Customer Reviews

The Bee Gees - Their Greatest Hits: The Record

5 star:		(127)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

The Bee Gees (Brothers Gibb) have released several compilation albums; "Best of Bee Gees Vol 1", "Vol. 2" and "Bee Gees Greatest" which were primarily period pieces. Their "Tales..." Box Set was a complete and exhaustive collection of all of their hits and B-Sides plus some rarities, but only went to 1990. This collection is the first one to address ALL of their big singles including versions formerly only recorded by other artists.

In some cases, critics have arguable compared this to the "Beatles I" released last year. It's not far off. Containing no less than (19) #1 hits written by the Bee Gees and (11) of these recorded by them, it is an impressive set. None of the other songs fell below the Top 30 either in the USA or Europe; an excellent gauge to choose the best singles from well over 50 choices.

The Bee Gees own versions of hits recorded by others fare well enough, but lack the exhuberance of the originals. "Emotion" doesn't reach the heights of Samantha Sang's or Destiny's Child's versions and "Immortality", unfortunately sounds like a demo. Only "Islands In The Stream" really kicks in with Robin leading an R&B version of the song that proves it was originally intended as soul, not just Country.

However, if this is the worst one can find in this remarkable set of (40) songs, that is saying a lot. There is no better proof of the incredible songwriting and harmonizing talent the three Brothers exhibit so easily. This is sure to be a historic item in anyone's collection. Who knows. It may even outsell "Saturday Night Fever" (and it really ought to).

Trivia note: The European version of this collection has Barry Gibb singing the lead entry vocal on "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" and also includes the singles "My World" and "Jumbo" which were mysteriously omitted from the USA release.

It is probably accurate to say that those of us old enough to remember the original incarnation of the Australian supergroup "The Bee Gees" recall their singular vocal and harmonic sound and the string of smash hits they had in quick succession in the 1960s. Most of those original hits are included in this compilation of their early work, from an ethereal "Holiday" to a plaintive "Got To Get A Message To You". Indeed, they had a rapid succession of monster hits along the lines of favorites like "Words", "I Started A Joke", and "First Of May".

Really, then, until one listens to the CDS, it is easy to forget just how many times they rolled songs up to the top of the charts in that brief three or four year period. Of the twelve hits included here, my own personal favorite is, of course, "Massachusetts", but I also like "To Love Somebody", "New York Mining Disaster", and the strange but memorable "Every Christian Lion-Hearted Man Will Show You". Indeed, the Bee Gees (for Brothers Gibbs) cut a wide and special swath through the history of sixties pop music, and this album showcases their talent and their memorable lineup of hits.

When one adds the considerable catalogue of hits they added with their second incarnation during the disco craze of the 1970s, one begins to realize just how popular they were and how extravagant a cut at fame they actually had. All of this is in this album from "Staying Alive" to "How Deep Is Your Love", from "Night Fever" to "Too Much Heaven", the list of songs they made into instant hits goes on and on. Needless to say, I can heartily recommend this CD. Enjoy!

Say what you want about the Bee Gees, but the one thing that must be said is they have phenomenal writing talent. Their career in the business is nothing short of great. They've had hits in each of the past four decades. They've written for other artists. They stay true to their style to some extent, and so much more. This album alone proves just that. We begin at the start of their career with "New York Mining Disaster", and end off in the present with "Spicks and Specks". This 2 CD set is organized in chronological order of release, which is a nice touch, unlike what some other greatest hits albums do. Every Bee Gee hit that you can think of is included in this collection. From "Stayin' Alive," and "Jive Talkin'" to "How Deep Is Your Love" and "This Is Where I Came In." Other tidbits include "Islands In The Stream" of Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton fame and "Emotion." My favs include "Stayin' Alive," "Too Much Heaven," "Secret Love," "Alone," (which I forgot they sang), "Tragedy," and "This Is Where I Came In." This is a phenomenal collection to be blunt. I really recommend that it should be a part of your music collection. The Bees Gees have been a staple of the music scene for many years, and any collection is not a collection without something from the Bees Gees. Like they say with movies, if there is one greatest hit collection to get this season, let it be this one. I promise, you won't be disappointed. It would be a "tragedy" to be without it, and you surely don't want to be "alone" when it sells out, so pick it up...and soon!

Aside from the fact that this collection contains some of the best pop / r'n'b music ever to be commited to tape, all of the other reviewers have failed to mention the quite stunning remastering of these tracks.

The Record has been remastered to HDCD standard and as such it sounds absoloutely stunning. Even on non HDCD equipment. Never before have the Bee Gees sounded so crystal clear and sharp. Every single note, every single breath is here in all it's glory with levels of detail I swear you will never have heard before. And then some.

If only the rest of the catalogue could be given the same treatment!

In their nearly 40 years of music making, the Bees Gees have been lauded and maligned by the public and critics at various times in their career. One thing that could never be denied is their unerring talent for strong melodies and hooks. This new compilation drives that point home quite eloquently. "Their Greatest Hits-The Record" collects the best tracks from their previous three greatest hits compilations, including newly recorded versions of songs the brothers wrote and produced for other artists("Heartbreaker", "Islands In The Stream", "Immortality", "Emotion", etc...). Of course all the big hits from "New York Mining Disaster 1941", "Words", "I've Gotta Get A Message To You", "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", to their 70's era hits like "Stayin' Alive", "How Deep Is Your Love", "Too Much Heaven", and "Love You Inside And Out" are included. The best thing this package has going for it is the sound is a noticeable improvement over previous issues of this material. Bob Ludwig handled the remastering of this compilation. I was hoping for a bit more with actual packing and annotation, but just to hear these classic tracks in their best possible fidelity makes this compilation worth while. Highly recommended.

This is an incredible collection of superlative pop songs, but it has one significant drawback: by spending too much time on the hits of the 1960s and '70s -- eras well covered in previous compilations, including Bee Gees Greatest Hits volumes one and two, Gold and Greatest -- it leaves little room for the remarkable (and sadly overlooked) music the Bee Gees made in the 1980s and 1990s. Of the 43 songs on the two-disc set, only 10 were released after 1980 (and four of those were hits by other artists). Two entire albums, "Living Eyes" and the "Staying Alive" soundtrack, are ignored, while the remainder of the '80s and '90s albums are represented by only one hit each. That's a shame; the Gibbs could have easily filled an entire disc with fantastic music from the past 20 years: "Living Eyes," "The Woman in You," "E.S.P.," "Ordinary People," "Wish You Were Here," "Paying the Price of Love," "Happy Ever After," "The Only Love," "Closer Than Close" -- well, I could go on and on. That said, the Bee Gees' interpretations of songs popularized by other artists are truly enjoyable, particularly "Heartbreaker." The Gibbs have reinvented the song, and quite frankly it's never sounded better (and I really like Dionne Warwick's hit version, so that's saying something). A pseudo-reggae version of "Islands in the Stream," which also incorporates pieces of Pras' hip-hop cover, "Ghetto Supastar," is as unexpected as it is enjoyable. Less successful are the remakes of "Emotion" and "Immortality," hits by Samantha Sang and Celine Dion, respectively. The problem: Barry's voice has lost some of its range, a shortcoming that's all too apparent on these particular songs. (That may be one reason why "Heartbreaker" is so successful; the boys have brought it down an octave or so, and it sounds great!) Finally, with all these remakes, where is "Chain Reaction," a huge worldwide hit that deserves the magic Gibb touch?

Our musical roller coaster ride starts with the Bee Gees back in the sixties. Finely crafted lyrics, memorable melodies, lush orchestrations and beautiful harmonies characterize their ride up the charts. "New York Mining Disaster 1941" is a bold beginning, a moving story song rather than a typical love song. Of course, their love songs are anything but typical. I especially like the acapella singing near the end of the classic song "Words." Thanks for naming your song "Massachusetts" after my home State; it has always been a fan favorite around here. "Run To Me" in 1972 reaches the Bee Gees' first peak. Then the ride descends rapidly until 1975, with the release of the hit "Jive Talkin'." The so-called disco hits keep coming in rapid succession, as the roller coaster rapidly twists and turns. "Love You Inside Out," released in 1979, brings their most commercially successful era to a close.

In 1980, Barry Gibb and Barbra Streisand teamed up for the hit tune "Guilty." From that point on the ride starts slowing down, with the fine song "One" managing to make the charts in 1988. However, there are pleasures to be found with their later songs, even though they weren't hits in America. "For Whom The Bell Tolls," released in 1993, stands up well alongside their early hits. The four songs recorded in 2001 for this compilation, especially their moving version of "Emotion," proves that the Bee Gees' voices have lost none of their magic over the years. The ride comes to a stop with their earliest hit from 1966, the tuneful "Spicks And Specks." What a remarkable ride! Like the best roller coasters, I can't wait to ride it again and again!

The Bee Gees are simply beyond description. Never again will the world see a band of such unparalleled song writing ability and exquisite melody. The Bee Gees enthrall.
This 2 cd set gives us a sizeable serving of their career that has spanned 4 decades. Starting from obscurity in Australia, the Bee Gees would dominate the charts in the late seventies with 6 US number ones IN A ROW and 5 singles in the US top 5 at the same time! Neither Elvis or the Beatles did that!
Anyway I am digressing from describing this CD. All their major hits are here. The 6 MONSTER HITS from SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER are here of course (Jive Talkin', You Should be Dancing, Stayin' Alive, How Deep is Your Love?, Night Fever and More Than a Woman). However, the CD also includes many of their earlier hits in their soulful, more vocal-focused days such as the unbelievable "Words", "I Started a Joke" and the breathtaking "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart", their first US number 1. Their first forays into disco follow with "Nights on Broadway" and "If i can't have you". Then saturday night fever exploded. MORE THAN A WOMAN is my vote for the greatest song of ALL TIME. The song OOZES melody and is downright spine-tingling. Their falsetto voices immersed in majestic songwriting creates the benchmark for musical perfection.
Their post Saturday night fever days i believe were just as good. "Too much Heaven" is beyond description. How they get that high is beyond me....."I can see beyond forever.....love is such a beautiful thing....."
"Tragedy" is pure pop-disco perfection.
Proving they were not dead the Bee Gees exploded again in the late eighties with the magnificent "You Win Again" and "One" and again in the late nineties with "Alone". This is just testament to their timeless music that will undoubtedly capture new fans for generations to come. All in all this is by far the greatest CD i have ever owned. I would like to thank the Bee Gees for using music as a medium to change peoples lives. BUY THIS and you too will feel happy again......

"Dreams are made for those who really try......" ("Our Love")

This two cd hits collection from The Bee Gees represents over 30 years of their music. Originally a melodic soft rock band from the sixties then turning disco in the mid-seventies, The Bee Gees are one group that has diversity and style. Early songs such as "To Love Somebody" and "I've Gotta Get A Message To You" represent the songwriting talents of the Gibb Brothers. Many compare the Bee Gees to The Beatles which there are similarities in the terrific songwriting and harmonies they display. The Bee Gees popularity soared to gigantic proporations when The Bee Gees wrote and performed many of the songs for the disco soundtrack "Saturday Night Fever". Some die hards wrote them off as trying to cash in on the disco craze when actually this was some of their best music ever. How can you dislike songs like "More Than A Woman", "How Deep Is Your Love", "Stayin' Alive" or "Night Fever"? Great songs all. This collection contains songs all the way to 2001 - quite a nice collection indeed. Remastered with nice packaging make this collection a must have for Bee Gees,Disco or Rock fans alike. Highly recommended.

THIS IS A GREAT CD FOR THE COLLECTOR WHO LOVES THE BEE GEES. IT COVERS JUST ABOUT ALL THEIR MOST POPULAR MUSIC AND IS GOOD TO HAVE IF ONE WANTS TO HEAR THEM AT THEIR BEST.......