•
Rating:
After the almost unnoticed yet excellent debut of 1965, the Bee Gees began to make a name for themselves the following year with the album "Spicks And Specks": the style, though at times quite rough and with some stylistic slips, is already more mature, varied, and personal; the beautiful title track becomes a huge hit in Australia, and with the interest of figures like Brian Epstein and Robert Stigwood, the doors to the international market open for the Gibb brothers. 1967, the time is ripe, Barry, Robin, and Maurice are authentic powerhouses of ideas and sounds, they have now perfected their sound, and the great opportunity will be seized in the best possible way.
Simple yet refined melodies, wonderfully effective and evocative, light and dreamy atmospheres, delicate psychedelic influences, and practically omnipresent orchestral arrangements, at times baroque without ever being pompous and redundant: these are the defining traits of the dazzling international debut of the Bee Gees: 1st by name, 3rd in fact, the album is driven to appreciable commercial success by singles like "To Love Somebody", a passionate ballad with almost soul tones, which already anticipates the style of the subsequent albums "Horizontal" and "Idea" and especially two masterpieces like "New York Mining Disaster 1941" and "Holiday". The first tells in the first person the emotions and hopes of a miner trapped underground, showing a photo of his wife to a colleague; with an almost folk/singer-songwriter style, it creates a strong sense of empathy and participation, while the second is pure psychedelic pop: organ, music box, orchestrations, choirs, dreamy and melancholic singing, liquid atmospheres that seem to come out of a dream.
With singles of such quality, the rest of the album could have been mere filler as often happened at the time, yet it is here that "Bee Gees 1st" makes a difference: every song is a surprise, a little invention; the light of inspiration shines throughout the album, the almost epic neoclassicism of "Turn Of The Century", "Close Another Door”, where beat and psychedelia chase each other, the cheerful folk divertissement "Red Chair Fade Away", the fascinating baroque pop of "Cucumber Castle", the delightful British-styled piano-pop of "Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy", the sinister Gregorian choirs that intersperse the enigmatic "Every Christian Lion-Hearted Man Will Show You", reminiscences of youthful beat ("In My Own Time", "Please Read Me") and suggestive ballads ("One Minute Woman", "I Can't See Nobody").
Even while continuing to produce excellent albums in the following years, the Gibb brothers would never again reach such heights: this album imbued with style, inspiration, elegance, and creativity will remain the most precious gem of their career, as well as one of the greatest masterpieces of pop music, even ahead of the Beatles' "Abbey Road" and the Kinks' "Village Green Preservation Society". A marvel to rediscover.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 Holiday (02:57)
Ooh you're a holiday , such a holiday
Ooh you're a holiday , such a holiday
It's something I thinks worthwhile
If the puppet makes you smile
If not then you're throwing stones
Throwing stones, throwing stones
Ooh it's a funny game
Don't believe that it's all the same
Can't think what I've just said
Put the soft pillow on my head
Millions of eyes can see
Yet why am I so blind
When the someone else is me
It's unkind, it's unkind
de de de de de de de de de de de de de
de de de de de de de de de de de de de
Yet millions of eyes can see
Yet why am I so blind
When the someone else is me
It's unkind, it's unkind
Ooh you're a holiday , ev'ry day , such a holiday
Now it's my turn to say , and I say you're a holiday
It's something I thinks worthwhile
If the puppet makes you smile
If not then you're throwing stones
Throwing stones , throwing stones
de de de de de de de de de de de de de de
07 Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy of Arts (02:20)
He smiled and rubbed the stubble on his chin
He sure shall find the weariness and dreariness of life that's growing thin
Yet he didn't have so very far to go
With a pencil in his hand he will travel on as planned
With a mere step in the mountain to a light
Craise Finton Kirk, see him go, on his way
Oh they don't know where he is
Very very nice, very very nice
Even in the morning when he slept
Something odd is missing
There's nothing very much to talk about
And nothing very much to see
Craise Finton Kirk, see him go, on his way
oh they don't know where he is
Very very nice, very very nice
Talks about the place he'd like to go
And you never see the worrying and hurrying and that makes a person slow
Yet you wouldn't think he'd be so hard to find
Yet he looks so very busy but there's nothing on his mind
And his wavy hair continues not to grow
Craise Finton Kirk, see him go, on his way
oh they don't know where he is
Very very nice, very very nice
Craise Finton Kirk, see him go, on his way
Oh they don't know where he is
Very very nice, very very nice
08 New York Mining Disaster 1941 (02:13)
Verse 1:
In the event of something happening to me
There is something I would like you all to see
It's just a photograph of someone that I knew
Chorus:
Have you seen my wife, Mr. Jones?
Do you know what it's like on the outside?
Don't go talking too loud, you'll cause a landslide,
Mr. Jones.
Verse 2:
I keep straining my ears to hear a sound
Maybe someone is digging underground
Or have they given up and all gone home to bed?
Thinking those who once existed must be dead?
Chorus:
Have you seen my wife, Mr. Jones?
Do you know what it's like on the outside?
Don't go talking too loud, you'll cause a landslide,
Mr. Jones
Verse 3 (repeat of verse 1):
In the event of something happening to me
There is something I would like you all to see
It's just a photograph of someone that I knew
Chorus:
Have you seen my wife, Mr. Jones?
Do you know what it's like on the outside?
Don't go talking too loud, you'll cause a landslide,
Mr. Jo - o - o - o - ones
09 Cucumber Castle (02:06)
There were the trees, see the grass, a thing gets inspired.
Said "This is the place I will try," and he did.
Stood in the dark ,sat a man who beckoned him in,
But leaving his grass was a sin, but he did.
Cucumber Castle be ever so humble it's home.
He saw the light in the cellar reflect in his eyes,
Yet early that morning was he to receive a surprise.
Cucumber Castle be ever so humble it's home.
Cucumber Castle be ever so humble it's home.
Said 'Are you leaving or are you receiving my friend,
Doest need any money till then" and he did .
He said "I'm the owner,not you, and this is my stead,
So give it to me now I'm dead, and he did , said:
Cucumber Castle be ever so humble it's home.
Cucumber Castle be ever so humble it's home.
12 I Can't See Nobody (03:47)
I walk the lonely streets; I watch the people passing by.
I used to smile and say hello. Guess I was just a happy guy.
Then you happened,girl, this feeling that posessses me.
I just can't move myself. I guess it all just had to be.
(Chorus)
I can't see nobody...no, I can't see nobody.
Mine eyes can only look at you...you.
I used to have a brain; I used to think of many things.
I watched the falling rain and listened to the sweet birds sing.
Don't ask me why, little girl. I love you and that's all I can say.
You're ev'ry ,ev'ry breath I take.You are my nights; my night and day.
(chorus...)
Every single word you hear...is coming from this heart of mine.
I never felt like this before...a love like yours so young and fine.
And now as I try to forget you...it doesn't work out any way.
I loved you such a long time ago...but in my eyes you'll always be.
Every single word you hear...is coming from this heart of mine.
I loved you such a long time ago...don't know why...
And I don't know why...baby...
(chorus...)
(chorus...)
13 Please Read Me (02:19)
Many years ago I was a simple man
A simple man, no worries me;
I never lied
Please read me.
Not much conversation ever came from me,
I never saw reality;
I never tried.
Please read me.
Ah....
Maybe I've been lying on your couch too long
I'll stay if you can see me through, explain why
Please read me. Please read me. Please read me.
Loading comments slowly
