"Don't Forget To Remember" ~ The Bee Gees Album By Album Thread

Welcome to "Don't Forget To Remember" ~ The Bee Gees Album By Album Thread. As far as I can tell from doing a search, there has been no other attempt to cover the work of the Brothers Gibb here in this forum.

Approximately once a week I will post a new album and any comments would be appreciated. The first album is obscure so there may not be many comments but hopefully that will change as this thread continues on.

 

************
From: wikipedia

November 1965

The Bee Gees Sing And Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs



Recorded June 1963 - October 1965
Festival Studio, Sydney, Australia
Genre Rock, rock and roll, psychedelic rock, raga rock, acoustic rock, folk rock, country, gospel, oldies
Length 35:18
Label Leedon Records
Calendar Records (1966 reissue)
Producer Bill Shepherd
Robert Iredale (other songs)

The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs is the Bee Gees' debut LP (1967's Bee Gees' 1st was the international debut album), released under the artist title "Barry Gibb & the Bee Gee's [sic]". It was released in November 1965 on the Australian Leedon label.

History:

Only five new songs were recorded for the album; "I Was A Lover, A Leader Of Men," "And The Children Laughing," "I Don't Think It's Funny," "How Love Was True," and "To Be Or Not To Be." Barry had more than enough unrecorded songs for an all new-LP, but the rest of the album was instead made up of nine lesser-known singles. Bill Shepherd put the songs into a satisfying playing order.
Recording

Instrumentally, Barry plays rhythm guitar, and Maurice probably plays the other guitars, like the leads in "I Was A Lover, A Leader Of Men" and "How Love Was True", Whether Maurice managed to play the acoustic lead guitar in "I Don't Think It's Funny" or the fast piano in "To Be Or Not To Be" is less certain, The organ on "I Was A Lover, A Leader Of Men" and "And The Children Laughing" is either Robin or Maurice.

Release:

The name of the album has been hotly debated among discographers, who dislike untitled albums. The confusion begins with Festival Records' imaginative use of the apostrophe, which has in large letters BARRY GIBB & THE BEE GEE'S, and then in much small letters THE BEE GEES's SING & PLAY 14 BARRY GIBB SONGS.

The original issue of this LP on Leedon is extremely rare. Even the reissue in 1967 on the Calendar label is rarely seen Australia. This album package was not issued elsewhere and has never been issued on CD, although all of the songs have been reissued many times on different compilations of Australian-only songs.

Contents:

It is basically a compilation of most of the Gibb brothers' singles that had been released over the previous three years in Australia, which accounts for the many different styles of music on it. Earlier tracks like "Peace of Mind" "Claustrophobia", and "Could It Be" are in the Merseybeat vein that was popular throughout 1964, while later singles like "Follow the Wind" and "And the Children Laughing" reflect the more folky sounds of the summer of 1965. Of the new tracks that were recorded specifically for the album, "To Be or Not To Be" was probably the biggest departure, being a blues-based hard rocker.

Track listing:

All songs written and composed by Barry Gibb.

Side 1:
Title - Lead vocals - Time
1. "I Was A Lover, A Leader Of Men" - Barry Gibb - 3:35
2. "I Don't Think It's Funny" - Robin Gibb- 2:52
3. "How Love Was True" - Robin - 2:12
4. "To Be Or Not To Be" - Barry and Robin - 2:10
5. "Timber!" - Barry - 1:46
6. "Claustrophobia" - Barry - 2:14
7. "Could It Be" - Barry - 2:03

Side 2:
1. "And The Children Laughing" - Barry - 3:20
2. "Wine and Women" - Barry and Robin - 2:52
3. "Don't Say Goodbye" - Barry - 2:23
4. "Peace of Mind" - Barry - 2:20
5. "Take Hold of That Star" - Barry - 2:38
6. "You Wouldn't Know" - Barry and Robin - 2:06
7. "Follow The Wind" - Robin and Barry - 2:07

Personnel:

Barry Gibb - vocals, guitar
Robin Gibb - vocals, organ
Maurice Gibb - vocals, lead guitar

Charts:
Album:
FC
Singles:
Mar 1963 (AUS) 98
A: The Battle of the Blue and the Grey
B: The Three Kisses of Love (non album single)
Jul 1963 (AUS) 75
A: Timber!
B: Take Hold of That Star
Feb 1964 (AUS) FC
A: Peace of Mind
B: Don't Say Goodbye
Aug 1964 (AUS) FC
A: Claustrophobia
B: Could It Be

Coming Next: Spicks And Specks

 

I pretty much only know the singles from the early years. It wasn't till the "disco" years till I heard a full album of theirs.

 

Cannot believe one of these has not been done on the Gibbs.
Will you be including singles or just albums?

Darryl

 

I will try to cover both. Members can help me out and let me know if I miss something. Apparently, there is a lot of variation in Bee Gees releases from country to country.

 

Wow! I'm in heaven with this thread.

I know little about their early Australian-only output though, except for Spicks and Specks, which was a big hit in New Zealand.

 

I have a few editions of their pre-1967 output, vinyl and CD both. I would say the best songs are Claustrophobia and Cherry Red, but I'm also partial to I Don't Know Why I Bother With Myself and Follow The Wind. I'm not a huge fan of Spicks and Specks, but Status Quo did a killer cover on the Picturesque Matchstickable Messages ... LP.

 

Earliest Bee Gees music I have is the comp CD Glasshouse, which has "Claustrophobia" and some early singles like "The Battle Of The Blue And Grey" and "Three Kisses Of Love." I probably play it less than any other Bee Gees record I own except for High Civilization. They really got much better real fast!

The standout on Glasshouse for me is a cover of Arthur Alexander's "Everyday I Have To Cry," which sounds more like the Bee Gees from their first English/Robert Stigwood album than any of their self-written songs. Very glum but holds your attention. You get the feeling they were still working the club circuit and just dipping into the pop scene for the odd musical texture.

 

It's out of print now but Festival (Australia) put out a fantastic double cd called Brilliant From Birth in the late 90s. Contains the above album and all their other early recordings, including Beatles covers, early version of In The Morning and many fine Barry Gibb compositions. I especially love Monday Rain, Coalman, Exit Stage Right. A must have release for those who love everything the Bee Gees did, especially the incredible 60s songs.

Before they left for England in 1967, Barry Gibb was the first local songwriter to have his songs recorded by other Australian singers...both wellknown and unknown.

 

Wine And Women is the keeper from their Australian debut. Great track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoMGGxWKYKI

 

Lol, get some of this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=g21KaX4NGY4

 

Ed Bishop started one some years back and they are still here to read:
Part 1: 1963-1974
Part 2: 1975-present

 

Sorry, I did a search with the words "Bee Gees Album By Album" so that is why I missed that one.

Anyway, that one is several years old. So, you all let me know if you want this thread to continue.

 

Keep it going Sir!

 

It's always good to do these things more than once, especially as members come and go and opinions and popular consensuses are always in flux. Not to mention, hopefully, back catalogs being updated with new deluxe editions from time to time!

 

Love this first album, I actually listen to it quite a lot. How Love Was True, Take Hold Of That Star, and Follow The Wind are my personal favorites.

 

Continue. As an Aussie, the Bee Gees were important in my life in the mid '60s to early '70s.

 

What a good idea for a thread! I have many gaps in my collection but I'll be interested in reading about albums I don't have and I'll be able to particpate as we go along.

 

This album (like the followup Spicks and Specks/Monday's Rain) are incredibly rare to find...even see. Unless you want to spend hundreds of dollars on them, few, if any, pop up. I've been buying records since 1976 and have never seen either album. They are the only Bee Gees records I don't have.

I think the powers that be at Festival put together a pretty conservative album of singles, dating back a couple of years across a few early 60s styles that makes this record more of a compilation than an actual 'debut' album of more current songs. Their next addressed this (recorded over a couple of months in 1966).

Still, it's fascinating to hear Barry's development as a songwriter and a joy to hear the brothers harmonise together...it is a real joy to hear these young teenagers plainly enjoying what was to become a lifetime activity/career.

 

I've heard this material on Brilliant from Birth so I've never heard it in the 'proper' sequence. But I do enjoy this period of their career. A few songs sort of blend in with each other, but there are some that just have exceptional hooks. From this album the one that really stands out for me is "Wine and Women."

 

The release of "Bee Gee's sing and play 14 Barry Gibb songs" was in response to the success of that single as it was there most significant chart success until the release of Spicks & Specks.

 

Absolutely brilliant idea for a thread!

I love each and every Bee Gees LP - not a weak one in the bunch for me as I believe Barry never lost the ability to write a great melody.

Before the release of this album, The Bee Gees released quite a few singles (and an EP) and this was a way of gathering up all of Barry's originals released under the Bee Gees name up to that point (minus the first single "The Battle Of The Blue And The Grey"/"The Three Kisses Of Love").

I find this early material fascinating for many reasons (especially considering how young Barry was at the time). Taking the standard 50's chord progressions and ALREADY doing something original with them, Barry and the boys were unique from the start.

All of the first album is available on CD (with the exception of "You Wouldn't Know" which has it's ending chopped off early on "Brilliant From Birth") and there are MANY other Barry Gibb songs from this time that were given to other artists (and many feature the brothers singing backup) much of which are available on the fantastic CD "Assault The Vaults".

This album can lift me out of a bad mood every time!

Here is that EP -

 

Is any of their Australian material in PD?
Seems every time I turn around,
there is a budget label issue with some of the Australian material.

Darryl

 

I don't know this pre 1st album stuff. Looking forward to this discussion

 

They have always been the property of Festival (which is now part of Warner Music Group). Many of the 80s and 90s compilations issued in Europe had less than stellar source material, even using mock stereo vinyl to master from, so they are questionable. There might have been some law in said country that made it legal but I couldn't know for sure.

I've seen some recent comps on iTunes with some serious tape speed issues, how the fudge they are allowed on there is beyond me.