With threat of rain for Friday evening, a threat I take seriously given Barry Gibb is playing the outdoor shed Jones Beach and I have intention whatsoever of sitting around getting soaked for hours on end, and therefore may miss a gig I’ve been zooming on for months now, it seemed like a good time to check out the set list…
1. Jive Talkin’ – What’s interesting is that this disco beat was released TWO YEARS before Saturday Night Fever (as was “Nights On Broadway”). Good disco but not quite there – B+
2. You Should Be Dancing – This couldn’t be better, a template for disco only ever equaled by Moroder and not by much. The twangy bass is storming – A
3. Lonely Days – 1970 and a psychedelic drag of a pop song, sounds like solo McCartney circa 1973 – C+
3. Our Love (Don’t Throw It All Away) – Andy Gibb’s death is a tragedy, if you liked Andy Gibb – C
4. To Love Somebody – In the middle of the summer love, the boys came up with this spectacular worthy of Motown soul song – A+
5. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? – Prog pop ballad, powerful stuff – B+
6. Stayin’ Alive – The sound of New York City in the 70s, a time when nyc was both Sodom and Gomorroh – A
7. How Deep Is Your Love? – The greatest disco ballad of them all and an existential question for the ages – A
8. On Time – Shopwing their depth, here is a lousy blues beat number – C+
9. I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You -If the Bee Gees were to the Beatles what Sydney was to London, here is where they stepped into their own three part harmonies -B+
10. Morning Of My Life – In which the band turn into Peter, Paul And Mary – D+
11. New York Mining Disaster 1941 – The classic Bee Gees, put down the template they wouldn’t change till Main Course – B
12. Run to Me – Great song, an early classic lead off track from their 72 album – A-
13. I’m on Fire – I haven’t head it, but it hits me as a bad idea. Just heard it and it works (see below), the oo ooos are fabulous – A+
14. Spirits (Having Flown) – The beginning of the end of Bee Gees supergroup – B-
15. You Win Again – No, not that one – C-
16. With the Sun in My Eyes – This is the Bee Gees as the birthers of prog pop – C
17. I Started a Joke – Another big song for the band – B+
18. Spicks and Specks – Real early, 1966, piano pop – C
19. Chain Reaction – A real good disco pop which ended up a hit for Diana Ross – This came on just now and I thought, geez Robin sounds like Diana Ross – A-
20. One – Their last great song, the album wasn’t much but this song is classic – A
21. Islands in the Stream – Works for me and how – A
22. Guilty – Barbra Streisand was never a great pop star, her forte was Broadway. This kinda sucks – C
23. Woman in Love – Ghastly – D+
24. Too Much Heaven – Superb horns to open this open hearted three part harmony disco ballad; reminds me of my youth – A
25. Nights on Broadway – Gateway drug to disco Bee Gees – B+
26. Night Fever / More Than a Woman – WHy the hell is segueing between two of their greatest moments? Inexcusible – A
27. Grease – It amazes me that theyw rote a disco song for the opening of a film that occurs in the 1950s and actually makes it stick – A
28. Immortality – Please, say goodbye – D+
29. Massachusetts – My geography teacher claimed it was about false teeth, mass of two sets. Squeers would’ve approved – B+
30. Ordinary Lives – Off one and a goodie with a nicely textured drum – B
31 Words – These guys were hit machines: miserable ballad – B+
32. Tragedy – Why end with this off Spirits. It’s a good song, and”the going home I just can’t make it all alone” makes sense I guess; damn good chorus – B+
