- Vinyl
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Import
- Label: Import
- ASIN: B004011SVK
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I don't have this CD however I do have a rather wonderful, scratchy, double 'Best of the Bee Gees' LP. Included on the album are all of the above songs and what a bundle of gems they are. Forget the white disco sensation that the Bee Gees are [quite rightly] famed for, it's a far far cry from these beautifuly arranged, melodic and harmonious songs. With influences from the Beatles et al, the Brothers Gibb wrote some heavily soulful songs showing the early signs that they ARE to be reckoned with the best of our songwriters. Whilst the music and harmonies are glorious the lyrics are curiously unusual and not a little moribund - I started a joke//Which started the whole world crying//But I didn't see//That the joke was on me//I started to cry//Which started the whole world laughing//If only I'd seen//That the joke was on me//Til I finally died//Which started the whole world living. - perhaps indicating this was not a case of simple throw-away pop that was standard for that age. These songs have more that withstood the test of time, remaining as stunning today as they surely must have been at release. The Bee Gees went on to re-invent themselves several times with outstanding results [sometimes] and always with their trademark harmonic singing, but it's these tunes,I feel, that remain a testament to their outstanding [if oft mocked] talent.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a straight re-issue of their earliest hits compilation, containing most of their UK hits up to mid-1969. It stops just too soon to include either Saved by the bell (a Robin Gibb solo) or Don't forget to remember (my favorite Bee Gees song) but the can be found on volume 2
Their impact on the American charts in this period was somewhat patchy, but most of these reached the UK top ten, while Massachusetts and I've gotta get a message to you both topped the British charts. To love somebody was a huge UK hit for Nina Simone. On this collection, my favorite is First of May but Massachusetts, Words and World are not far behind. The songs cover a variety of themes - reflective songs, sad songs and even death songs. If you are looking for bright, cheerful music, you won't find a lot here.
Death songs were common in the sixties – remember Leader of the pack (Shangri-Las), Terry (Twinkle) and Tell Laura I love her, just to name a few – so the Bee Gees were just carrying on the tradition by recording the two that appear on this album. I've gotta get a message to you is about a man facing execution, trying to pass a final message to somebody. New York mining disaster 1941 is actually about a disaster elsewhere in the world, but changed to obscure its identity – I believe it may really be about a coal tip that caused a landslide on to a school in Aberfan in 1966. The actual lyrics only refer to a man searching for his wife after the landslide, so the song could be applicable to any landslide disaster, anywhere in the world. If it was about Aberfan, I can understand why the Bee Gees didn't want to put it in the song title when they were still looking for their first UK hit and Aberfan was still topical. The song gave them their first hit, peaking at twelve in the British charts.
The remainder of the album, though often reflective or sad, is not really that depressing. Massachusetts, for example, has brilliant, atmospheric music, so you may not take any notice of the lyrics.
There are many excellent songs here although many of them can be found on later compilations that also cover later aspects of their career. Great as they are, it is sometimes nice to be able to focus on one aspect of their career – in this case their sixties music. We still await a definitive collection of their folk-pop music but until then we have this and Best of Bee Gees volume 2.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Released in 1969 when the three brothers were in the midst of a breakup, this collection represents not just the singles, but the very best they had to offer from four albums. While most of the songs are culled from "Bee Gees 1st" ("NY Mining Diaster 1941", "Holiday" and the much copied "To Love Somebody"), the rest are singles hits. There is the obvious omission of "Jumbo", a strange break in style for the group and the inclusion of their first international single "Spicks & Specks". When released as a CD, "Spick & Specks" was replaced by the overlooked ballad "Tomorrow, Tomorrow". So many artists have copied these songs it reaches into the hundreds and there is an urgency present that will make you nod your head in delight when you realize the incredible foresight that manager Robert Stigwood possessed. In the CD transition, Polydor had remastered "Spicks & Specks" into stereo, but held it back. With so many songs to be chosen, it's a wonder that most albums of that period were limited to twelve songs or why this CD was limited as well. Regardless, it reflects a fresh, crisp blooming of genius that few knew at the time would reach so far.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Classic bee-gees
Bought as wedding anniversary present, better half 'in love' with Robin Gibb as a teenager. Had all the good tracks before they went bad and disco.
Published 8 months ago by M. C. Clifton
A BOUQUET OF EAR-CATCHING MELODIES
I borrow my title from the first part of the masterpiece of Todd Rundgren Something/Anything.
Actually that's perfectly the case : very gifted songwriters, more the tune than... Read more
Actually that's perfectly the case : very gifted songwriters, more the tune than... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Moonlight on the waters
A very little bit of the best
Disappointingly thin collection of the best to say the least which should really be a double CD. What is included is also NOT the really well known although there is a spattering.
Published on 6 Jan 2010 by Julian L. Halls
Good when they were younger
The Bee Gees were always far better when they first came into our lives. This 'Best Of' album thankfully excludes all the high pitched disco rubbish and instead concentrates of... Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2009 by Mr. Alfred A. Blackler
Brothers Gibb at their brilliant best!
I purchased this album back in the day on a vinyl album. The Bee Gees have stayed the course for a multitude of reasons not least because they are sensational songwriters and that... Read more
Published on 20 July 2009 by Mr. A. Craddock
The Best Of Bee Gees Vol 1
My parents have the original LP which i played many a time from the late 60s, so i was pleasantly suprised to see this exact picture for the CD taken from the original cover LP -... Read more
Published on 19 Nov 2008 by S. Bromley
Superb 'Pre-Disco' Bee Gees!
This is a superb compilation of Bee Gees songs from the sixties-each a gem.I never liked their 'disco' era and although some of the songs from that time were good, they never... Read more
Published on 28 April 2006 by Michael Bermingham
The magic of 60s pop
This 1969 collection by the Bee Gees proves that the 60s was the golden age of pop. Unlike most of today's chart fodder, this music has real emotional depth and originality. Read more
Published on 30 Sep 2003 by Pieter
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