I reported several weeks back that he had lapsed into a coma, but a few weeks ago had come out of it, albeit weak and frail. Still he had hope to resume his career; his most recent endeavor being a classical music project with his son RJ.
Robin was the second Bee Gee to pass and the third Gibb brother overall. His twin brother in the band, Maurice, left us in 2003. Andy Gibb, a solo artist died of heart failure at age 30 in 1988. As I mentioned earlier, like Donna Summer, Robin and his band were giants in the Disco era, but those growing up with me really know that the band transcended the disco image and were around well before the shiny ball was hung up in the discotheques. They were a British band that emerged in the 1960's, and although they were not in the rock vein of such bands as the Rolling Stones, The Who, or even The Beatles (with whom much of their early material was compared to), they were consistent hitmakers. And arguably, Robin was responsible for a good amount of that early success. He was the original lead singer, and his voice is heard on many of those early hits, beginning with "New York Mining Disaster 1941", a top 20 hit in early summer of 1967. With Robin (along with Maurice, and lone survivor Barry, and two non-brothers in the original band), seven of their first eight songs hit the top 20, before internal troubles began to break the band apart in 1969, mostly due to arguments between Robin and Barry regarding singing lead.
Robin left the band in mid 1969, and not surprisingly, the chart fortunes declined, missing the top 20 with subsequent releases. And is it a coincidence that when Robin rejoined the group in late 1970, they scored four top 20 hits in five attempts? That includes their first #1 hit, the lush ballad "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart". But by 1973, the bands fortunes died again and they faded from the charts by the end of 1974.
But, great bands reinvente themselves, and the Bee Gees made one of the most remarkable comebacks during the summer of 1975; the funky "Jive Talkin'", which became their second number 1. Not only for the next four years did they dominate the charts, but they also provided much of the soundtrack to my college years; Bee Gees songs were often heard when creating some of my memories at Montclair State.
"Nights of Broadway" was a hit during what arguably was my best semester in college, the Fall of 1975, my sophomore year. That was followed by "Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)" in the winter of 1976. I had lived off campus in a private home, and a friend who did live in the dorms would go home for the weekend, and he'd let me stay in his room; his roommate having the radio on all night, in which "Fanny" would undoubtedly come on.
Those three songs were from their landmark Main Course set (produced by legend Arif Mardin; their follow-up Children of the World would created more memories...and more hits as well. Their foray into Disco, "You Should Be Dancing", was a hit of the bicentennial summer, where I stayed in the dorm on campus taking summer classes; the long version would be blaring on somebody's radio in the dorm's lobby. The title track reminded me of a weekend bus trip to Quebec City, plus two other singles "Love So Right" and "Boogie Child" just added to the experience.
And then came Saturday Night Fever. Disco had been popular for several years, but by 1977, many said it was dying. Until the movie, which starred John Travolta, came out, that is. The Brothers Gibb tore up the charts, with three of their own songs "How Deep is Your Love", "Stayin' Alive" and "Night Fever" hitting the top spot for countless weeks, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Another song "More Than A Woman" got a lot of airplay, and no doubt would have been a hit had they released it as well (it did become a minor hit for Tavares, whose version was also on the soundtrack). But they also wrote and/or produced others in that fertile early 1978 period: Yvonne Elliman's "If I Can't Have You" (also from SNF); Samantha Sang's "Emotion", and several hits by their younger brother Andy. It was the biggest chart domination since Beatlemania.
After their next album Spirits Having Flown sprawned three more number one hits, disco started "dying", this time for good. The genre would take the Bee Gees down with them and while their fellow disco artists also took a hit, their popularity in particular dropped; in fact they would have only one more top 10 hit, and that wouldn't come until 1989. The band did produce and write hits for others like Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick and Barbara Streisand, just to name a few, but the Bee Gees became the band everyone loved to hate. By the disco era, however, Barry Gibb was primarly the lead singer and became the frontman. Still, the public still had some love for Robin. He and Barry Gibb released solo albums in the early 1980's, 1984 in particular. Robin had a semi-successful single, "Boys Do Fall in Love", which equaled Barry's single "Shine Shine" (both reached #37 in 1984) despite more publicity for the eldest Gibb's song.
By the 1990's, sentiment turned back in favor of the Bee Gees. Even though they only had a couple of minor top 40 hits in that decade, their past music began to be appreciated again. Strangly enough, an endorsement came from the cartoon duo Beavis and Butthead, whose shtick was to "critique" music videos. While hair metal, synth pop, and much maligned artists like Michael Bolton and Vanilla Ice got most of the wrath from them, they were amazed by the Gibbs' "Jive Talkin'" ("who ARE these guys?"). Since then, the band has been pretty much respected for their entire output of work over the decades, and in 1997, they got inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, something which just a few years earlier seemed highly unlikely..
In 2003, Robin's twin brother Maurice had died, and at the time, Barry and Robin said they'd retire the Bee Gees name, but several years later they would perform again. Just recently before his coma, Robin and his son TJ had written a classical music peace. It would just show the world how versatile the Gibbs, and Robin, was. He will be missed.
RECORDS, WE HAVE RECORDS: Returning to the current chart, "Screws Get Loose" wins a hearty battle with Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" to retain the #1 spot for a sixth week. This breaks the record of five set by "What's In It For?" by Avi Buffalo set in September and October of 2010. Like that record, the song, by the Nashville trio Those Darlins, I got as a Brian Sniatkowski song of the week. I saw Brian last weekend, and the band as suggested to him by another friend, Craig Young, you had actually seen them play as well as talk to one of them. Now, it would be nice if I got to go, but it would also be great if they could somehow land on the national charts in the near future.
As a result, "Somebody...." stays at #2 for a TWELFTH week! It's very close to the top position, but now Ty Segall's "I Am Not A Game" and Electric Guest's "This Head I Hold" are just as close, as is the #5 song "Natural Disaster", by Dante vs Zombies. Any five of them could head the list next week.
Due to my previous blog coming on a Saturday and this one at the middle of this week, I really didn't get to listen to my current music much, so I relied on my Facebook friends to talk about them, and as it turned out several of them did post songs on my current SNS chart. And I, also, promoted Lady Antebellum's sentimental "Dancing Away With My Heart" on my hometown of Roselle Park's Facebook page; the song enters the top 10 at #8. There are no new entries in the Top 20 this week.
Some recommendations from friends resulting in upward movement come from Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, "That's What's Up: (54-41), the band was featured on David Letterman and friend Wendy Intili posted one of their videos; Linkin Park's new one, "Burn It Down" (58-42) got a post from Sue Briggs Baker after her son played it for her; Sue had already responded to a picture I posted of a red solo cup by posting the latest Toby Keith single of the same name; that one moves from #18 to #14. Train's "Drive By", now top 10 nationally, has reversed course, and moving up my chart again (67-52). Maria Rittenhouse posted that one, saying it was 'stupid' but loved it nonetheless.
SOMETHING IN THE WAY: The top debut this week at #83 is the new single from the LA band Best Coast; "The Only Place" is the title track from their new album released last week. The band had two top 10 hits on SNS last year "Something in the Way" (#5) and "Our Deal (#10). They'll be at the Orion Music Festival in Atlantic City on June 23 and 24. Allo Darlin' (no relation to Those Darlins), a twee pop outfit based in London, fronted by Elizabeth Morris, is next at #89 with Carpricornia. It's from their second full-length album Europe, released this year. No tour dates yet on this side of the Atlantic, but hopefully it's just a matter of time.
THE FUTURE IS 'BRIGHT': Colbie Caillat's "Brighter Than the Sun" re-enters my chart, more than half a year after it originally appeared. Her most recent album, All Of You has yielded three singles, of which "Brighter..." was the second. "I Do" reached #23 on Billboard, and #13 on SNS. The current single "Favorite Song", which hasn't yet charted on Billboard, drops here to #47 from a peak of #34. This song, however, #47 on the Hot 100 (and #2 on the Adult Top 40), only reached #70 here on SNS when released in 2011. The reason for the re-entry? A few factors. My wife Barbara has hummed the song several times on occasion; apparently the song is featured on the TV series "Smash" as performed by its star and former "American Idol" Katherine McPhee. And also, I have heard the song on the radio (both around here as well as on our recent vacation to South Carolina), more than her current single.
TROLLING IN THE DEEP (ALBUM CUTS): Finally, last week marked the first time since November, 2010 that there is no Adele song on the SNS 100. "One and Only", the seventh track from her 9-times-platinum album 21, dropped off the chart. Her fourth official single, "Rumour Has It", still stalling nationally at #16 which would break a string of three #1's from that album. That track did hit #1 here for a couple of weeks last June. Like the Caillat single above, we heard it a few times on our trip; there's a chance that it may re-enter. As for the prospect of adding any further tracks from the album, I will wait to see if there is a fifth single release. It may be "Turning Tables", although I may go for "He Won't Go". The phenomenon lives on!
ROSCOE-NOVA: This weekend is the annual Memorial Day Weekend camping trip with my buddies in Roscoe NY. As I did last year, I'll be reporting on music heard during the weekend. I'm sure, like last year, none of my currents will be much play (aside from when it's my turn as deejay), but there should be some interesting stuff to come out of the weekend. Stay tuned!
SCENES 'n' SOUNDWAVES 100 for Week of May 21, 2012:
This Week
| <><><><><><><><>
Last Week
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ARTIST-Title
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Weeks on List
|
1
|
1
|
THOSE DARLINS
"Screws Get Loose"
Album: Screws Get Loose
(6 weeks at #1)
|
11
|
2
|
2
|
Gotye f. Kimbra - Somebody That I Used to Know
|
18
|
3
|
4
|
Ty Segall & White Fence - I Am Not A Game
|
9
|
4
|
3
|
Electric Guest - This Head I Hold
|
12
|
5
|
5
|
Dante vs Zombies - Natural Disaster
|
10
|
6
|
8
|
Garbage - Blood For Poppies
|
9
|
7
|
9
|
Silversun Pickups - Bloody Mary
|
8
|
8
|
11
|
Lady Antebellum - Dancing Away With My Heart
|
9
|
9
|
12
|
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
THE SHINS
"The Rifle's Spiral"
Album: Port of Morrow
|
7
|
10
|
6
|
Miike Snow - Paddling Out
|
9
|
11
|
7
|
Fun. f. Janelle Monae - We Are Young
|
25
|
12
|
10
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - L.O.V.
|
11
|
13
|
16
|
The Decemberists - One Engine
|
7
|
14
|
18
|
Toby Keith - Red Solo Cup
|
9
|
15
|
17
|
Maroon 5 - Come Away To the Water
|
9
|
16
|
19
|
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - Never Go Back
|
6
|
17
|
14
|
E'lissa Jones - Best I Ever Had
|
12
|
18
|
15
|
The Rapture - How Deep is Your Love
|
19
|
19
|
13
|
The Black Keys - Gold On the Ceiling
|
17
|
20
|
20
|
Town Hall - Good Boy
|
8
|
|
21
|
37
|
MOVE OF THE WEEK:
METRIC
"Youth Without Youth"
Album: Synthetica
|
4
|
|
22
|
21
|
Dirty Heads - Spread Too Thin
|
10
|
|
23
|
23
|
Beach House - Myth
|
10
|
|
24
|
26
|
Jack White - Sixteen Saltines
|
7
|
|
25
|
29
|
Florence + the Machine - No Light, No Light
|
19
|
|
26
|
32
|
Marriages - Ride In My Place
|
8
|
|
27
|
22
|
Rachel Allyn- Ain't No Fun
|
23
|
|
28
|
28
|
Gary Clark Jr - Bright Lights
|
17
|
|
29
|
34
|
The Hives - Go Right Ahead
|
8
|
|
30
|
25
|
Young the Giant - Apartment
|
14
|
|
31
|
35
|
Eve6 - Victoria
|
10
|
|
32
|
38
|
The Wombats - Jump Into the Fog
|
11
|
|
33
|
24
|
Pageants - Edible Rust
|
19
|
|
34
|
44
|
Oberhofer - Away From You
|
5
|
|
35
|
27
|
Veronica Falls - Bad Feeling
|
18
|
|
36
|
30
|
Wild Nothing - Nowhere
|
17
|
|
37
|
33
|
Caveman - Old Friend
|
17
|
|
38
|
43
|
Lost n the Trees - Golden Eyelids
|
7
|
|
39
|
57
|
The Offspring - Days Go By
|
2
|
|
40
|
48
|
Snow Patrol - This Isn't Everything You Are
|
5
|
|
41
|
54
|
Edward Sharp & the Magnetic Zeros - That's What's Up
|
4
|
|
42
|
58
|
Linkin Park - Burn It Down
|
4
|
|
43
|
40
|
Haley Reinhart - Free
|
9
|
|
44
|
31
|
Nada Surf - Waiting For Something
|
16
|
|
45
|
61
|
Mayer Hawthorne - Henny and Gingerale
|
2
|
|
46
|
71
|
Florence + the Machine - Breath of Life
|
2
|
|
47
|
39
|
Colbie Caillat - Favorite Song
|
9
|
|
48
|
42
|
Grouplove - Tongue Tied
|
23
|
|
49
|
46
|
Norah Jones - Happy Pills
|
11
|
|
50
|
36
|
Jessie J - Domino
|
12
|
|
51
|
53
|
Zach Heckendorf - All the Right Places
|
6
|
|
52
|
67
|
Train - Drive By
|
19
|
|
53
|
41
|
My Morning Jacket - First Light
|
20
|
|
54
|
65
|
The Fray - Run For Your Life
|
5
|
|
55
|
56
|
Temper Trap - Need Your Love
|
7
|
|
56
|
70
|
Smash Palace - Living It Lonely
|
4
|
|
57
|
51
|
Florence + the Machine - Never Let Me Go
|
11
|
|
58
|
45
|
Omnia - Grace
|
23
|
|
59
|
50
|
Dr. Dog - That Old Black Hole
|
18
|
|
60
|
69
|
Fun. - Some Nights
|
8
|
|
61
|
49
|
The Cranberries - Tomorrow
|
21
|
|
62
|
47
|
E'lissa Jones - Sweet Surrender
|
14
|
|
63
|
52
|
Cloud Nothings - Stay Useless
|
16
|
|
64
|
83
|
Maroon 5- Payphone
|
2
|
|
65
|
90
|
Graffiti6 - Stare Into the Sun
|
2
|
|
66
|
87
|
Chromatics - Kill For Love
|
4
|
|
67
|
55
|
Sarah Jean - At Last
|
17
|
|
68
|
80
|
Gotye - Eyes Wide Open
|
5
|
|
69
|
82
|
Foo Fighters - Bridge Burning
|
5
|
|
70
|
63
|
Atlas Sound - The Shakes
|
24
|
|
71
|
79
|
Tanlines - All of Me
|
7
|
|
72
|
62
|
Santigold - Disparate Youth
|
13
|
|
73
|
64
|
Keane - Silenced by the Night
|
9
|
|
74
|
77
|
Mayer Hawthorne - The Walk
|
32
|
|
75
|
78
|
The Big Pink - Hit the Ground Superman
|
7
|
|
76
|
59
|
Bush - Baby Come Home
|
17
|
|
77
|
66
|
Snow Patrol - New York
|
21
|
|
78
|
68
|
Sharon Van Etten - Serpents
|
23
|
|
79
|
72
|
Lana Del Ray - Born To Die
|
8
|
|
80
|
74
|
Twin Atlantic - Free
|
7
|
|
81
|
86
|
Alabama Shakes - Hold On
|
10
|
|
82
|
89
|
Morning Parade - Headlights
|
4
|
|
83
|
----
|
TOP DEBUT:
BEST COAST
"The Only Place"
Album: The Only Place
|
1
|
|
84
|
60
|
Leila - Black and White
|
12
|
|
85
|
75
|
Ingrid Michaelson - Ghost
|
15
|
|
86
|
96
|
Alex Clare - Too Close
|
2
|
|
87
|
73
|
Islands - Hallways
|
14
|
|
88
|
76
|
Tennis - Origins
|
20
|
|
89
|
----
|
Allo Darlin - Capricornia
|
1
|
|
90
|
92
|
Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw - Feel Like A Rock Star
|
4
|
|
91
|
----
|
M83 - Reunion
|
1
|
|
92
|
88
|
Cage the Elephant - Always Something
|
13
|
|
93
|
----
|
Passion Pit - Take A Walk
|
1
|
|
94
|
95
|
Julia Holter - In the Same Room
|
8
|
|
95
|
84
|
Kellie Pickler - 100 Proof
|
7
|
|
96
|
99
|
Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
|
22
|
|
97
|
----
|
NeedtoBreathe - Keep Your Eyes Open
|
1
|
|
98
|
91
|
The All American Rejects - Bee Keepers Daughter
|
10
|
|
99
|
----
|
Colbie Caillat - Brighter Than the Sun
|
10
|
|
100
|
85
|
Delta Spirit - California
|
13
|
