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Writer's picturePOPOLOGY® Networks

The Bee Gees

Updated: Jul 27, 2021



The Bee Gees are a music group formed in 1958, featuring brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful as a popular music act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers of the disco music era in the mid- to late 1970s. August 9, 1975 - The Bee Gees started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Jive Talkin', the group's second US No.1 it made No.5 in the UK. Largely recognized as the group's "comeback" song, it was their first US top-ten hit since "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" in 1971.

By 1975, the Bee Gees assembled a studio group consisting of Alan Kendall on electric guitar, Blue Weaver on keyboards and Dennis Bryon on drums. This combination, with Maurice Gibb on bass and Barry Gibb on rhythm guitar, recorded all the Bee Gees albums of the late '70s and also went on tour with the group. Recording for "JiveTalkin'" took place on 30 January and 2 February 1975. The scratchy guitar intro was done by Barry and the funky bass line provided by Maurice Gibb.



According to Maurice, while hearing this rhythmic sound, "Barry didn't notice that he's going 'Ji-Ji Jive Talkin' ', thinking of the dance, 'You dance with your eyes'...that's all he had...exactly 35 mph...that's what we got." He goes on to say, "We played it to Arif [producer Arif Mardin], and he went 'Do you know what "Jive Talkin' " means?' And we said 'Well yeah, it's, ya know, you're dancing.' He says 'NO...it's a black expression for bullshitting.' And we went 'OH, REALLY?!? Jive talkin', you're telling me lies...' and changed it". Maurice goes on to describe how Arif gave them "the groove, the tempo, everything." Robin Gibb then goes on to mention that, because they were English, they were less self-conscious about going into the "no-go areas", referring to musical styles that were more black in styles, etc. He then said: We didn't think that there was any 'no go' areas, it's music!

The original studio version was included on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, as it was used in a scene that was cut from the final film. Later pressings of the album used the live version of "Jive Talkin' " from the Bee Gees 1977 album, Here at Last... Bee Gees... Live, due to contractual distribution changes. The CD version restores the use of the studio version.



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Joe Rey
Joe Rey
Jul 28, 2021

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Joe Rey
Joe Rey
Jul 09, 2021

The Bee Gees are a music group formed in 1958, featuring brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful as a popular music act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers of the disco music era in the mid- to late 1970s.


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