Gibb Songs : 1984

In August 1983, Irving Azoff signed Barry to the MCA label for North America. Azoff had recently left his own management company to chair MCA and he was expected to do great things with MCA. Barry was signed for a few million dollars to a multi-album deal, but in the end MCA released only one Barry Gibb album, Now Voyager. Polydor still had rights to Barry’s work outside North America. Barry’s success with Barbra Streisand was still on everyone’s mind even though this was now three years later.

Robin signed for North America with Mirage, a label distributed by Atlantic. He had concentrated on Britain and Germany with How Old Are You but now wanted to break into the American market. As with Barry, Polydor had rights to Robin’s work elsewhere.

Maurice continued to work on film scores, when he was not writing with Barry or Robin and recording with Robin.

The work of 1984 was the Robin Gibb album Secret Agent, the Barry Gibb album Now Voyager, and a score by Maurice for A Breed Apart, followed by the start of songwriting for a Diana Ross album in 1985.

songs

MIAMI, A MUSICAL SCORE
Maurice Gibb
promotional film soundtrack. US copyright April 1984

DIAMONDS
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright April 1984. B side by Robin Gibb, May 1984; album cut by Robin Gibb, 1984

BOYS DO FALL IN LOVE
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright April 1984. A side by Robin Gibb, May 1984; album cut by Robin Gibb, 1984

SECRET AGENT
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright April 1984. A side by Robin Gibb, August 1984; album cut by Robin Gibb, 1984

ROBOT
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright April 1984. B side by Robin Gibb, August 1984; album cut by Robin Gibb, 1984

IN YOUR DIARY
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Barry Gibb
US copyright May 1984. album cut by Robin Gibb, 1984

KING OF FOOLS
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright May 1984. album cut by Robin Gibb, 1984

LIVING IN ANOTHER WORLD
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Barry Gibb
US copyright May 1984. album cut by Robin Gibb, 1984

X-RAY EYES
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright June 1984. album cut by Robin Gibb, 1984

REBECCA
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright June 1984. album cut by Robin Gibb, 1984

SHE SAYS
Barry Gibb
B side by Barry Gibb, August 1984; album cut by Barry Gibb, 1984

SHINE SHINE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, George Bitzer
A side by Barry Gibb, August 1984; album cut by Barry Gibb, 1984

I AM YOUR DRIVER
Barry Gibb, George Bitzer, Maurice Gibb
album cut by Barry Gibb, 1984

TEMPTATION
Barry Gibb, George Bitzer, Maurice Gibb
album cut by Barry Gibb, 1984

LESSON IN LOVE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, George Bitzer
album cut by Barry Gibb, 1984

GIRL GANG
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Andy Gibb
US copyright January 1985, written by July 1984. no record

UNDERCOVER
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright November 1984. no record

LOVE ON THE LINE
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright January 1985, created 1984. album cut by Diana Ross, 1985

OH TEACHER
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright January 1985, created 1984.
album cut by Diana Ross, 1985; B side by Diana Ross, April 1986

IT’S MY NEIGHBORHOOD
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright January 1985, created 1984. album cut by Bee Gees, 1989

I’M WATCHING YOU
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright January 1985, created 1984.
B side by Diana Ross, September 1985; album cut by Diana Ross, 1985

DON’T GIVE UP ON EACH OTHER
Barry Gibb, George Bitzer
US copyright January 1985, created 1984. album cut by Diana Ross, 1985

(I LOVE) BEING IN LOVE WITH YOU
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
US copyright March 1985, created 1984. album cut by Diana Ross, 1985

EXPERIENCE
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Andy Gibb
US copyright March 1985, created 1984.
album cut by Diana Ross, 1985; A side by Diana Ross, April 1986

recording sessions

orchestra arranged by Jimmie Haskell
Maurice Gibb — synthesizer
engineer: Dennis Hetzendorfer
producer: Maurice Gibb
February 1984, Gold Star, Los Angeles

A BREED APART
Maurice Gibb (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 2:10, instrumental
A Breed Apart film soundtrack, 1984

JIM’S THEME
Maurice Gibb (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 3:17, instrumental
A Breed Apart film soundtrack, 1984

SOLITUDE
Maurice Gibb (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 2:40, instrumental
A Breed Apart film soundtrack, 1984

THE INTRUDERS
Maurice Gibb (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 3:46, instrumental
A Breed Apart film soundtrack, 1984

MIKE AND THE MOUNTAIN
Maurice Gibb (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 1:39, instrumental
A Breed Apart film soundtrack, 1984

ADAM’S DREAM
Maurice Gibb (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 4:03, instrumental
A Breed Apart film soundtrack, 1984

A TOUCH APART
Maurice Gibb (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 3:22, instrumental
A Breed Apart film soundtrack, 1984

THE BREED ENDING
Maurice Gibb (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 2:30, instrumental
A Breed Apart film soundtrack, 1984

Maurice, in his second collaboration with Jimmie Haskell, succeeded as a film score composer. A Breed Apart features Maurice’s score and two songs by Maurice.

The story takes place on an island that is home to rare eagles and a loner named Jim. A visitor named Mike comes to see the eagles, but once Jim leaves the island to see his friend Stella and her son Adam on the mainland, Mike plans to steal an eagle’s eggs for a collector he works for. The main title song ‘Hold Her in Your Hand’ appears to be about both Stella and the eagle. The other song ‘On Time’ appears in a scene during Jim’s visit to Stella.

The soundtrack was the very last recording session at the famous Gold Star Studio in Los Angeles in 1984. Maurice attended even though he did not play on the soundtrack— or so he believed. Jimmie Haskell said years later that he was very impressed by Maurice’s demos, especially his sensitive playing of the flute parts. He thinks Maurice did not know it, but Jimmie mixed the synthesizer flute into the finished recordings because he liked the sound so much.

The titles, timings, and running order above are from the tape box, which lists Maurice as producer and Dennis Hetzendorfer as engineer. These are the finished tracks for the soundtrack album. The score for the film itself included different and alternate recordings of the same musical themes.

A single of the new song, ‘Hold Her in Your Hand’, was released only in Britain, Australia, and South Africa. Maurice and Jimmie prepared a soundtrack album that was not released.

orchestra arranged by unknown
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
about March 1984, probably Middle Ear, Miami Beach

MIAMI, A MUSICAL SCORE
Maurice Gibb (1983)
undated 1984
stereo, instrumental
promotional film soundtrack

This score was used for a promotional film for the City of Miami. Jimmie Haskell did not work on this project.

Robin Gibb — vocal
Rob Kilgore — keyboards, synthesizer, guitar
Chris Barbosa — sequencers
Jim Tunnell — guitar, vocal
Maurice Gibb — vocal, keyboards, synthesizer
Evan Rogers, Cindy Mizelle, Audrey Wheeler — vocals
Arlene Gold, Lari White, Lori Ellsworth — vocals
engineer: Dennis Hetzendorfer; Richard Achor
producer: Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb, Mark Liggett, Chris Barbosa
March to June 1984, Criteria Recording Studios, Miami

Barry and Robin recorded solo albums simultaneously during the first half of 1984. With Barry occupying the one studio at Middle Ear, Robin was bumped to the friendly confines of Criteria, where the Bee Gees had worked on many albums. Since Robin’s album came out first, it is shown here first. A detailed list by recording dates would keep jumping between sessions by Barry and Robin.

Robin and Maurice continued the old Bee Gees tradition of making it up in the recording studio. There are no demos. Assistant engineer Richard Achor recalled years later that the two brothers came in with only ideas for songs. Robin was constantly writing lyrics and trying them out. Sometimes they set up drum and synthesizer grooves first and both worked out a song from that. Maurice is credited for keyboard and synthesizer, but he played relatively little on the finished tracks in favor of Rob Kilgore’s expertise.

DIAMONDS
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 3:57, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Secret Agent, 1984

BOYS DO FALL IN LOVE
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 3:50, lead vocal Robin Gibb
A side, May 1984; Secret Agent, 1984
stereo (Extended Version) 4:34, lead vocal Robin Gibb
12-inch single, 1984
stereo (New Dub Mix) 5:20, lead vocal Robin Gibb
12-inch single, 1984

The first songs completed, or at least the first copyright registrations, were the two tracks on the first single. The A side ‘Boys Do Fall in Love’ got the now obligatory dance mix treatment, extended by editing in repeats and new material.

As expected the songs have clear verse-chorus structures. Robin said that he was writing story songs. His voice overall is lower than on How Old Are You, but it is still hard to understand the words. For ‘Boys Do Fall in Love’ he used an exceptionally deep voice for the verses, and female backup singers for the chorus. Whether ‘boys do fall in love’ with each other was part of the ambiguous dance music sensibility. You could take it either way. ‘Diamonds’ has a storyline that sounds like ‘Black Diamond’ (1968) blended with the Indiana Jones films.

SECRET AGENT
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 4:58, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Secret Agent, 1984
stereo 3:57, lead vocal Robin Gibb
A side, August 1984
stereo 5:37, lead vocal Robin Gibb
12-inch single, 1984

ROBOT
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 3:42, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Secret Agent, 1984; B side, August 1984
stereo 5:18, lead vocal Robin Gibb
12-inch single, 1984

A week later, two more copyrights, for what would become the second single, after the album was released. Both songs had extended versions, and ‘Secret Agent’ had a short edit for the pop single.

The more musically interesting song was ‘Robot’. The techno-reggae groove is exceptional, and Robin’s robotic voice contrasts wonderfully with Maurice calling out ‘never no way’.

IN YOUR DIARY
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Barry Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 3:41, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Secret Agent, 1984

KING OF FOOLS
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 3:40, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Secret Agent, 1984

LIVING IN ANOTHER WORLD
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Barry Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 3:40, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Secret Agent, 1984

Another week, three more copyrights. Barry contributed something to two of these songs. For ‘In Your Diary’ Robin again uses the very low voice for the verses. Despite the happy beat the singer is mournfully reporting that someone’s diary does not even mention his name.

X-RAY EYES
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 3:53, lead vocal Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
Secret Agent, 1984

REBECCA
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 3:51, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Secret Agent, 1984

This album is all heavily electronic music, relying mostly on multi-layered keyboards and with all the bass and drums played on synthesizers. It has a hard, cold sound relieved solely by some guitar and the vocals. Robin had long been interested in this sound and Maurice was a willing accomplice. The album is short at just nine songs, and yet it is perhaps too long.

The concept was to carry on the sound of the big hit ‘Let the Music Play’ by Shannon, which hit the charts in January 1984. Robin brought in the same producers Mark Liggett and Chris Barbosa, and the same musicians Rob Kilgore and Jim Tunnell. Maurice’s roles here were songwriter and what might be called executive producer along with Robin.

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
George Bitzer — keyboards, synthesizer
George Terry — guitar, bass
Harold Cowart — bass
Ron Ziegler — drums
Dennis Bryon — drums
Joe Lala — percussion
Lenny Castro — percussion
Michael Brecker — sax
Randy Brecker — trumpet
Brass section
Bob Findley
Walt Johnson
Lew McCreary
Harold Diner
Terry Harrington
Vince DeRosa
David Duke
Olivia Newton-John — vocal (‘Face to Face’, ‘Fine Line’)
Roger Daltrey, K C (Harry Casey), Kitty Terry — vocal (‘Fine Line’)
Denise DeCaro, Myrna Mathews, Marti McCall — vocal (‘Shatterproof’)
orchestra arranged by Jimmie Haskell, Barry Gibb; concertmaster Sid Sharp
engineer: Steve Klein; Neal Kent (Middle Ear); Steve Crimmell (Ocean Way)
producer: Barry Gibb, Karl Richardson
first half 1984, Middle Ear, Miami Beach; Ocean Way, Los Angeles

As noted above Barry recorded his album during the same time that Robin recorded his album with Maurice. The order of Barry’s songs is unknown so they are shown here in the order they appear on the album. It was recorded at Middle Ear, except the string sweetening on a few tracks which was done at Ocean Way in Los Angeles. Recording was probably done by May in order to allow for filming the audio-visual version of the album. Filming was in progress in August.

The audio-visual version could be described as music videos strung together with a storyline. The film was directed by Storm Thorgerson, a veteran of the young music video industry and one of the graphic designers in Hipgnosis. Barry played the protagonist, with British actor Michael Hordern as his elderly guide through a confusing world between life and death, set in the Victoria Baths, Manchester. The songs are not in the same order in the two ‘albums’ and the purely audio version has two extra songs.

I AM YOUR DRIVER
Barry Gibb, George Bitzer, Maurice Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 4:43, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Now Voyager, 1984

What would solo Barry sound like? ‘I Am Your Driver’ was designed as the leadoff song in the storyline, but otherwise it is not an immediately engaging choice to start. Barry sings with a mannerism he would repeat on some of the other other songs, spitting out the words in a way that makes the lyrics hard to understand. The verse meanders and has his trademark cut-off lines, very much Barry, not Bee Gees. The rhythm track appears once more to be built on a rigid mechanical beat on this and the other songs.

FINE LINE
Barry Gibb, George Bitzer (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 5:07, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Now Voyager, 1984; A side October 1984
stereo 3:49, lead vocal Barry Gibb
12-inch single, 1984
stereo 6:31, lead vocal Barry Gibb
12-inch single, 1984

For the 12-inch version of the second single ‘Fine Line’ Barry made both a shorter and longer mix. The longer version has more of the chorus ending.

The musical question on Now Voyager is whether Barry can construct the complicated song layouts he was coming to prefer and still deliver enough pop song hooks to make the songs work. He certainly pulled it off in ‘Fine Line’. The first and second halves of the song are completely different and equally interesting music, and it is all held together by a big ‘fine line’ chorus, which almost unnoticed on first listen is not the same in the two halves either. The song is packed with musical ideas. Barry even risked a rap section.

FACE TO FACE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, George Bitzer (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 4:18, lead vocal Olivia Newton-John, Barry Gibb
Now Voyager, 1984

This duet is almost an Olivia Newton-John record with support from Barry. Olivia was an MCA artist, so the duet could be a promotional move, but Barry had worked well with her before and it may have been his own idea. This ballad contrasted with the first two songs.

SHATTERPROOF
Barry Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 3:59, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Now Voyager, 1984

SHINE SHINE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, George Bitzer (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 4:43, lead vocal Barry Gibb
A side, August 1984; Now Voyager, 1984

‘Shine Shine’ has a fast percussion beat and a relatively straight melody line and was chosen as the single. The less mannered vocal makes most of the lyric clear, but the singer’s ambiguity at someone’s wedding day (his daughter? his lover?) was hard to identify with. It makes a little more sense in the storyline.

LESSON IN LOVE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, George Bitzer (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 3:52, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Now Voyager, 1984

ONE NIGHT (FOR LOVERS)
Barry Gibb, George Bitzer (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 4:15, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Now Voyager, 1984

STAY ALONE
Barry Gibb, George Bitzer (1982)
undated 1984
stereo 3:49, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Now Voyager, 1984; B side, October 1984

‘Stay Alone’ was a standout track because it is mainly voice and piano, and its classically pure pop ballad format sets it apart from the other songs on the album. In a way it does not fit and could have been dropped for that reason. Listeners snap to attention when it comes on.

TEMPTATION
Barry Gibb, George Bitzer, Maurice Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 3:34, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Now Voyager, 1984

SHE SAYS
Barry Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo 4:07, lead vocal Barry Gibb
B side, August 1984; Now Voyager, 1984

‘She Says’ has a nice lazy beat to it, and starting with the chorus makes it flow easily.

THE HUNTER
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, George Bitzer, Robin Gibb (1983)
undated 1984
stereo 4:27, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Now Voyager, 1984

‘The Hunter’ is one of the best songs on the album. Barry sings it with more clarity and feeling than most of the others, putting across the drama of the music. It has problems with its greater dynamic range— adjust the level so that the start of ‘The Hunter’ is at the same volume as most of ‘She Says’ and see what happens. Great ending.

THEME FROM NOW VOYAGER
Barry Gibb (1984)
undated 1984
stereo, instrumental
Now Voyager film soundtrack

This instrumental piece appears only on the audio-visual album. It is not the melody of any of the songs but a separate work.

Albhy Galuten is notably absent from the production team. He left for California in 1983 after disagreeing with Barry on where to go next. Albhy wanted to break free from the studio straightjacket of recording tracks to mechanical beats and dubbing onto them. Instead he suggested that they rent a theater in New York, where Barry could do a series of live performances before audiences for a week, using all the session players they usually used. They would record all the shows and pick the best take of each new song. Barry did not want to do it and Albhy moved on. But Karl Richardson carried on.

The musicians are mostly the same ones Barry had used for a few years: George Bitzer, George Terry, Harold Cowart, Ron Ziegler, Joe Lala. The credit to Dennis Bryon would be once again for the use of ‘Bernard Lupe’ somewhere on the album. The string arrangements are by Jimmie Haskell, who had been working with Maurice.

GIRL GANG
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Andy Gibb (1984)
1984
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

This song existed in demo form by the middle of 1984, because it was recorded by the Bee Gees’ niece Beri Gibb in July or August. It is not clear who recorded the demo. Barry seems most likely, but Andy is possible since he co-wrote it and he was close to Beri.

Beri called herself Bobbi Gibb at this time, and she sometimes sang with a Los Angeles band called Social Fact, although she was not a regular member of the group. Social Fact were: Donny Sarian (drums, guitar), Chris Wilkening (guitar), Tony Gans (bass), Josh Muskatine (percussion). They recorded ‘Girl Gang’ with Bobbi on lead vocal at Hit City West during the 1984 Olympics (which gives the date), and some college students made a video for it in 1985, but it was never released. Social Fact released an LP called Ipso Facto in 1983 on Fun Stuff, an indie label in Los Angeles, but Beri was not involved with it.

possibly Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
engineer:
producer:
about November 1984, Miami Beach

UNDERCOVER
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1984)
about November 1984
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

Nothing is known about this song. Copyright filed November 19, no artist specified. It might have been an early song for Diana Ross.

possibly Robin Gibb — vocal
possibly Maurice Gibb — synthesizer
engineer:
producer:
about December 1984, Miami Beach

SHE’S HOT
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1984)
about December 1984
stereo, lead vocal probably Robin Gibb
unreleased

Nothing is known about this song. Copyright filed December 10, no artist specified. A song by Robin and Maurice probably has Robin on lead vocal.

selected record releases

Kenny Rogers : single
US: RCA, April 1984.

A EYES THAT SEE IN THE DARK
B HOLD ME

A third single off Eyes That See in the Dark. Someone really liked the title song, which had been the first single in Britain, but once again it did not do well.

Robin Gibb : single
US: Mirage, May 1984; UK: Polydor, July 1984

A BOYS DO FALL IN LOVE
B DIAMONDS

With a promotional push by Mirage, run by an old friend of Robin from Atlantic, Jerry Greenberg, this single cracked the American top forty, but just barely. It went higher on the specialized dance music chart. Mirage issued a 12-inch single with a longer version of the A side.

Kenny Rogers : single
US: RCA, June 1984.

A EVENING STAR
B MIDSUMMER NIGHTS

A fourth and last single off Eyes That See in the Dark. The presence of the Gatlin Brothers (or something) broke this into the country chart.

Robin Gibb : Secret Agent
US: Mirage, June 1984; UK: Polydor, July 1984.

A 1 BOYS DO FALL IN LOVE
A 2 IN YOUR DIARY
A 3 ROBOT
A 4 REBECCA
A 5 SECRET AGENT

B 1 LIVING IN ANOTHER WORLD
B 2 X-RAY EYES
B 3 KING OF FOOLS
B 4 DIAMONDS

Robin’s second solo album of the 1980s did not chart except in Germany where fans took it to number 31.

Robin Gibb : single
US: Mirage, August 1984

A SECRET AGENT
B ROBOT

Mirage issued a second single which did not chart. The 12-inch version had longer versions of both tracks.

This was not issued in Britain, but Polydor Germany issued a single of ‘Secret Agent’ / ‘King of Fools’.

Barry Gibb : single
US: MCA, August 1984; UK: Polydor, August 1984

A SHINE SHINE
B SHE SAYS

The first single off the forthcoming Now Voyager. MCA also put out a 12-inch single but with the same versions of the two songs. This reached exactly the same position in Billboard as ‘Boys Do Fall in Love’, number 37, and it just entered the top one hundred in Britain. The public were not falling over themselves to get new singles by Gibb brothers.

Barry Gibb : Now Voyager
US: MCA, September 1984; UK: Polydor, September 1984

A 1 I AM YOUR DRIVER
A 2 FINE LINE
A 3 FACE TO FACE
A 4 SHATTERPROOF
A 5 SHINE SHINE

B 1 LESSON IN LOVE
B 2 ONE NIGHT (FOR LOVERS)
B 3 STAY ALONE
B 4 TEMPTATION
B 5 SHE SAYS
B 6 THE HUNTER

Barry’s first solo album, made under a multi-album contract with MCA (for the US). Many of the songs were worked out with Maurice and keyboard player George Bitzer, though Maurice did not work on the recording. The single ‘Shine Shine’ was moderately successful but the album is uneven. The other single ‘Fine Line’, ‘Stay Alone’, and ‘The Hunter’ are highlights.

This was a ‘multimedia’ release of an LP and CD, and a videocassette. Music videos were a new form at this time, and some speculated that albums would soon appear routinely in audio-visual format. MCA however would not finance a video album, so Barry produced it himself with MCA’s home video arm distributing it. The video album opens and closes with the ‘Theme’, which has not appeared on any record. The songs ‘Face to Face’ (the duet with Olivia Newton-John) and ‘She Says’ are not in the video.

The songs in the audio-visual version are in his order:

THEME
I AM YOUR DRIVER
TEMPTATION
LESSON IN LOVE
SHATTERPROOF
STAY ALONE
SHINE SHINE
ONE NIGHT (FOR LOVERS)
FINE LINE
THE HUNTER
THEME

For the album, it looks as if someone wanted to move up the proposed singles to side 1, or to break up the opening block of four dance songs. The first single ‘Shine Shine’ was still an unusual position at the end of side 1.

It appears that MCA lost faith in Barry after one album. It was not a big hit, but some labels might have stuck with it and left him room to grow as a solo artist. That did not happen. Barry had a long track record of success and his attempts here to expand his musical horizons might have been seen in more positive light.

Maurice Gibb : single
UK: Audiotrax, September 1984; Australia: RCA, 1984

A HOLD HER IN YOUR HAND
B HOLD HER IN YOUR HAND (instrumental)

A Breed Apart
proposed, 1984

A 1 Maurice Gibb : HOLD HER IN YOUR HAND
A 2 A BREED APART
A 3 JIM’S THEME
A 4 SOLITUDE
A 5 THE INTRUDERS

B 1 Maurice Gibb : ON TIME
B 2 MIKE AND THE MOUNTAIN
B 3 ADAM’S DREAM
B 4 A TOUCH APART
B 5 THE BREED ENDING
B 6 Maurice Gibb : HOLD HER IN YOUR HAND (instrumental)

The proposed soundtrack album for A Breed Apart, and the Maurice Gibb single of the main title. The soundtrack would have included the single ‘Hold Her in Your Hand’ and a new version of ‘On Time’. Maurice wrote all of the music.

A Breed Apart was written by Paul Wheeler, starring Rutger Hauer, Powers Boothe, Kathleen Turner, and Donald Pleasence. It was directed by Philippe Mora and produced by John Daly and Derek Gibson for Hemdale Films. Principal photography was done from April to June 1983 in North Carolina. Reviewers would compliment the cinematography.

The film was shown at Cannes in May 1984 but was not well received. The Hollywood Reporter review said that it ‘simply lacks reason, dramatic tension or emotional involvement’ and that ‘prospects for the Orion release remain unquestionably limited’. Hemdale tried to pitch the film at the MIFED trade show in October 1984 with a full-page color poster in the Hollywood Reporter, where the credits included a box with the words ‘Features the hit single HOLD HER IN YOUR HAND by MAURICE GIBB’. The single of course had been released in Britain the month before, but not anywhere else (it was released at some point in Australia on RCA and in South Africa on Principal).

Rutger Hauer and Kathleen Turner continued to be big at the box office, so eventually the film canisters of A Breed Apart were dusted off and Orion released the movie in America in March 1986. It drew little attention, and nothing was done about releasing Maurice’s single or a soundtrack album.

CD: ‘Hold Her in Your Hand’ on Mythology, 2010. The other tracks have never appeared on vinyl or CD.

Barry Gibb : single
US: MCA, October 1984; UK: Polydor, October 1984

A FINE LINE
B STAY ALONE

The second and last single off Now Voyager. MCA issued a 12-inch single with three versions of ‘Fine Line’, namely the usual one, a shorter ‘single edit’ that was probably from promo singles, and a longer version. These were both top quality songs but the single did not chart.