Who are these people?

Before I write and analyze their music, let’s understand who are the Bee Gees.

According to Wikipedia, The Bee Gees were a pop music group formed in 1958. Their lineup consisted of 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.

This Spotify playlist includes some of their greatest hits

What was so special about them?

What I like about the songs of the Bee Gees is the lead singer’s falsetto together with harmonies made by the three.

Also, I really like the compositions of some of their songs and how others are very upbeat and fun.

The Greatest Hits and Why They Work

Spicks and Specks – Their First Hit

This is the Bee Gees’ first international hit. As you can hear from it, it has lots of similarities to the popular Beatles songs from the first half of their career, and it is very happy and upbeat

New York Mining Disaster 1941

Did I say similar to the Beatles? I did, but I had no idea it would be like this.

The Disco Era

In 1970, after the brothers started their own solo careers but weren’t as successful as they were after “Spicks and Specks”, they reunited.

Their songs during this time were very danceable, upbeat and happy, something that made them some of the kings of disco.

Their success was so big at the time, that 4 of their songs were in the movie “Saturday Night Fever”, a movie I like to call a “time capsule” to disco.

This movie and “Grease” were some of the most beloved movies of the 1970s, with many catchy songs it’s really hard not to dance to.

The success of disco inspired Assi Dayan in his movie “שלאגר”, which was trying to capture this music’s magic with an Israeli twist, with songs composed by Svika Pick, the king of Israeli 70s music.

Staying Alive

This song, together with this opening scene, is one of the most iconic songs by the Bee Gees, if not the most popular of them.

It has lots of the ingredients to a great popular song:

• It is danceable
• It has a great hook that really catches you to the song
• The lyrics are simple to remember
• Barry’s voice is unique and funny
• It gives a really positive vibe and good feeling

Here’s how the movie “Airplane!” laughed at the disco cliches

The next songs have a few similarities, and they share some great reasons for their popularity:

• They are hella danceable
• The brothers’ voice and harmony really add to the songs’ happy vibe
• They are really upbeat
• Their lyrics are simple and talk about relatable topics like romance and dancing
• They all have great hooks, some of them are by the harmonies

so, let’s dance!

You Should Be Dancing

Tragedy

One of my personal favorites, and a song I used to loop a lot during my military service

More Than a Woman

Night Fever

Let’s Get Romantic

In addition to the dance floor hits, the Bee Gees were, in my opinion, experts in writing songs for another type of dance: the slow dancing.

Their voices aren’t all that falsetto in these specific songs, and Barry’s voice is smooth and gives a nice warm feeling, just like a good love song should.

Also, some of the compositions and the chord progressions make a really warm feeling in one’s heart.

Words

Nights On Broadway

How Deep is Your Love – My Creme De La Creme

This specific song made me stop thinking of the Bee Gees as just a disco band, but as great musicians and compositors.

Also, my parents slow danced to this song at their wedding.

I used to hear this song when I was young, but I didn’t know it was theirs and I was really surprised when I found out. It really made me appreciate this band.

This is, in my opinion, an amazing love song. The lyrics are very romantic but the melody is what hooked me into this song.

I don’t know how to explain it but it has some sort of magic that enchanted me. I really hold this song dear to my heart, and I might slow dance to it with my own significant other.