by going into mono.


Robin Gibb

Robin Gibb — vocal, guitar
engineer: ?
producer: Robin Gibb, Vic Lewis
unknown date, London

GOODBYE GOOD WORLD
Robin Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
mono 3:00, lead vocal Robin Gibb
unreleased

‘Goodbye Good World’, performed by Robin on guitar and vocal, is on an acetate dated 1969 on the label. There exists also an acetate with a version of it by someone else, possibly Graham Bonnet, with a full arrangement.


Bee Gees

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
Maurice Gibb — vocal, bass, piano, guitar
Terry Cox — drums
engineer: ?
producer: Robert Stigwood and the Bee Gees
September 1969, IBC Studios, London

EVERY MORNING, EVERY NIGHT [THE ONLY WAY]
Barry Gibb (1969)
22 September 1969
stereo 3:02, lead vocal probably Barry Gibb
unreleased

GO TELL CHEYENNE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

HIGH AND WINDY MOUNTAIN
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated, 25 September 1969
stereo, lead vocal probably Barry Gibb
unreleased

ONE BAD THING
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
25 September 1969
stereo, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

IF ONLY I HAD MY MIND ON SOMETHING ELSE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
25 September
stereo 2:33, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Cucumber Castle, 1970

TURNING TIDE
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb (1968)
26 September 1969
stereo 3:09, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Cucumber Castle, 1970

SWEETHEART
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
26 September
stereo 3:09, lead vocal Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
B side, March 1970; Cucumber Castle, 1970

Barry and Maurice, as the Bee Gees, had more than twelve songs recorded by the start of September, if they went back as far as the ‘Tomorrow Tomorrow’ single, so they could have had an album out for the Christmas season and ahead of Robin. Barry told NME on September 13 that the new album would be called I Lay Down and Die and would be out in November.

But possibly someone was not satisfied with the group of songs available, because a week later Barry and Maurice, now without Colin, recorded seven more. The first four were not released, starting with the dreary ‘Every Morning Every Night’.

Things picked up with the pop tune ‘If Only I Had My Mind on Something Else’ which became the opening cut of the album when it was compiled later. Done the same day was another peppy pop song ‘One Bad Thing’, which was passed over in this version but recorded again by Barry in 1970. The next day they did two good ones, the year-old guitar ballad ‘Turning Tide’ and another song for which an earlier demo survives, ‘Sweetheart’.

Drums were handled by Terry Cox from Pentangle, working as a session player.


Tin Tin

Steve Groves — vocal, guitar, bass
Steve Kipner — vocal, piano, harpsichord, tambourine, sound effect
Maurice Gibb — organ (‘Manhattan Woman’)
orchestra arranged by Gerry Shury (‘Lady in Blue’)
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
October 1969, IBC Studios, London

ROLL OVER, BEETHOVEN
Chuck Berry (1956)
6 October 1969
stereo, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

MANHATTAN WOMAN
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
6 October 1969
mono 3:08, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
Tin Tin, 1970

LADY IN BLUE
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
6 October 1969
stereo 3:30, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
Tin Tin, 1970

Maurice also kept up progress on the Tin Tin album with two more original songs. He played on one of them, his last time with Tin Tin. For some reason this song again was mixed only to mono.

They started off by recording Chuck Berry’s ‘Roll Over, Beethoven’. This song was released on a single by Billy Lawrie in November 1969. Is this the track for it, performed by Steve Groves, Steve Kipner, and possibly Maurice as well? No one remembers.


Bee Gees

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
Maurice Gibb — vocal, bass, piano, guitar, organ
Terry Cox — drums
engineer: ?
producer: Robert Stigwood and the Bee Gees
October 1969, IBC Studios, London

TWINKY
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
undated 1969
stereo, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

THE CHANCE OF LOVE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
10 October 1969
stereo 2:28, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Cucumber Castle, 1970

For the second time Barry and Maurice went back to 1968 and pulled out a worthy song that had been overlooked. In this case they actually took an unreleased recording called ‘I O I O’ from the Idea sessions and added something to it on October 8.

‘The Chance of Love’ was a piano ballad that fit right in alongside those done for Cucumber Castle. It was done in two sessions, one of which is an undated reel also containing the unheard song ‘Twinky’.


Robin Gibb

Robin Gibb — vocal, guitar, organ, drum machine
orchestra arranged by Zack Lawrence (‘August October’, ‘Gone Gone Gone’)
engineer: ?
producer: Robin Gibb, Vic Lewis
October 1969, London

AUGUST OCTOBER
Robin Gibb (1969)
10 October 1969
stereo 2:31, lead vocal Robin Gibb
A side, February 1970; Robin’s Reign, 1970
mono (‘Agosto Ottobre’) 2:31, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

GONE GONE GONE
Robin Gibb (1969)
10 October 1969
stereo 2:35, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Robin’s Reign, 1970

LORD BLESS ALL
Robin Gibb (1969)
10 October 1969
stereo 3:15, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Robin’s Reign, 1970

Robin completed recording for his album with two short songs with orchestra and one other recorded completely by himself.

The Italian LP Best of Bee Gees volume 2 has a mono mix of ‘August October’ with a fadeout ending (2:25), very strange since it comes to a full ending seconds later. If this was a true mono mix, it was hardly used. Most Polydor divisions issued a stereo single, and Atco’s mono single appears to be a reduction from stereo. Additionally, for the second time Robin recorded an Italian alternate vocal.

‘Lord Bless All’ is performed entirely by Robin, consisting of organ, double-track lead vocal, and many more tracks of vocal to create convincing mens’ and boys’ choirs. Freed of a rhythm track, Robin varies the pacing and sails away.

All three above are on a reel dated October 10. This is exactly the same date as the reel with the last song for the Bee Gees’ next album. In both cases however the songs may have taken more than this one date to complete.


Bee Gees

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
Maurice Gibb — vocal, bass, piano, guitar
Terry Cox — drums
engineer: ?
orchestra arranged by Bill Shepherd
producer: Robert Stigwood and the Bee Gees
October 1969, Recorded Sound, London

END OF MY SONG
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1967)
15 October 1969
stereo 3:31, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

JULIA
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
16 October 1969
stereo, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

The Bee Gees recorded two last songs, neither of which was used on the forthcoming album. Both are bluesy rockers. ‘End of My Song’ is the song they wrote in 1967 for Otis Redding, finally recorded here with a fine Barry vocal. ‘Julia’ is a longer number led by Maurice on guitar that Barry called a demo.

Terry Cox was the drummer with Pentangle. His participation and the different studio are documented on a tape box.

Maurice explained early in 1970 that he and Barry and had not quite finished the album and that some of the last recordings still had guide vocals. This seems to explain Barry’s thin vocal on ‘I O I O’ and the ragged duet on ‘Sweetheart’, both wonderful as they are, contrasting with the polished sound of some of the other songs.


Samantha Sang

Samantha Sang — vocal
Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
others unknown
orchestra arranged by Bill Shepherd
engineer: ?
producer: Barry Gibb
October 1969, IBC Studios, London

PLEASE DON’T TAKE MY MAN AWAY
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1968)
31 October 1969
stereo, lead vocal Samantha Sang
unreleased

THE DAY YOUR EYES MEET MINE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
31 October 1969
stereo, lead vocal Samantha Sang
unreleased

Barry recorded two more songs with Samantha Sang, probably for a followup to her first single. But her career in England was cut short by visa problems and she returned to Australia. Barry worked with her again eight years later.

This was the second time around on both songs. ‘Please Don’t Take My Man Away’ was originally written for Lulu, mentioned by Barry in December 1968. ‘The Day Your Eyes Meet Mine’ was recorded earlier this year by the Bee Gees, and around this date Barry told the press that Andy Williams was going to record it.


P P Arnold

P P Arnold — vocal
others
orchestra arranged by Bill Shepherd
engineer: ?
producer: Barry Gibb
November 1969, IBC Studios, London

PICCANINNY
Barry Gibb (1969)
3 November 1969
backing track
unreleased

HIGH AND WINDY MOUNTAIN
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
3 November 1969
backing track
Turning Tide, 2017

TURNING TIDE
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb (1968)
3 November 1969
backing track
Turning Tide, 2017

The tape reel with these three says that they are ‘backing tracks’ for P P Arnold. She recorded vocals for them on this date or later.

Two of the songs had been recorded this year by the Bee Gees, but apparently Barry did not expect them to be on the forthcoming album. It is hard to judge ‘Piccaninny’ without hearing it, but the word was by the 1960s an offensive term for a black child, and it was omitted from the 2017 album that included the other three songs.


Tin Tin

Steve Groves — vocal, guitar, bass, mellotron, percussion
Steve Kipner — vocal, piano, guitar, bass, mellotron, percussion, drums
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
November 1969, IBC Studios, London

NOBODY MOVES ME LIKE YOU
Steve Groves (1969)
18 November 1969
stereo 1:55, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
Tin Tin, 1970

LOVES HER THAT WAY
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
18 November 1969
stereo 2:17, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
Tin Tin, 1970

medley
FLAG
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
PUT YOUR MONEY ON MY DOG
Steve Kipner (1969)
18 November 1969
stereo 4:29, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
Tin Tin, 1970

Tin Tin and Maurice recorded three more songs on November 18, completing their album. Maurice does not play on them.

The song called ‘Everybody Loves a DJ’ on the tape box must be the same as ‘Loves Her That Way’, otherwise not documented. A mono reel dated January 30, 1970, has it positioned where ‘Loves Her That Way’ was on the finished album.


Maurice Gibb

Maurice Gibb — vocal, guitar, piano, bass
Leslie Harvey — guitar
Johnny Coleman — piano
Geoff Bridgeford — drums
orchestra arranged by Gerry Shury
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
December 1969, Recorded Sound Studio, London

RAILROAD
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
9 December 1969
stereo 3:37, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
A side, April 1970

TAKE IT EASY, GREASY
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
9 December 1969
stereo, instrumental?
unreleased

I’VE COME BACK
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
9 December 1969
stereo 2:40, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
B side, April 1970

LAUGHING CHILD
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
9 December 1969
stereo 3:07, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

SHE’S THE ONE YOU LOVE
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
9 December 1969
stereo 3:52, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

TOUCH AND UNDERSTAND LOVE
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
9 December 1969
stereo 3:27, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

THE LONER
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
9 December 1969
stereo 3:07, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

Maurice began recording songs for a solo album almost as soon as the Bee Gees were dissolved. A reel dated December 9 has seven songs, but it is hard to believe they were all made in one day. Maurice had always been hidden from public view because he sang so few lead vocals, but the six of these that have leaked out are all good songs well recorded with Maurice on all vocals and multiple instruments.

Although Maurice said in one interview in 1970 that he played all the instruments himself, elsewhere he mentioned four musicians who helped. Maurice had worked before with arranger Gerry Shury on some of the Tin Tin songs.

Drummer Geoff Bridgeford came to England from Australia in March 1969 with his band the Groove. He had replaced Colin Petersen in Steve and the Board in 1966, and he would eventually replace Colin when the Bee Gees re-formed in 1970. In the meantime the Groove continued as a band in England until about February 1970, when they released their last single under the name Eureka Stockade. Geoff then joined Tin Tin while also playing drums on Maurice’s solo album. He was finally named a member of the Bee Gees in 1971.

Two other new players in the Gibb story were Leslie Harvey, from a band called Stone the Crows, on guitar, and Lulu’s arranger Johnny Coleman on piano. All of the guitar and piano is in Maurice's style so it is hard to say exactly which parts Leslie and Johnny played. The guitar intro to ‘I’ve Come Back’ sounds like two people playing together rather than overdubs, but who knows? Billy Lawrie, a good singer, is conspicuously absent even as backup vocalist. They wanted this to be Maurice’s album.

The first song on the reel, ‘Railroad’, was probably earmarked as the single from early on. It has the big singalong chorus of Gibb hits like ‘Don’t Forget to Remember’ and ‘Saved by the Bell’ plus unique features like an intro, a verse played only once, and a finish. ‘I’ve Come Back’, used as the B side, is even farther from the rigid verse-chorus structure preferred by Barry and Robin. Maurice was off to a good start.

‘She’s the One You Love’ would be the most rocking song on the album, its banging piano somewhat undercut by Maurice’s unwillingness to sing a hard-edged lead vocal. The quieter ‘Laughing Child’ is more his style, and is similar to his later ‘Trafalgar’ (1971). ‘The Loner’ would become the title song for the album. One of touches that sets Maurice’s songs apart from those of the Bee Gees is that the vocal sections are separated by brief instrumental or backing vocal interludes like those in ‘The Loner’. The opening verse of ‘Touch and Understand Love’ is a unique moment for having just vocal and guitar by Maurice with no overdubbed parts.

A mono mix tape sold at auction contained ‘I’ve Come Back’, unidentified instrumental, ‘Laughing Child’, and ‘Railroad’, all from this session. A tape note documents the three vocals as Maurice on all instruments except Geoff Bridgeford on drums, but the instrumental adds Leslie Harvey and the band The First Edition, who were Terry Williams and Kin Vassy (guitars) and Mickey Jones (drums), and possibly Kenny Rogers (bass guitar) if Maurice played piano. The only song here not known to be a vocal is ‘Take It Easy Greasy’.


Billy Lawrie

Billy Lawrie — vocal
probably Maurice Gibb — vocal, bass, piano, guitar
others unknown engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie
possibly December 1969, Recorded Sound Studio, London

TAKE IT EASY, GREASY
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
possibly December 1969
stereo, lead vocal Billy Lawrie
unreleased

FACE ME DOWN
possibly Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
possibly December 1969
stereo, lead vocal Billy Lawrie
unreleased

RICHES AND RAGS
possibly Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
possibly December 1969
stereo, lead vocal Billy Lawrie
unreleased

FAIRYLAND
possibly Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
possibly December 1969
stereo, lead vocal Billy Lawrie
unreleased

VISITOR FROM AMERICA
Billy Lawrie (1969)
possibly December 1969
stereo, lead vocal Billy Lawrie
unreleased

ROSALINA
Billy Lawrie (1969)
possibly December 1969
stereo, lead vocal Billy Lawrie
unreleased

Recording dates are not stated, but a tape of stereo mixes of these songs is dated December 17. Notice the reappearance of the unknown ‘Take It Easy, Greasy’ that was also done in Maurice’s session.


Tin Tin

Steve Groves — vocal, guitar, bass
Steve Kipner — vocal, piano
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
December 1969, IBC Studios, London

EDWIN SMALL
probably Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
18 December 1969
stereo, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

THE CLOWN
probably Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
undated 1969
stereo, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

MAN IN THE LIGHTHOUSE
probably Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
undated 1969
stereo, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

BYE BYE
probably Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
undated
stereo, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

MELANIE GLASS
probably Steve Kipner, Steve Groves (1969)
undated
stereo, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

The unheard ‘Edwin Small’ is the last documented Tin Tin song in 1969. The next two titles above are on an undated reel, and the last two on another undated reel.

‘Edwin Small’ and ‘Melanie Glass’ are listed as written by B R & M Gibb in a US copyright document, but based on the tape library they are Tin Tin songs. The latter is spelled ‘Meloney Glass’ on the tape box as if it might refer to Vince Melouney. None of these have been heard.


selected record releases


Orchester Max Greger : single
Germany: Polydor, 1969.

A THE SQUARE CUP
B BOAT ON THE RIVER

A swinging instrumental by popular German jazz man Max Greger and his orchestra. The release date is not known.


David Garrick : single
UK: Pye, February 1969.

A MAYPOLE MEWS
B LIKE TO GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER

A single for a teen idol who released over a dozen singles from 1965 to 1969 but is now little known. The Bee Gees are not on it.

The writer credit for ‘Maypole Mews’ is all three brothers in the US copyright registration and on the 1998 CD David Garrick: The Pye Anthology, but was Barry only on the original single. Garrick recalls Barry writing the song in about twenty minutes one evening at home. The Bee Gees recorded it in 1968 but did not release it.

On reissues, the B side is identified as ‘Get to Know You Better’ by Maurice Gibb and Billy Lawrie, an otherwise unreleased song (see 1971), but that is an error. The CD reissue in 1998 reverts to the original credit, ‘Like to get to know you better’ by ‘King/Gordon-Keene/Most’.

CD: ‘Maypole Mews’ on Maybe Someone is Digging Underground, Sanctuary (UK).


Bee Gees : single
UK: Polydor, January 1969; US: Atco, March 1969.

A FIRST OF MAY
B LAMPLIGHT

The only single from Odessa.

The long title song was first choice for the leadoff single, but the Bee Gees were worried over possible criticism for following the lead of two recent seven-minute singles, the Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’ and Richard Harris’s ‘Macarthur Park’, and they were unhappy as well with Polydor’s idea of breaking it across two sides of a single. The next choice was the two songs here, but disagreements about the A side led to hard feelings between Robin and Barry.

CD: Stereo mixes on Odessa.


Bee Gees : Rare Precious and Beautiful, volume 3
Stereo (mock stereo)— UK: Polydor, February 1969.

A 1 WINE AND WOMEN (1965)
A 2 I DON’T THINK IT’S FUNNY (1965)
A 3 TURN AROUND, LOOK AT ME (1964)
A 4 I AM THE WORLD (1966)
A 5 THE BATTLE OF THE BLUE AND THE GREY (1963)
A 6 HOW LOVE WAS TRUE (1966)

B 1 AND THE CHILDREN LAUGHING (1965)
B 2 YOU WOULDN’T KNOW (1965)
B 3 I WANT HOME (1966)
B 4 TIMBER (1963)
B 5 I WAS A LOVER, A LEADER OF MEN (1965)
B 6 PEACE OF MIND (1964)

Release of the third and last volume of Rare Precious and Beautiful was especially ill-timed, coming during the runup to Odessa. As with volume 2 there was no clue to the original release dates. The same version of the song ‘I Was a Lover, a Leader of Men’ was repeated from volume 2 with no explanation. Atco never released volume 3.

CD: All on Brilliant from Birth, Festival (Australia), in mono.


Bee Gees : Odessa
Mono— UK: Polydor, March 1969.
Stereo— UK: Polydor, March 1969; US: Atco, January 1969.

A 1 ODESSA (CITY ON THE BLACK SEA)
A 2 YOU’LL NEVER SEE MY FACE AGAIN
A 3 BLACK DIAMOND

B 1 MARLEY PURT DRIVE
B 2 EDISON
B 3 MELODY FAIR
B 4 SUDDENLY
B 5 WHISPER WHISPER

C 1 LAMPLIGHT
C 2 SOUND OF LOVE
C 3 GIVE YOUR BEST
C 4 SEVEN SEAS SYMPHONY
C 5 WITH ALL NATIONS (INTERNATIONAL ANTHEM)

D 1 I LAUGH IN YOUR FACE
D 2 NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN
D 3 FIRST OF MAY
D 4 THE BRITISH OPERA

Odessa was released as a double album, that is, two disks. The cover of the original issue is fuzzy red flocking with the title, group name, and label symbol stamped in gold on the front and nothing but the flocking on the back. The gatefold has a large dotted image of people leaving a ship in a lifeboat. There are no photographs of the group and they are not named except as to all songs being written by B R & M Gibb.

This was the last Bee Gees album released in both mono and stereo versions. The mono version was not available for long. Fortunately it is not as different as the mono version of the previous albums. The song ‘Odessa’ in mono has less echo on the intro vocals (‘baa baa black sheep’), and the guitars are louder, especially in verse 1. On ‘Edison’ the harmony backing vocal is easier to hear. ‘Lamplight’ has the vocal and rhythm guitar louder to clarify the sound, as was done on previous mono mixes. ‘First of May’ does not fade at the end. These last two mono mixes were also on the Polydor single, and ‘First of May’ in the film Melody (1971).

CD: Stereo mixes on Odessa. Mono and stereo on the reissue, 2009.


The Marbles : single
UK: Polydor, March 1969; US: Cotillion, March 1969.

A THE WALLS FELL DOWN
B LOVE YOU

Barry, Maurice, and Colin on instrumentals, and Bill Shepherd arranging. This did not repeat the success of ‘Only One Woman’ despite being similar in style.

CD: Both on The Marbles, Repertoire (UK).


The Marbles : single
US: Cotillion, May 1969.

A I CAN’T SEE NOBODY
B LITTLE BOY

The Marbles’ third single. Barry, Maurice, Colin on ‘Little Boy’. No Bee Gees were involved with the A side, a song from Bee Gees’ First, arranged by Jimmy Horowitz. This single appeared in Europe on Polydor but not in Britain.

CD: Both on The Marbles, Repertoire (UK).


Bee Gees : single
UK: Polydor, May 1969; US: Atco, May 1969.

A TOMORROW TOMORROW
B SUN IN MY MORNING

The first single by the Bee Gees without Robin. Some copies bill the artist as ‘The Bee Gees featuring Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb and Colin Petersen’. Atco distributed a ‘short version’ promo that is just an early fade; at 4:02 this was a long song for 1969. It was not a hit, and neither song appeared on the next album. The songs did appear on some LPs later.

CD: These mono mixes on Rare Collection, Polydor (Japan). Stereo mixes of both on Tales from the Brothers Gibb. Mono mix of ‘Tomorrow Tomorrow’ on Best of Bee Gees.


Clare Torry : single
UK: Decca, June 1969.

A LOVE FOR LIVING
B LIVE TOMORROW, LOVE TODAY

‘Love for Living’ co-produced by Robin, and released a week before his own first single.


Robin Gibb : single
UK: Polydor, proposed June 1969.

A SAVED BY THE BELL
B ALEXANDRIA GOOD TIME

Robin Gibb : single
UK: Polydor, June 1969; US: Atco, June 1969.

A SAVED BY THE BELL
B MOTHER AND JACK

The first press of Robin’s single was hastily withdrawn and replaced by another with a different B side. On the first press, ‘Alexandria Good Time’ started in the middle of the song and played to the end, this followed by a few moments of silence and then the complete song. These were the days when a cutting engineer could believe that this was possibly what the artist intended. Just a few copies survived. Why the correction involved a totally different song on the B side is unknown.

This single went number 2 in Britain, edged out by the Rolling Stones’ ‘Honky Tonk Women’, and did well on the continent. In the USA it never reached the top 100.

CD: This mono mix of ‘Saved by the Bell’ on Rare Collection, Polydor (Japan). Stereo mixes (both noticeably different) on Robin’s Reign. Stereo mix of ‘Saved by the Bell’ more easily available on Tales from the Brothers Gibb or (in less quality sound) Best of Bee Gees volume 2.


Best of Bee Gees
US: Atco, June 1969; UK: Polydor, October 1969.

A 1 HOLIDAY (1967)
A 2 I’VE GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU (1968)
A 3 I CAN’T SEE NOBODY (1967)
A 4 WORDS (1968)
A 5 I STARTED A JOKE (1968)
A 6 SPICKS AND SPECKS (1966)

B 1 FIRST OF MAY (1969)
B 2 WORLD (1967)
B 3 MASSACHUSETTS (1967)
B 4 TO LOVE SOMEBODY (1967)
B 5 EVERY CHRISTIAN LION HEARTED MAN WILL SHOW YOU (1967)
B 6 NEW YORK MINING DISASTER 1941 (1967)

This collection of songs from 1966-1969 was very popular worldwide and was picked up by many casual fans who owned no other Bee Gees album. It includes the US-only singles ‘Holiday’ and ‘I Started a Joke’, skips the miss ‘Jumbo’, and favors Bee Gees’ First with five songs. ‘Tomorrow Tomorrow’ could have been included but it may have been deliberately held off in order to make this a collection of the three-brother Bee Gees, which as far as anyone knew was now history.

This was the first LP appearance of ‘Words’, and outside North America also the first LP appearance of ‘I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You’. Both were in stereo on the Atco version and in mono elsewhere. The songs from Bee Gees’ First sounded better here than on the original album. The cover photos show the group without Vince Melouney, a shame since he was on most of these songs. The front cover shot is from very early 1967 and the back is from the winter of 1968-1969.

The first issue in Germany (August 1969) had ‘Please Read Me’ on the disk by mistake where ‘I Can’t See Nobody’ belongs, but this was fixed a month later.

CD: The CD release is made from the US LP master, with the bad stereo mix of ‘Words’, the US stereo mix of ‘I’ve gotta get a message to you&rsquo, and lower grade sound compared to the same songs on their regular CDs. The CD omits the 1966 Australian recording ‘Spicks and Specks’ for lack of license and uses a mono mix of ‘Tomorrow Tomorrow’ instead.


The Tigers : single
UK: Polydor, July 1969 (and Japan: Polydor).

A RAIN FALLS ON THE LONELY
B SMILE FOR ME

The Tigers’ ‘Smile for Me’ was recorded in London with Barry’s uncredited help and he is shown with the Tigers on the picture sleeve. Barry also makes a cameo appearance in the movie they were filming, Hi London!. The Tigers were: Kenji Sawada, Minoru Hitomi, Taro Morimoto, Shuzo Kishibe, Shiro Kishibe. In the mold of the Bee Gees or Beatles, they were an instrumental and vocal group with more than one lead singer. ‘Smile for Me’ was sung by Kenji Sawada, whose nickname in the group was Julie.

The song ‘Smile for Me’ dates from 1968, but it was rewritten for the Tigers in 1969. It is also on the Tigers’ album The Tigers’ Beat. It was arranged by John Fiddy and produced by Biddu.


Tin Tin : single
UK: Polydor, July 1969.

A ONLY LADIES PLAY CROQUET
B HE WANTS TO BE A STAR

Maurice produced, and plays on both sides.


Bee Gees : single
Canada: Atco, August 1969.

A DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER
B I LAY DOWN AND DIE

Bee Gees : single
UK: Polydor, August 1969; US: Atco, August 1969.

A DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER
B THE LORD

The originally proposed B side ‘I Lay Down and Die’ was changed, but the Canadians had already manufactured singles and they proceeded to release them. This single reached number 2 in Britain and did well on the continent, but nothing in the US (or Canada).

CD: All three on Cucumber Castle. This mix of ‘I Lay Down and Die’ is unique to the Canadian Atco single.


Samantha Sang : single
UK: Parlophone, August 1969; US: Atco, August 1969.

A THE LOVE OF A WOMAN
B DON’T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN

Barry produced, and does guitar and backing vocals.


P P Arnold : single
UK: Polydor, September 1969; US: Atlantic, September 1969.

A BURY ME DOWN BY THE RIVER
B GIVE A HAND, TAKE A HAND

Produced by Barry.


Jonathan Kelly : single
UK: Parlophone, September 1969.

A DENVER
B SON JOHN

Produced by Colin Petersen while he was still in the Bee Gees. Both songs were written by Jonathan and would be included in his first album Jonathan Kelly.


Billy Lawrie : single
UK: Polydor, November 1969.

A ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN
B COME BACK JOANNA

Produced by Maurice. He may possibly also play on it. Steve Kipner and Steve Groves may play on ‘Roll Over Beethoven’.


Robin Gibb : single
UK: Polydor, November 1969; US: Atco, November 1969.

A ONE MILLION YEARS
B WEEKEND

A very belated followup to ‘Saved by the Bell’ did not chart in Britain although the loyal German fans took it top twenty.

CD: ‘One Million Years’ in mock stereo on Robin’s Reign. ‘Weekend’ on Robin’s Reign.


The Vic Lewis Orchestra and His Singers : single
UK: NEMS, December 1969; US: Epic, February 1970.

A COME AND GET IT
B NO OTHER HEART

Just a week after the release of Badfinger’s hit ‘Come and Get It’, written by Paul McCartney, Vic Lewis released a laid-back cover version for those who preferred less agitated music. Of interest here, Robin wrote the lyrics to the B side ‘No Other Heart’. The song must have been written and recorded around the same time as the Robin’s Reign songs. Music is credited to Vic and his long-time pianist Ken Thorne.