Gibb Songs : 1970

At the start of 1970 the Bee Gees did not exist. The two Gibb brothers albums recorded in 1969 were released early in the year, one by Barry and Maurice as the Bee Gees, the other by Robin. For the former, Barry and Maurice made some publicity appearances together. But at the same time, all three brothers were working separately on new albums. Except for one single each by Maurice and Barry, nothing of the three albums was released.

Maurice began work on an album in December 1969, as soon as the Bee Gees broke up, writing songs with Billy Lawrie and recording them with a few friends. Some additional songs were sent as demos to other artists. Most improbably for someone who had avoided singing lead vocals in the Bee Gees, Maurice also tried out being a stage actor in the musical Sing a Rude Song, and produced the show’s cast album. That and his single ‘Railroad’ were the only records that appeared.

Robin began work on his second solo album in January just before the first one was released. He recorded more than enough for an album, some of which was excellent, like the title song ‘Sing Slowly Sisters’, but none of it was released.

Barry began recording a solo album in February, after spending a couple of months writing. Only the single ‘I’ll Kiss Your Memory’ was released, but many of the songs were later recorded by other artists.

In June, Robin and Maurice started working together. All three were finally reunited in August. The big reconciliation between Robin and Barry was oddly enough the result of business meetings related to taking The Robert Stigwood Organisation from a privately held company to a public one. They have joked that it was easier to reunite than figure out how to divide their stake. It is also obvious that the value of their shares of RSO would be higher with a united Bee Gees in the roster.

However besides business considerations, the brothers missed working with each other and that meeting together provided an excuse for them to talk about it. At first Barry hedged, proposing to do solo albums as well as Bee Gees records, and so did Robin’s manager, but by the start of October it was resolved they would concentrate on a Bee Gees album. As part of their reconciliation with each other, the completed or nearly completed solo albums were abandoned, and even most of the Robin and Maurice duo material. The 1967 contract with Robert Stigwood, disputed when the group fell apart, was back in effect and they continued as before to 1972.

songs

CONQUER THE WORLD
[ WE CAN CONQUER THE WORLD ]
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
no record

SINCERE RELATION
[ DISTANT RELATIONSHIP ]
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
album cut by Bee Gees, 1970

HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb
album cut by Bee Gees, 1971

BACK TO THE PEOPLE
[ TALK TO THE PEOPLE ]
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie
A side by Bev Harrell, May 1971

OVER THE HILL AND OVER THE MOUNTAIN
any of Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
no record

One hundred ten songs! Fourteen were released this year: two on Barry’s single and twelve on 2 Years On. Six more were recorded by other artists later. It’s an astounding story of productivity and futility. Many of the unreleased songs are of good quality.

recording sessions

Maurice Gibb — vocal, guitar, piano, bass, organ, mellotron
Leslie Harvey — guitar
Johnny Coleman — piano
Geoff Bridgeford — drums
orchestra arranged by Gerry Shury
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
January 1970, Recorded Sound Studio, London

JOURNEY TO THE MISTY MOUNTAINS
Maurice Gibb (1970)
17 January 1970
stereo 3:08, instrumental
unreleased

INSIGHT
Maurice Gibb (1970)
17 January 1970
stereo 2:11, instrumental
unreleased

SOLDIER JOHNNY
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
17 January 1970
stereo 2:39, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

Maurice continued work on his solo album. ‘Journey to the Misty Mountains’ and ‘Insight’ are instrumentals. It is interesting they are documented as recorded the same day because ‘Insight’ sounds as if it is a different set of musicians from the rest of the album.

The second two titles are noted on the tape box as ‘artists: Tin Tin?’ with a question mark. Maurice certainly recorded ‘Soldier Johnny’ at some date. An acetate of ‘Triangle’, with no artist named, turned up in 2010, and it is definitely not Maurice singing lead. It might be Steve Kipner but the backing vocal does not sound like Tin Tin. Maybe the same unknowns recorded ‘Soldier Johnny’ too, although then when did Maurice record his version? All the other songs for the Maurice LP are documented.

After this date Maurice was busy rehearsing and playing in the musical Sing a Rude Song for about two months.

Robin Gibb — vocal, guitar, piano
orchestra arranged by Kenny Clayton
engineer: ?
producer: Robin Gibb, Vic Lewis
January and February 1970, London

Recording for Robin’s second solo album, just before the first one was released. Few recording dates are known but certainly most of the songs are from January and February. Two songs are on a reel dated January (no day stated). An acetate dated February 2 contains ‘Sing Slowly Sisters’, ‘C’est la Vie, Au Revoir’, and ‘Everything is How You See Me’, with orchestral backings, dating them to January. Another undated acetate has the same three plus five more, shown below from ‘Sing Slowly Sisters’ to ‘Great Caesar’s Ghost’ (in the sequence shown). Two of the additional songs can be dated to February as noted.

SKY WEST AND CROOKED
Robin Gibb (1970)
undated January 1970
stereo 2:32, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

A VERY SPECIAL DAY
Robin Gibb (1970)
undated January 1970
stereo 2:58, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

This tape reel dated January 1970 contains two songs recorded by Robin without orchestra. Both avoid the routine verse-chorus structure he had fallen into and have intriguing lyrics. Sky West and Crooked is the title of a 1965 Hayley Mills film (Gypsy Girl in the US), but it has no obvious connection to this somewhat comical song performed solely by Robin on guitar and vocal. Robin’s distinctive piano playing is featured on ‘Very Special Day’. The bittersweet lyrics about a soldier going away would be followed up in ‘Sing Slowly Sisters’, which he wrote and recorded around the same time.

SING SLOWLY SISTERS
Robin Gibb (1970)
undated January 1970
mono 3:54, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

The song ‘Sing Slowly Sisters’ is one of Robin’s best. It follows along the theme of ‘Very Special Day’, the pathos of a soldier going off to war and the mixed feelings of those he leaves behind, very topical in 1970 with the American war in Vietnam. Robin however relates the stories to World War I, which he was reading about at the time. The melody, Robin’s melancholy singing, and the fine arrangement by Kenny Clayton all work together very well. Amazingly none of Robin’s songs from this album were placed with other artists after the decision was made not to release Robin’s own versions.

No stereo mix of ‘Sing Slowly Sisters’ has survived. A few acetates have a mono mix, one of which was used to source the copy on Saved by the Bell. Another acetate has an unsatisfactory two-track ‘stereo’ work mix with vocal on one side and orchestra on the other.

AVALANCHE
Robin Gibb (1970)
undated 1970
stereo 4:12, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

‘Avalanche’ sounds like one of Robin’s demos from 1969, with no orchestra but just Robin on vocal tracks, guitar, and drum machine. Evidently Robin planned to release ‘Avalanche’ in this form.

C’EST LA VIE, AU REVOIR
Robin Gibb (1970)
undated January 1970
stereo 3:17, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

EVERYTHING IS HOW YOU SEE ME
undated (1970)
undated January 1970
stereo 2:32, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

GREAT CAESAR’S GHOST
Robin Gibb (1970)
undated 1970
mono 3:23, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

‘C’est la Vie, Au Revoir’ is a well-developed song with a strong melody while ‘Everything is How You See Me’ is just a routine short verse-chorus number. The undated ‘Great Caesar’s Ghost’ has a good flowing waltz rhythm and arrangement although it is hard to say what it is about. Only a mono mix survives.

RETURN TO AUSTRIA
Robin Gibb (1970)
undated February 1970
mono 8:00, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

DON’T GO AWAY
Robin Gibb (1970)
undated February 1970
mono 5:10, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

TRY AGAIN
Robin Gibb (1970)
undated February 1970
mono, lead vocal Robin Gibb
unreleased

A work tape with three titles can be dated because Robin states in a spoken intro that it is February (but it must be 1970, not 1969 as noted in Saved by the Bell). ‘Return to Austria’ was recorded two months later in a far shorter version. ‘Don’t Go Away’ is a completed song while ‘Try Again’ is a rough work in progress that was not issued in 2015.

ENGINES, AEROPLANES
Robin Gibb (1970)
27 February 1970
stereo 2:24, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

‘Engines Aeroplanes’ has a recording date on the box. Robin tinkered with it in 1971 as if it was a candidate for the Trafalgar album. /p>

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
others unknown
orchestra arranged by Bill Shepherd
engineer: ?
producer: Barry Gibb
February 1970, London

Barry began recording his solo album with these four songs. They went onto 2-inch 16-track tape, very early use of this new format. Robin and Maurice continued to use 8-track, and even the Bee Gees album later this year was made on 8-track. The personnel are not known, other than Barry on lead and backing vocals and guitar, and Bill Shepherd handling the orchestral accompaniment.

I’LL KISS YOUR MEMORY
Barry Gibb (1970)
15, 20 February 1970
mono 4:26, lead vocal Barry Gibb
A side, May 1970

VICTIM
Barry Gibb (1970)
15, 20 February 1970
stereo 3:59, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

MOONLIGHT
Barry Gibb (1970)
15, 20 February 1970
stereo 3:29, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

SUMMER ENDS
Barry Gibb (1970)
15, 20 February 1970
stereo, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

Since he started with it, Barry may have already chosen the country weepy ballad ‘I’ll Kiss Your Memory’ as his first single. ‘Victim’ picks up the pace a little while ‘Moonlight’ is a classic Italian crooner ballad appropriately recorded later by Jerry Vale. Only the first two of these made the cut for his album. Both the others were placed with other artists.

IT’S OVER
Barry Gibb (1970)
20 February 1970
stereo 3:57, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

On February 20, Barry worked further on the the four previous songs and added one more.

A CHILD, A GIRL, A WOMAN
Barry Gibb (1970)
22 February 1970
stereo, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

MANDO BAY
Barry Gibb (1970)
22 February 1970
stereo 4:48, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

BORN
Barry Gibb (1970)
22 February 1970
stereo 3:54, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

CLYDE O’REILLY
Barry Gibb (1970)
22 February 1970
stereo 5:23, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

PEACE IN MY MIND
Barry Gibb (1970)
22 February 1970
stereo 4:10, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

Barry quickly recorded five more songs just days later. He must have had all these prepared as demos before he went in. If so he had saved three outstanding ones for this date. ‘Mando Bay’, ‘Born’, and ‘Peace in My Mind’ show that Barry had not lost his knack for writing fully realized pop songs in many different styles, arranged here with Hawaiian guitar, uptempo soul horns, and dreamlike flutes respectively. Sadly none of this was released.

Ringo Starr — vocal
others unknown
orchestra arranged by Maurice Gibb
engineer: ?
producer: George Martin
March 1970, Morgan Studios, London

BYE BYE BLACKBIRD
Mort Dixon, Ray Henderson (1926)
5 March 1970
stereo 2:11, lead vocal Ringo Starr
Sentimental Journey, 1970

This is one of the songs on Ringo’s Sentimental Journey album of old standards. His neighbor Maurice is credited with the arrangement, which must have been written out by someone else to his direction, possibly George Martin or Gerry Shury. Maurice is credited with conducting the orchestra as well. The orchestra and Ringo’s vocal for this song and one other (not involving Maurice) were done in a morning session. Maurice was appearing nightly in Sing a Rude Song at this time.

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
others unknown
orchestra arranged by Bill Shepherd
engineer: ?
producer: Barry Gibb
March 1970, London

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT
Barry Gibb (1970)
9 March 1970
stereo 3:09, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

THIS TIME
Barry Gibb (1970)
9 March 1970
stereo 3:24, lead vocal Barry Gibb
B side, May 1970

THE DAY YOUR EYES MEET MINE
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
9 March 1970
stereo 3:07, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

Barry finished work on his solo album in March after a two-week break. The first two songs were again countryish numbers, the unusually cynical ‘What’s It All About’ and the more easygoing B side of his single ‘This Time’. He also went back to a song from 1969, the slow pop ballad ‘The Day Your Eyes Meet Mine’.

ONE BAD THING
Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1969)
23 March 1970
stereo 3:32, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

HAPPINESS
Barry Gibb (1970)
23 March 1970
stereo 3:28, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

After another two weeks Barry recorded the last two songs he would use for the album. The first was another visit to 1969 that brought in an upbeat pop number, ‘One Bad Thing’, which he considered for a second single off the album. ‘Happiness’ was another soft ballad.

PLEASE LOCK ME AWAY
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
23, 25 March 1970
stereo 2:34, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

GOING WHERE THE MONEY GOES
probably Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
23 March 1970
stereo, lead vocal probably Maurice Gibb
unreleased

SOMETHING’S BLOWING
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie, Norman Hitchcock (1970)
23, 25 March 1970
stereo 2:28, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

DID YOU RECEIVE MY LETTER, SUSAN?
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
23 March 1970
stereo , lead vocal probably Maurice Gibb
unreleased

SILLY LITTLE GIRL
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
23, 25 March 1970
stereo 2:07, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

IT TAKES A MAN
probably Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
25 March 1970
stereo, lead vocal probably Maurice Gibb
unreleased

After a break of two months Maurice finished up his solo album within days of Barry finishing his. He was suddenly free because Sing a Rude Song had completed its run out of town (Greenwich) and was now in hiatus pending its London opening in May.

Three of these six songs made the grade. Particular attention should be paid to ‘Something’s Blowing’ (based partly on an unpublished song by RSO staff writer Norman Hitchcock) and ‘Silly Little Girl’ for Maurice’s approach to songwriting. The brief main melodies have a precise understated simplicity that is so characteristic, and the well-matched lyrics have a sweet optimism. While a lesser work, ‘Please Lock Me Away’ has a catchy chorus and a title no doubt borrowed from the first line of Lennon-McCartney’s ‘World Without Love’. But none of this was heard.

Robin Gibb — vocal
orchestra arranged by Kenny Clayton
engineer: ?
producer: Robin Gibb, Vic Lewis
April 1970, London

I’VE BEEN HURT
Robin Gibb (1970)
2 April 1970
stereo 4:26, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

COLD BE MY DAYS
Robin Gibb (1970)
2 April 1970
stereo 6:16, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

IRONS IN THE FIRE
Robin Gibb (1970)
2 April 1970
stereo 4:08, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

A remarkable experiment: Robin singing with orchestra and harpsichord, without a rhythm section. In ‘Cold Be My Days’ especially, Robin seems free of any beat, and sings different lines faster and slower. The song has two long winding verses, and two different choruses both starting with the words ‘cold be my days’, as well as wonderfully inexplicable lyrics including references to Peel Castle on the Isle of Man and to the small English village of Shipston on Stour (where the brothers had gone sometimes to ride horses). All three are contemplative and express great loss.

Barbara Windsor — vocal
Denis Quilley — vocal
Maurice Gibb — vocal
cast — vocals
others
orchestra arranged by Alfred Ralston, Maurce Gibb
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
April 1970, London

I’M IN A MOOD TO GET MY TEETH INTO A SONG
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 2:51, lead vocal Barbara Windsor, Denis Quilley
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

THAT’S WHAT THEY SAY
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 2:50, lead vocal the company
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

THIS TIME IT’S HAPPINESS
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 3:01, lead vocal Barbara Windsor
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

WHOOPS COCKIE!
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 1:40, lead vocal Barbara Windsor, Denis Quilley
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

IT WAS ONLY A FRIENDLY KISS
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 1:45, lead vocal Barbara Windsor
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

WHOOPS COCKIE! (reprise) / WE’VE BEEN AND GONE AND DONE IT
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 2:57, lead vocal Barbara Windsor, Maurice Gibb
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

HAVEN’T THE WORDS
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 4:26, lead vocal Denis Quilley
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO FALL IN LOVE AT FORTY
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 2:11, lead vocal Barbara Windsor
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

WAITING ON THE OFF CHANCE
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 2:48, lead vocal the company
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

WAITING FOR THE ROYAL TRAIN
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 3:06, lead vocal the company, Barbara Windsor, Maurice Gibb
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

I’M NOBODY IN PARTICULAR
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 1:53, lead vocal Denis Quilley
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

WAVE GOODBYE
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 2:17, lead vocal Denis Quilley
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

LEAVE ME HERE TO LINGER WITH THE LADIES
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 2:24, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

THE ONE AND ONLY
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 2:47, lead vocal Barbara Windsor
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

SING A RUDE SONG
Caryl Brahms, Ned Sherrin, Ron Grainer (1970)
3 April 1970
stereo 3:18, lead vocal Barbara Windsor, the company
Sing a Rude Song, 1970

Maurice had the third lead role in this musical play written by Caryl Brahms and Ned Sherrin, with Alan Bennett, with music by Ron Grainer. It opened February 17 in Greenwich, closed, and reopened in the West End on May 26, running for 71 performances. The story is very loosely based on the life of music hall singer Marie Lloyd (1870-1922), and yet, as critics noted, the show unexpectedly did not feature the old songs she was known for. Maurice played her new young husband, jockey Bernard Dillon, winner of the Derby in 1910. Maurice was not comfortable singing solo and his acting did not win over many of the critics either. But it was really Barbara Windsor’s show from start to finish, as can be seen by the vocal credits here.

Maurice lent his talents to producing the cast album during the break between Greenwich and London. The pit band are not credited although Maurice is called the arranger. For his one solo song ‘Leave Me Here to Linger with the Ladies’ Maurice mixed the lead vocal off to one side. His other featured song, ‘Tattenham Corner’, is one of those not included. He has solo lines in two other songs, and he might be singing in more songs as part of a group.

The music in the play was sequenced as follows:

Overture
That’s What They Say
’Ang Abaht!
This Time It’s Happiness
Whoops Cockie!
Whoops Cockie! / That’s What They Say
I’m in a Mood to Get My Teeth into a Song
It Was Only a Friendly Kiss
Tattenham Corner
You don’t Know What It’s Like to Fall in Love at Forty
This Time It’s Happiness

Waiting on the Off Chance
Waiting for the Royal Train
I’m Nobody in Particular
One of Nature’s Ladies
Wave Goodbye
Sing a Rude Song
Haven’t the Words
Leave Me Here to Linger with the Ladies
The One and Only
My Old Man
The One and Only
The Boy I Love

P P Arnold — lead vocal
others
engineer: ?
producer: Barry Gibb
April 1970, London

YOU’VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY
Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway, Fred Wilson, Berry Gordy Jr (1967)
4 April 1970
stereo, lead vocal P P Arnold
Turning Tide, 2017

SPINNING WHEEL
David Clayton-Thomas (1968)
4 April 1970
stereo, lead vocal P P Arnold
Turning Tide, 2017

BORN
Barry Gibb (1970)
4 April 1970
stereo, lead vocal P P Arnold
Turning Tide, 2017

HAPPINESS
Barry Gibb (1970)
4 April 1970
stereo, lead vocal P P Arnold
Turning Tide, 2017

Barry produced four more songs for P P Arnold (see 1969). The first two were from the popular Blood, Sweat and Tears album issued at the start of 1969. The others were two of the songs Barry had just recorded for his own proposed solo album. This does not necessarily mean he had cut them from the album, since the Bee Gees released their ‘Bury Me Down by the River’ after P P Arnold’s version of that song. Some identify the female backing vocal on Barry’s version of ‘Born’ as P P Arnold.

Robin Gibb — vocal, organ
orchestra arranged by Kenny Clayton
engineer: ?
producer: Robin Gibb, Vic Lewis
April 1970, London

THE FLAG I FLEW
Robin Gibb (1969)
9 April 1970
stereo 4:12, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

RETURN TO AUSTRIA
Robin Gibb (1970)
9 April 1970
stereo 2:18, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

IT’S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE
Robin Gibb (1969)
9 April 1970
stereo 5:05, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
Robin Gibb (1970)
9 April 1970
stereo 2:13, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

A very good song, ‘The Flag I Flew’ with its bizarre lyrics is one of the titles Robin mentioned in 1969, now finally recorded. Another is ‘It’s Only Make Believe’ if it is the title ‘Make Believe’ that Robin mentioned. ‘Return to Austria’ is now completed after the February demo. ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ has a melody adapted from the Christmas hymn ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’, which Robin recorded many years later for a Christmas album. It starts with a brief lyric and the second half is instrumental. This and ‘C’est la Vie, Au Revoir’ were probable candidates to end the proposed album.

ANYWHERE I HANG MY HAT IS HOME
Robin Gibb (1970)
17 April 1970
stereo, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

LIFE
Robin Gibb (1970)
17 April 1970
stereo 2:27, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

LOUD AND CLEAR
Robin Gibb (1970)
17 April 1970
stereo, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

The last dated sessions for Robin’s second solo album are three songs from April 17. ‘Life’ was considered as an opening song, probably because its horn-driven arrangement is a little more lively than most of the songs he had stockpiled. ‘Loud and Clear’ has the same melody as ‘I’ve Been Hurt’.

Maurice Gibb — vocal, piano, guitar, bass
others
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
April 1970, Recorded Sound Studio, London

ALABAMA
probably Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
20 April 1970
stereo 3:50, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

THIS TIME
probably Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
20 April 1970
stereo 4:31, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

NUMBER 3
probably Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
20 April 1970
stereo, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

Still on break before his London play opening, Maurice recorded three more songs. ‘Alabama’ is just Maurice on piano, bass, and vocal, the first of a series he called his ‘swamp rock’ period, something along the lines of Dr John or Creedence Clearwater Revival, filtered through English pop. He gets into a good groove on it.

‘This Time’ is not Barry’s song of the same name (which was not yet released). The next song ‘Number 3’ is in fact the third item on the tape reel, so it may really be simply untitled. It could be one of the next two titles below.

GIVE ME A GLASS OF WINE
probably Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
23 April 1970
stereo 3:15, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

An acetate of ‘Give Me a Glass of Wine’ is dated April 23. Maurice plays a beautifully Beatlesque piano.

Maurice told the press in April 1970 that he had just recorded the theme and some incidental music for a dramatic film called Bunker that he would direct.

Maurice said quite a few times that he played piano on George Harrison’s song ‘Isn’t It a Pity’, and Phil Collins remembers Maurice being present when he played on the song, according to Ray Coleman’s biography Phil Collins (1997). Neither was credited on the album. Later research has found that the two did play on sessions at Abbey Road, but not on the versions that were released. George’s album was the product of many takes and overdubs.

P P Arnold — lead vocal
others
engineer: ?
producer: Barry Gibb
June 1970, London

One last P P Arnold recording produced by Barry. She said that she recorded it twice, with different arrangements, and the powerful upbeat version finally released on Turning Tide may have blown away the other one.

Maurice Gibb — vocal, piano, guitar, bass
Robin Gibb — vocal
Geoff Bridgeford — drums
orchestra arranged by Gerry Shury
engineer: John Stewart
producer: Maurice Gibb
June 1970, probably Recorded Sound Studio, London

CONQUER THE WORLD
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
13 June 1970
stereo 2:46, lead vocal Robin Gibb
unreleased

SINCERE RELATION
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
13 June 1970
stereo (‘Distant Relationship’) 2:45, lead vocal Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
unreleased
stereo 2:45, lead vocal Robin Gibb
2 Years On, 1970

WE CAN LIFT A MOUNTAIN
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1968, 1970)
13 June 1970
stereo 2:57, lead vocal Robin Gibb
unreleased
stereo (a capella opening) 2:55, lead vocal Robin Gibb
unreleased

LAY IT ON ME
Maurice Gibb (1970)
13 June 1970
stereo 2:07, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
2 Years On, 1970

This session was officially by Maurice Gibb, but he brought Robin with him for their first work together in over a year. Two of these songs made it through to the reunion Bee Gees album. ‘Sincere Relation’ originally had lyrics sung by Robin and Maurice together with the tag line ‘a distant relationship’, later replaced by all new lyrics sung only by Robin in honor of his late father-in-law. ‘Lay It on Me’ would become Maurice’s signature song for the next few years, the one he did live as his featured number. It’s a fun swamp rock number with Maurice playing as many instruments as possible.

One of the unreleased songs was ‘We Can Lift a Mountain’, dating back to the proposed Pippi Longstocking film in 1968, but with somewhat rewritten lyrics to generalize it. Both this and ‘Conquer the World’ feature Robin solo on the verses and both brothers on the chorus. Although the lyrics are probably almost all Robin’s work they have the uplifting feel of Maurice’s songs, and likewise the instrumental sound is that of Maurice’s solo sessions.

Maurice Gibb — vocal, piano, guitar, bass
Robin Gibb — vocal
Geoff Bridgeford — drums
engineer: John Stewart
producer: Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb
June 1970, probably Recorded Sound Studio, London

COME TO THE MISSION
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
21 June 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

BLUE BIRD
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
21 June 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

WHISTLE ME
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
21 June 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

CALL IT WHAT YOU LIKE
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
21 June 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

BELINDA
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
21 June 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

A followup session a week later listed no artist, but the producer credit this time is Maurice and Robin. Nothing is know about these songs, including the extent to which they feature both of the brothers.

Six months of work in 1970 had now seen almost sixty original songs recorded by one or more Gibb brothers of which only four would see release in the end: the two sides of Barry’s single and two songs Robin and Maurice recorded on June 13. Additionally Maurice produced the Sing a Rude Song cast album that was released in Britain.

Maurice Gibb — vocal, guitar, bass
Billy Lawrie — vocal
others
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
July 1970, Recorded Sound Studio, London

THE LONER
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
23 July 1970
stereo 1:55, lead vocal Billy Lawrie, Maurice Gibb
A side, 1972

MEN OF MEN
probably Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1968)
23 July 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

BALLET OF FREEDOM
probably Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
23 July 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

The main purpose of this session was to record a new short version of ‘The Loner’, a song from Maurice’s solo album, for use as the main title of a film called Bloomfield. It was shortened by cutting out the short instrumental passages, but keeping the two verses and choruses intact. For this version Maurice and Billy both sang lead, starting with Maurice's growling low end and shifting gradually to Billy by the chorus. This solved the problem Maurice had had with range in the solo version, and it also disguised the vocalists. The song was released under the obvious pseudonym The Bloomfields, and for years no one knew who they were.

Nothing is known of the other two recordings, not even whether they are related to the film. If they are, they may be instrumentals. ‘Men of Men’ was previously attempted during the Idea sessions in 1968.

Steve Groves — vocal, guitar
Steve Kipner — vocal, piano, organ, mellotron
Carl Groszman — bass, vocal
Geoff Bridgeford — drums, vocal
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
August 1970, IBC Studios, London

KAPOOGIE FARM
unknown (1970)
9 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

TALKING TURKEY
Steve Kipner, Steve Groves, Geoff Bridgeford (1970)
9 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
A side, 1972

TAKING MISS LONELY HOME
unknown (1970)
9, 21 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal Kipner, Groves
unreleased

Tin Tin returned to the studio for the first time in eight months, with Maurice again producing. There were now four of them, with the addition of Carl Groszman and Geoff Bridgeford, both former bandmates of Steve Kipner from Steve and the Board (1966). The two new members were also songwriters, and at this session they did Geoff’s rocking ‘Talking Turkey’, which oddly enough was released two years later following Tin Tin’s second album Astral Taxi. This was the last Tin Tin session that Maurice produced.

Further sessions by this short-lived version of Tin Tin were self-produced. On August 21 (the day the Bee Gees announced their reunion), Tin Tin recorded ‘Rocky Mountain’ and ‘Come On Over Again’; on August 26 they did ‘Remember Me’; and on an unknown date they did ‘Back to Winona’. Two of these songs became the second Tin Tin single, in November: ‘Come On Over Again’ (written by Kipner, Groves, Bridgeford) / ‘Back to Winona’ (Kipner, Groves, Groszman). After a brief time Carl left the group to be a songwriter and Geoff began touring with the reunited Bee Gees. In 1971 the two Steves teamed up with John Vallins and the three recorded the second Tin Tin album Astral Taxi with Billy Lawrie producing.

Maurice Gibb — vocal, piano, guitar, bass, mellotron
Robin Gibb — vocal, organ
Geoff Bridgeford — drums
engineer: John Stewart
producer: Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb
August 1970, IBC Studios, London

I CAN LAUGH [2 YEARS ON]
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
August 1970
stereo 3:40, lead vocal Robin Gibb
unreleased

BLUES
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

I’VE BEEN WAITING
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

I WONDER IF YOU WONDER
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

SAIL AT MY SIDE
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

Robin and Maurice returned to the studio after two months, and this time their purpose was more clear: the Bee Gees were back, with or without Barry’s participation. A tape from some date in August has five songs. Four are unknown. ‘I Can Laugh’ was re-done later with a new intro and a change in the title line as ‘2 Years On’.

TOO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
18 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

GETTING BACK TOGETHER
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
18 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

YOU’RE GOING AWAY
Robin Gibb (1969)
18 August 1970
stereo 3:03, lead vocal Robin Gibb
unreleased

THE WAY I FEEL TODAY
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
18 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

FIND ME A WOMAN
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
18 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

THE CHANGE I SEE
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
18 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

BACK HOME
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
18 August 1970
stereo 1:51, lead vocal Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
2 Years On, 1970

Two reels dated August 18 contain takes of another seven songs. An acetate of ‘You’re Going Away’ is of a solo Robin recording on vocal and organ, possibly to have an orchestral arrangement added to it as in Robin’s 1969 recordings. This and ‘Lay It on Me’ suggest that some of the songs for this project were to be by Robin or Maurice alone.

‘Back Home’ is surprising here, because as released it has all three brothers singing together. Barry’s contribution seems to be limited to the vocal track, for which they may have rewritten the lyrics as they did sometimes with other songs. The guitar therefore is Maurice.

NO MORE MUSIC NOW
Robin Gibb and/or Maurice Gibb (1970)
undated August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

I’M WEEPING
Robin Gibb (1970)
undated August, 29 September 1970
stereo 2:45, lead vocal Robin Gibb
2 Years On, 1970

These are undated except that they appear on a reel of stereo rough mixes dated with the month August 1970. ‘I’m Weeping’ seems to be the last of the Robin solo compositions on organ, a sad trip down memory lane with an understated accompaniment by Maurice and Bill Shepherd. It is on a tape sent to Atlantic that may be dated August 20.

Around this time too, they recorded the new vocal track for ‘Sincere Relation’ (June 13).

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
Robin Gibb — vocal
Maurice Gibb — vocal, bass, piano, guitar
Geoff Bridgeford — drums
orchestra arranged by Bill Shepherd
engineer: Lew Hahn
producer: Robert Stigwood and the Bee Gees
August 1970, IBC Studios, London

LONELY DAYS
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
undated August 1970
stereo 3:45, lead vocal Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb,Maurice Gibb
A side, October 1970; 2 Years On, 1970

MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
undated August 1970
stereo 2:58, lead vocal Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb
B side, October 1970; 2 Years On, 1970

It was announced on Friday August 21 that the three Bee Gees would reunite and record together. They said later that they wrote ‘Lonely Days’ and ‘How Can You Mend a Broken Heart’ at their first reunion session, and in November 1970 Robin said that ‘Man for All Seasons’ was recorded at the same session as ‘Lonely Days’. But when was this? A tape of stereo mixes received at Atlantic in October bears the tantalizing notation ‘August 20, 1970 (?)’ which if true means they announced the reunion the day after it happened. The tape contains ‘Man for All Seasons’, ‘Lonely Days’, ‘I’m Weeping’, and the four songs from June 13.

‘Lonely Days’ is sung by all three together to Maurice’s piano and bass and Bill Shepherd’s string and horn arrangement. The slow verses contrast nicely with the pounding chorus. The lyrics are a little weak (‘Good morning, Mr Sunshine’?), betraying either how fast it was written or how much they avoided criticizing each other. ‘Man for All Seasons’ is a more nuanced work with the alternating sections of Barry and Robin lead vocal that had not been heard in almost two years.

YOU GOT TO LOSE IT IN THE END
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
26 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

LITTLE RED TRAIN
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
26 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

SWEET SUMMER RAIN
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
26 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

MELODY FAIR
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1968)
27 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

MAYBE TOMORROW
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
27 August 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

Reels dated August 26 and 27 probably feature all three brothers, but since none of the songs were released it is hard to say what this is all about. Inexplicably, among the titles is ‘Melody Fair’ from Odessa, as if it had been re-recorded for some reason.

An undated reel of stereo mixes contains: ‘Too Much to Think About’, ‘Man for All Seasons’, ‘No More Music Now’, ‘I’m Weeping’, ‘You’re Going Away’, ‘Getting Back Together’ ‘The Way I Feel’, ‘Find Me a Woman’, and ‘We Can Lift a Mountain’. Another similar reel dated August 28 contains: ‘We Can Lift a Mountain’, ‘Sincere Relation’, and ‘Lay It on Me’. This totals eleven songs, plus ‘Lonely Days’, a possible album’s worth except that in this lineup Barry’s participation would be extremely limited.

No more was done for a month. At this point Barry was still also preparing his solo album for release, and Robin’s manager was proposing a similar arrangement where his client would work with the Bee Gees and also record separately.

MORNING OF MY LIFE
Barry Gibb (1965)
30 September 1970
mono 3:52, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Melody film, 1971. unreleased on disk
stereo 3:52, lead vocal Barry Gibb
Melody soundtrack, 1971

EVERY SECOND, EVERY MINUTE
Barry Gibb (1970)
30 September 1970
stereo 3:01, lead vocal Barry Gibb
2 Years On, 1970

THE FIRST MISTAKE I MADE
Barry Gibb (1970)
30 September 1970
stereo 4:02, lead vocal Barry Gibb
2 Years On, 1970

DON’T FORGET ME IDA
Barry Gibb (1966)
30 September 1970
stereo 3:34, lead vocal Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb
unreleased

The Bee Gees reconvened at the end of September. High on the agenda was recording some Barry numbers to put together songs for a film called Melody and to increase his presence on the reunion album. The previous day, September 29, they added something to (or re-made) ‘I’m Weeping’, and recorded something else called just ‘jam’ on the tape box.

The main title for Melody would be a re-make of Barry’s classic Australian composition ‘Morning of My Life’, which the Bee Gees had recorded very simply in 1966. The new version takes it a little slower, and Barry’s lead vocal and guitar is clearly accompanied by Robin and Maurice harmonies and Maurice on piano and bass, together with Bill Shepherd’s backing. The film sound was mono, and they probably took care to make a mono mix for it as shown above.

‘Every Second, Every Minute’ and another Australian composition ‘Don’t Forget Me Ida’ reportedly were also made for the film but they were not used in it. ‘Every Second, Every Minute’, a slow rock number, appeared on the Bee Gees album. Interestingly the ballad ‘Don’t Forget Me Ida’ features Robin on part lead vocal, but like all of these it was a Barry solo composition.

With ‘The First Mistake I Made’ Barry returned to the country style he had used earlier in the year. Maurice’s instrumental contribution is obvious but as on ‘Every Second, Every Minute’ there is no sign of Robin.

LOST
any of Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
5 October 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

PORTRAIT OF LOUISE
Barry Gibb (1970)
5 October 1970
stereo 2:34, lead vocal Barry Gibb
2 Years On, 1970

FANTASY
any of Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
5 October 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

ALONE AGAIN
Robin Gibb (1970)
5 October 1970
stereo 3:00, lead vocal Robin Gibb
2 Years On, 1970

TELL ME WHY
Barry Gibb (1970)
5 October 1970
stereo 3:12, lead vocal Barry Gibb
2 Years On, 1970

There was now some pressure on to release a Bee Gees single and album. On October 5 they recorded at least two more Barry songs and one Robin song, and two others unknown. Barry turns in a rhythmic pop song with an inscrutable title (Louise does not appear in the lyrics) and a soft country ballad, with instrumental support by Maurice but nothing by Robin. Robin’s rocking ‘Alone Again’ has plenty of Maurice instrumentals and harmony vocal, but no sign of Barry. The concept of partly solo or duo recordings on this album continued to the end.

2 YEARS ON
Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
undated 1970
stereo 3:57, lead vocal Robin Gibb
2 Years On, 1970

Robin said late in 1970 that ‘2 Years On’ was a new lyric to a track that he and Maurice had made a bit earlier. It was in fact the same lyrics as ‘I Can Laugh’ from June, with a change in the title line and a new intro. The released version was a new recording made at an unknown date. Once again it seems to feature only two brothers.

With recording complete, a great deal of work mixing tracks followed on October 9 and 12. This included all twelve songs that appeared on the album and the Melody song ‘Morning of My Life’. Only two others were still bothered with, ‘Don’t Forget Me Ida’ and ‘Fantasy’.

TO DANCE AGAIN
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
undated 1970
stereo 2:08, instrumental
television score

Somewhere around this time or a little later Barry and Maurice recorded this countryish instrumental for a television version of The Three Musketeers. For no known reason it has appeared on bootlegs as ‘Modulating Maurice’.

Maurice Gibb — vocal, piano guitar, bass
Billy Lawrie — vocal
Geoff Bridgeford — drums
orchestra arranged by Gerry Shury
engineer: ?
producer: Maurice Gibb
December 1970, Recorded Sound Studio, London

DANNY
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
3 December 1970
stereo 2:45, lead vocal Maurice Gibb
unreleased

TILL I TRY
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
unknown 1970
stereo 3:12, lead vocal not recorded
unreleased

Two Maurice Gibb solo recordings, possibly for the next Bee Gees album. Both are more in Bee Gees ballad style than swamp rock. The date of ‘Till I Try’ is unknown but a version if it with no vocal is on the other side of a mono 45rpm acetate of ‘Danny’.

BACK TO THE PEOPLE
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
7 December 1970
stereo 3:11, lead vocal Billy Lawrie
unreleased

LOOK AT ME
probably Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
7 December 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

A MAN IN THE WILDERNESS
probably Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
7 December 1970
stereo, lead vocal probably Billy Lawrie
unreleased

TAKE IT EASY, GREASY
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1969)
7 December 1970, 11 January 1971
stereo, lead vocal probably Billy Lawrie
unreleased

I FELL DOWN
Maurice Gibb, Billy Lawrie (1970)
7 December 1970, 11 January 1971
stereo, lead vocal probably Billy Lawrie
unreleased

The work of December 7 is on two reels, one credited as Maurice Gibb and one as Billy Lawrie. However on the Maurice reel, Billy certainly sings lead on ‘Talk to the People’, a slightly variant lyric of their song ‘Back to the People’ released in 1971 by Bev Harrell. The other song, ‘Look at Me’, is unknown.

The other three songs are presumably sung by Billy as stated. Two were worked on at a second session in January 1971. ‘A Man in the Wilderness’ was the title of a Richard Harris film released late in 1971. Was this a proposed title song?

Robin Gibb — vocal, guitar
engineer: ?
producer: Robin Gibb
December 1970, Recorded Sound Studios, London

WHY NOT CRY TOGETHER
Robin Gibb (1970)
11 December 1970
mono 2:09, lead vocal Robin Gibb
Saved by the Bell, 2015

AFTER THE LAUGHTER
Robin Gibb (1970)
11 December 1970
mono, lead vocal Robin Gibb
unreleased

Barry Gibb — vocal, guitar
Robin Gibb — vocal
Maurice Gibb — vocal, bass, piano, guitar
Geoff Bridgeford — drums
orchestra arranged by Bill Shepherd
engineer: ?
producer: Robert Stigwood and the Bee Gees
December 1970, IBC Studios, London

TOGETHER
Barry Gibb (1970)
13 December 1970
stereo, lead vocal Barry Gibb
unreleased

OVER THE HILL AND OVER THE MOUNTAIN
any of Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb (1970)
13 December 1970
stereo, lead vocal unknown
unreleased

MERRILY MERRY EYES
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb (1970)
13 December 1970
stereo 3:13, lead vocal Robin Gibb
unreleased

WHEN DO I
Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb (1970)
13 December 1970
stereo, lead vocal Robin Gibb
unreleased

The Bee Gees now began work on their next album. The song ‘When Do I’ appeared on the album but in a re-make done a month later. ‘Merrily Merry Eyes’ has some nice lead guitar fills by somebody, possibly Maurice or possibly added later by Alan Kendall.

selected record releases

Tin Tin
UK: Polydor, February 1970.

A 1 SHE SAID RIDE
A 2 SWANS ON THE CANAL
A 3 FLAG / PUT YOUR MONEY ON MY DOG
A 4 NOBODY MOVES ME LIKE YOU
A 5 TUESDAY’S DREAMER
A 6 ONLY LADIES PLAY CROQUET

B 1 FAMILY TREE
B 2 SPANISH SHEPHERD
B 3 HE WANTS TO BE A STAR
B 4 TOAST AND MARMALADE FOR TEA
B 5 LOVES HER THAT WAY
B 6 MANHATTAN WOMAN
B 7 LADY IN BLUE

The Tin Tin album recorded in 1969 was released in February with little fanfare. Maurice produced the entire album and plays on five songs. (See also October 1970 for the variant US version.)

Robin Gibb : single
UK: Polydor, February 1970; US: Atco, February 1970.

A AUGUST OCTOBER
B GIVE ME A SMILE

Robin’s third single sold as poorly as the second, not a favorable lead-in to his forthcoming album.

Robin Gibb : Robin’s Reign
UK: Polydor, February 1970; US: Atco, March 1970.

A 1 AUGUST OCTOBER
A 2 GONE GONE GONE
A 3 THE WORST GIRL IN THIS TOWN
A 4 GIVE ME A SMILE
A 5 DOWN CAME THE SUN
A 6 MOTHER AND JACK

B 1 SAVED BY THE BELL
B 2 WEEKEND
B 3 FARMER FERDINAND HUDSON
B 4 LORD BLESS ALL
B 5 MOST OF MY LIFE

With this album the public finally got a taste of what Robin had been preparing for almost a year. The singles had been not totally representative, with the basic verse-chorus songs on the A sides and light Vic Lewis-influenced B sides on the later two. Only the lugubrious lyric of ‘One Million Years’ and the inventiveness of ‘Mother and Jack’ hinted at the rest.

Robin has said mysteriously that the album was not finished— although whether he means this one or the next is not clear. As far as this one goes, major works like ‘Moon Anthem’ and ‘Hudson’s Fallen Wind’ were ignored or cruelly cut down, and yet space was found for all the B sides. Even ‘Mother and Jack’ may have found its way in only as the B side of Robin’s hit single.

The album sold poorly, and probably for that reason, nothing of Robin’s second album, already in progress, was released. However the merits and rarity of Robin’s Reign have combined to bring it cult status. Fans usually cite ‘The Worst Girl in This Town’, ‘Mother and Jack’, ‘Farmer Ferdinand Hudson’, and ‘Lord Bless All’.

CD: All on Robin’s Reign, Spectrum (Germany). This CD is itself quite rare. Like the German version of the LP it contains also ‘One Million Years’ as the last song.

Jonathan Kelly : single
UK: Parlophone, February 1970.

A MAKE A STRANGER YOUR FRIEND
B DADDY DON’T TAKE ME DOWN FISHING NO MORE

Recorded January 16 and rush-released in February, ‘Make a Stranger Your Friend’ was produced by Colin Petersen with Robin present in the control room at Colin’s invitation. Despite contractual limitations, Robin may be singing on the chorus together with Mick Taylor, Klaus Voorman, Madeleine Bell, three members of the Family Dogg, Jackie Lomax, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, and others.

Ringo Starr : Sentimental Journey
UK: Apple, March 1970; US: Apple, March 1970.

BYE BYE BLACKBIRD

Bee Gees : single
UK: Polydor, March 1970.

A I O I O
B SWEETHEART

Bee Gees : single
US: Atco, March 1970.

A IF ONLY I HAD MY MIND ON SOMETHING ELSE
B SWEETHEART

Bee Gees : single
US: Atco, April 1970.

A I O I O
B THEN YOU LEFT ME

Atlantic at first went for a different A side, but as soon as it did not take off, issued a second single with the Polydor choice, which also did nothing. The situation was little better in Britain, where Barry and Maurice actually did some limited promotion together for their forthcoming album, even though the Bee Gees were through.

Bee Gees : Cucumber Castle
UK: Polydor, April 1970; US: Atco, April 1970.

A 1 IF ONLY I HAD MY MIND ON SOMETHING ELSE
A 2 I O I O
A 3 THEN YOU LEFT ME
A 4 THE LORD
A 5 I WAS THE CHILD
A 6 I LAY DOWN AND DIE

B 1 SWEETHEART
B 2 BURY ME DOWN BY THE RIVER
B 3 MY THING
B 4 THE CHANCE OF LOVE
B 5 TURNING TIDE
B 6 DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER

This consistently good set of songs should have sold much better than it did, but by this date interest in the Bee Gees was waning. Five of the songs were marked as being from the television spectacular Cucumber Castle, and all the photographs on the front and back cover and inside gatefold are from it, but any marketing tie-in value was lost since the program had still not been shown.

Both sides of the year-old non-hit single ‘Tomorrow Tomorrow’ were omitted, but since the second single was two songs from Cucumber Castle, they were in. Barry and Maurice had more songs that they could have used, but all of these are well chosen. ‘Bury Me Down by the River’ is probably the one to question, since it was in effect a cover of a P P Arnold single.

Maurice Gibb : single
UK: Polydor, April 1970; US: Atco, April 1970.

A RAILROAD
B I’VE COME BACK

The first Maurice Gibb single came close on the heels of the Bee Gees album. It did not chart.

CD: ‘Railroad’ on Tales from the Brothers Gibb. ‘I’ve Come Back’ has never appeared on CD.

Barry Gibb : single
UK: Polydor, May 1970.

A I’LL KISS YOUR MEMORY
B THIS TIME

CD: ‘I’ll Kiss Your Memory’ on Tales from the Brothers Gibb. ‘This Time’ has never appeared on CD.

Sing a Rude Song
UK: Polydor, May 1970

A 1 I’M IN A MOOD TO GET MY TEETH INTO A SONG
A 2 THAT’S WHAT THEY SAY
A 3 THIS TIME IT’S HAPPINESS
A 4 WHOOPS COCKIE!
A 5 IT WAS ONLY A FRIENDLY KISS
A 6 WHOOPS COCKIE! / WE’VE BEEN AND GONE AND DONE IT
A 7 HAVEN’T THE WORDS

B 1 YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO FALL IN LOVE AT FORTY
B 2 WAITING ON THE OFF CHANCE
B 3 WAITING FOR THE ROYAL TRAIN
B 4 I’M NOBODY IN PARTICULAR
B 5 WAVE GOODBYE
B 6 LEAVE ME HERE TO LINGER WITH THE LADIES
B 7 THE ONE AND ONLY
B 8 SING A RUDE SONG

The cast album of the show, produced by Maurice, with Maurice vocals on at least three numbers.

The Fut : single
UK: Beacon, 1970

A HAVE YOU HEARD THE WORD
B FUTTING

The infamous single by Maurice and Tin Tin, long credited as a Beatles outtake thanks to Maurice’ Lennon impersonation. The date of release is uncertain but was probably around the middle of 1970. The B side ‘Futting’ is an instrumental that has nothing to do with the A side.

CD: ‘Have You Heard the Word‘ on Maybe Someone is Digging Underground, Sanctuary (UK).

Maurice Gibb : The Loner
proposed, 1970

A 1 JOURNEY TO THE MISTY MOUNTAINS
A 2 THE LONER
A 3 PLEASE LOCK ME AWAY
A 4 I’VE COME BACK
A 5 SOLDIER JOHNNY
A 6 SHE’S THE ONE YOU LOVE

B 1 RAILROAD
B 2 LAUGHING CHILD
B 3 SOMETHING’S BLOWING
B 4 SILLY LITTLE GIRL
B 5 INSIGHT

This is probably the lineup for Maurice’s solo album, starting and ending with instrumentals and kicking off side 2 with the single. Had ‘Railroad’ been a success this would probably have been released in May.

Barry Gibb : The Kid’s No Good
proposed, 1970

A 1 BORN
A 2 ONE BAD THING
A 3 THE DAY YOUR EYES MEET MINE
A 4 HAPPINESS
A 5 PEACE IN MY MIND
A 6 CLYDE O’REILLY

B 1 I JUST WANT TO TAKE CARE OF YOU
B 2 I’LL KISS YOUR MEMORY
B 3 THE VICTIM
B 4 THIS TIME
B 5 WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT
B 6 MANDO BAY

This is probably the lineup for Barry’s solo album. Some sources switch the first and last songs. This might have been released in June, or it might have been held until a second single appeared later in the year. The title is not definite.

Robin Gibb : single
proposed, 1970.

A GREAT CAESAR’S GHOST
B ENGINES AEROPLANES

This is possibly a proposed Robin Gibb single. He mentioned the idea of ‘Great Caesar’s Ghost’ being a single at some date in 1970.

Robin Gibb : Sing Slowly Sisters
proposed, 1970

A 1 LIFE
A 2 I’VE BEEN HURT
A 3 IRONS IN THE FIRE
A 4 COLD BE MY DAYS
A 5 AVALANCHE

B 1 MAKE BELIEVE
B 2 ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
B 3 VERY SPECIAL DAY
B 4 SKY WEST AND CROOKED
B 5 SING SLOWLY SISTERS
B 6 C’EST LA VIE, AU REVOIR

This is possibly the lineup for Robin’s second solo album, based on two acetate LPs. But it may well be that no final lineup was ever made.

The Marbles : single
UK: Polydor, July 1970.

A BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
B I CAN’T SEE NOBODY

The Marbles’ third single in Britain, and their fourth in the rest of the world. The Bee Gees were not involved with either recording although of course the B side is a Bee Gees song from 1967. Outside Britain the B side was given to songs written by the Marbles, ‘Daytime’ in Europe and ‘Little Laughing Girl’ in the US.

The Marbles
US: Cotillion, August 1970.

A 1 I CAN’T SEE NOBODY
A 2 A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME
A 3 STORYBOOK CHILDREN
A 4 DAYTIME
A 5 BY THE LIGHT OF THE BURNING CANDLE
A 6 STAY WITH ME BABY

B 1 ONLY ONE WOMAN
B 2 TO LOVE SOMEBODY
B 3 BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
B 4 ELIZABETH JOHNSON
B 5 LITTLE LAUGHING GIRL
B 6 THE WALLS FELL DOWN

The Marbles’ album appeared in the United States and Germany just after their last single and shortly after the duo had broken up. It included three songs produced and partly performed by the Bee Gees: both sides of their first single, ‘Only One Woman’ / ‘By the Light of the Burning Candle’, and the A side of their second single, ‘The Walls Fell Down’. Those three were mono rechannelled to simulate stereo; the rest was real stereo.

The Bee Gees were not involved in recording the rest of the album. No producer was credited on the sleeve but Graham Bonnet’s web site names Gibson Kemp. Atlantic Records documents Jimi Horowitz as the arranger. The songs ‘I Can’t See Nobody’ and ‘To Love Somebody’ are of course Gibb-written songs from Bee Gees’ First. There were also two songs by Trevor Gordon, ‘Daytime’ and ‘Elizabeth Johnson’, and one by Graham Bonnet, ‘Little Laughing Girl’.

According to Graham Bonnet’s web site, some of the songs were unfinished or demo recordings that were sweetened to make enough for an album. If they were scrounging to find twelve songs, it’s odd that two of the single sides written for the Marbles by the Gibb brothers were left off. (They do appear on the CD reissue.)

After the Marbles, Graham Bonnet picked up vocal and acting jobs for a few years until his career took off in the later 1970s. He has recorded more than two dozen albums as a solo or band member. Trevor Gordon recorded one solo album, Alphabet, in 1970, which included his two Marbles compositions. He soon left show business and instead taught music for many years.

CD: All on The Marbles, Repertoire (UK), which also includes the single sides that were not on the LP.

Bee Gees : Inception / Nostalgia
Germany: Karussell, 1970; France: Triumph, 1970.

Inception
A 1 IN THE MORNING
A 2 LIKE NOBODY ELSE
A 3 DAYDREAM
A 4 LONELY WINTER
A 5 YOU’RE THE REASON I’M LIVING
A 6 COALMAN

B 1 BUTTERFLY
B 2 THE STORM
B 3 LUM-DE-LOO
B 4 YOU’RE NOBODY TILL SOMEBODY LOVES YOU
B 5 YOU WON’T SEE ME
B 6 THE END

Nostalgia
C 1 I’LL KNOW WHAT TO DO
C 2 ALL BY MYSELF
C 3 TICKET TO RIDE
C 4 I LOVE YOU BECAUSE
C 5 PAPERBACK WRITER
C 6 SOMEWHERE

D 1 THE TWELFTH OF NEVER
D 2 FOREVER
D 3 TOP HAT
D 4 HALLELUJAH I LOVE HER SO
D 5 TERRIBLE WAY TO TREAT YOUR BABY
D 6 EXIT, STAGE RIGHT

The strangest release in Bee Gees discography was a two-LP set that quietly found its way to store shelves in Europe in the second half of 1970. The contents were twenty-four previously unknown recordings from 1966. The label in Germany was Karussell and in France Triumph, both of them Polydor budget labels. The songs were all rechannelled into mock stereo. The album was available for just a short time.

Presumaby this set was a follow-on to the Rare Precious and Beautiful series and was considered to be covered under Polydor’s licensing agreement with Festival, but if so, why didn’t Festival release it, or Polydor in England?

The source of the recordings is one of the many unanswered questions. Whatever the source was, the number of recordings was probably greater than this, among them probably ‘All the King’s Horses’ (the only Bee Gees track Ronnie Burns sang to that is not here), and a few more band warmups (noted on the 1966 page). The first disk had the name Inception, the second Nostalgia, as if they had once been separate albums. The sound quality on all of them is not up to Ossie Byrne’s standard, so Polydor’s source was probably something other than studio master tape.

Inception / Nostalgia was long known to collectors as the rarest of all Bee Gees albums, and highly desirable because of all the songs found on no other album. Within a few years of release used copies were sold for over $700. Less wealthy collectors jumped on any significant reissue of any of the songs, which were as follows.

1972: Reissue of entire Inception / Nostalgia, Polydor (Japan).
1975?: 10 from Inception, 2 from Nostalgia, as an untitled disk Bee Gees, Impact (France). Issued twice in different covers, and some of the second run were imported into the US.
1975?: All of Inception as Seleccion Dorado, Polydor (South America). Reissued 1978? as Lo Mejor, RSO (South America).
1975?: 11 from Nostalgia as Popular, Polydor (South America). Reissued 1978? as Por Siempre, RSO (South America).
1978: 10 songs on a collection of Australian Bee Gees recordings, Birth of Brilliance, Festival (Australia). This was their first release in mono, but what mono copy Festival had is unknown.

Tin Tin
US: Atco, October 1970.

A 1 SHE SAID RIDE
A 2 SWANS ON THE CANAL
A 3 FLAG / PUT YOUR MONEY ON MY DOG
A 4 NOBODY MOVES ME LIKE YOU
A 5 TUESDAY’S DREAMER
A 6 ONLY LADIES PLAY CROQUET

B 1 FAMILY TREE
B 2 SPANISH SHEPHERD
B 3 HE WANTS TO BE A STAR
B 4 TOAST AND MARMALADE FOR TEA
B 5 COME ON OVER AGAIN
B 6 MANHATTAN WOMAN
B 7 LADY IN BLUE

Atco finally released the Tin Tin LP (see February 1970) in October, capitalizing on the Bee Gees connection. Their new single ‘Come On Over Again’ was inserted into side 2 in place of ‘Loves Her That Way’. Maurice produced all but ‘Come On Over Again’, and he plays on five songs.

In this form the album was released in Australia in 1971 under the title Toast and Marmalade for Tea.

Barry Gibb : single
proposed, 1970.

A ONE BAD THING
B THE DAY YOUR EYES MEET MINE

A proposed second Barry Gibb single, to be released around October 1970. Atco actually pressed some copies of it, collector’s items today. On it both songs are credited to Barry only, although they were written in 1969 as Bee Gees songs by Barry and Maurice. At the last minute it was decided to focus on a new Bee Gees release.

Bee Gees : single
UK: Polydor, November 1970; US: Atco, October 1970

A LONELY DAYS
B MAN FOR ALL SEASONS

The reunion single, both sides written by B R & M Gibb. In the US it reached number 3, their highest chart ever. Elsewhere it made Top Forty but was not a big hit. Atco released it a few weeks ahead because the Bee Gees were touring the US.

Bee Gees : 2 Years On
UK: Polydor, November 1970; US: Atco, October 1970.

A 1 2 YEARS ON
A 2 PORTRAIT OF LOUISE
A 3 MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
A 4 SINCERE RELATION
A 5 BACK HOME
A 6 THE FIRST MISTAKE I MADE

B 1 LONELY DAYS
B 2 ALONE AGAIN
B 3 TELL ME WHY
B 4 LAY IT ON ME
B 5 EVERY SECOND, EVERY MINUTE
B 6 I’M WEEPING

The reunion album, but with only three cuts written together. It’s interesting that none of the solo cuts from earlier in the year were used, no matter how good they were. Maurice is on all songs, but Barry and Robin only on the ones they wrote or co-wrote.

Some publicity material listed an alternate running order:

2 YEARS ON
LONELY DAYS
LAY IT ON ME
PORTRAIT OF LOUISE
MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
THE FIRST MISTAKE I MADE

I’M WEEPING
EVERY SECOND, EVERY MINUTE
SINCERE RELATION
BACK HOME
ALONE AGAIN
TELL ME WHY

George Harrison : All Things Must Pass
UK: Apple, November 1970; US: Apple, November 1970.

ISN’T IT A PITY

Maurice said he plays piano on one of the two versions of ‘Isn’t It a Pity’.

Vic Lewis : Classics My Way
UK: EMI, 1970.

PRELUDE: BEVERLY HILLS

The LP has four classical pieces by Prokofiev, Mahler, Shostakovich, and... Vic Lewis. The last item, ‘Prelude: Beverly Hills’, was arranged by Kenny Clayton and published by Robin Gibb Publishing. Despite the ample Robin Gibb connections— Robin’s manager, arranger, and publishing company— he does not seem to have been involved in creating this composition. It is listed here purely as an associated item.

Myrna March : single
US: King, 1970; US: Agape, 1971.

A TOUCH AND UNDERSTAND LOVE
B I CAN REMEMBER

The only release of Maurice’s ‘Touch and Understand Love’ was this little-known single recorded by country artist Myrna March on April 15, 1970. The label says that it was produced by Hal Neely and arranged by Bergen White (though it follows closely the arrangement of Maurice’s demo) and that it was recorded at Starday-King Studios, Nashville.

Copies on King appear to be from 1970 while the copies on Agape appear to be from 1971. Both were labels of Starday-King, an independent label specializing in country and rhythm and blues. How the song got to Nashville is likewise unknown.

Some discographies list ‘Touch and Understand Love’ as the B side, but a promo copy on King has ‘Touch and Understand Love’ on both sides, and a rare stock copy on Agape has ‘Touch and Understand Love’ as the A side.