Tales from the Brothers Gibb

Tales from the Brothers Gibb: A History in Song
Box set by Bee Gees
Released 13 November 1990
Recorded March 1967 – November 1989
Genre Rock, baroque rock, soft rock, R&B, disco, adult contemporary
Length 271:30
Language English
Label Polydor
Compiler Bill Levenson
Bee Gees compilations chronology
One
(1989)
Tales from the Brothers Gibb
(1990)
High Civilization
(1991)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

Tales from the Brothers Gibb: A History in Song is a box set compilation released by The Bee Gees in 1990. Originally released on four cassettes and four compact discs, Tales is a summary of the Bee Gees output from their first album, 1967's Bee Gees 1st to the group's most recent album (at the time), 1989's One.

Considering the peculiar nature of the Gibbs' catalog, the compilers neatly arranged each disc/cassette to represent the Bee Gees at different periods of their career called Chapters. Chapter I consists of songs from their folky/psychedelic era of 1967-1970; Chapter II covers the ballad heavy period of 1971-1974; Chapter III tracks the disco era from 1975-1979 and Chapter IV consists of the Gibbs' output in the 80's, including material from their two Warner Bros. albums.

Many B-sides made their CD debut on Tales as well as solo material, unreleased tracks and live performances not available anywhere else. Album cuts, with a few exceptions, were not included here as to keep the focus on single releases.

Several tracks received new stereo mixes prepared by Bill Inglot especially for this set. "World" and "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" are notable for the improved stereo mixes found on Tales, while many of the B-sides such as "Sinking Ships", "Barker of the UFO" and "The Singer Sang His Song" were mixed in stereo for the first time. [2]

The attractive packaging includes symbols for each song, photos taken in 1989 at a video shoot, and comments from one of the brothers on each song in the accompanying book. No historic photos were used.

Track listing

Chapter I: 1967-1970
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "New York Mining Disaster 1941" (A-side single, 1967 / from Bee Gees 1st, 1967) Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb 2:08
2. "I Can't See Nobody" (from Bee Gees 1st, 1967) Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb 3:43
3. "To Love Somebody" (A-side single, 1967 / from Bee Gees 1st, 1967) B & R Gibb 2:59
4. "Holiday" (A-side single, 1967 / from Bee Gees 1st, 1967) B, R & M Gibb 2:52
5. "Massachusetts" (A-side single, 1967 / from Horizontal, 1968) B, R & M Gibb 2:22
6. "Barker of the UFO" (B-side of "Massachusetts", 1967) B Gibb 1:51
7. "World" (A-side single, 1967 / from Horizontal, 1968) B, R & M Gibb 3:14
8. "Sir Geoffrey Saved the World" (B-side of "World", 1967) B, R & M Gibb 2:15
9. "And The Sun Will Shine" (from Horizontal, 1968) B, R & M Gibb 3:29
10. "Words" (A-side single, 1968 / from Best of Bee Gees, 1969) B, R & M Gibb 3:14
11. "Sinking Ships" (B-side of "Words", 1968) B, R & M Gibb 2:21
12. "Jumbo" (A side single, 1968) B, R & M Gibb 2:08
13. "The Singer Sang His Song" (B-side of "Jumbo", 1968) B, R & M Gibb 3:19
14. "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" (A-side single, 1968 / from Idea, 1968) B, R & M Gibb 3:06
15. "I Started a Joke" (A-side single, 1969 /from Idea, 1968) B, R & M Gibb 3:06
16. "First of May" (A-side single, 1969 / from Odessa, 1969) B, R & M Gibb 2:47
17. "Melody Fair" (from Odessa, 1969) B, R & M Gibb 3:47
18. "Tomorrow, Tomorrow" (A-side single, 1969 /from Best of Bee Gees, 1969) B & M Gibb 4:06
19. "Sun In My Morning" (B-side of "Tomorrow, Tomorrow", 1969) B & M Gibb 2:47
20. "Saved By The Bell (Robin Gibb)" (A-side single, 1969 / from Robin's Reign, 1969) R Gibb 3:03
21. "Don't Forget to Remember" (A-side single, 1969 / from Cucumber Castle, 1970) B & M Gibb 3:27
22. "If I Only Had My Mind on Something Else" (A-side single, 1970 / from Cucumber Castle, 1970) B & M Gibb 2:32
23. "I.O.I.O." (A-side single, 1970 / from Cucumber Castle, 1970) B, R & M Gibb 2:50
24. "Railroad (Maurice Gibb)" (A-side single, 1970) M Gibb, Billy Lawrie 3:38
25. "I'll Kiss Your Memory (Barry Gibb)" (A-side single, 1970) B Gibb 4:26
Chapter II: 1971-1974
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Lonely Days" (A-side single, 1970 / from 2 Years On, 1971) B, R & M Gibb 3:44
2. "Morning of My Life (In The Morning)" (from Melody, 1971) B Gibb 3:52
3. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" (A-side single, 1971 / from Trafalgar, 1971) B & R Gibb 3:56
4. "Country Woman" (B-side single of "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", 1971) M Gibb 2:39
5. "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" (A-side single, 1971 / from Trafalgar, 1971) B Gibb 5:24
6. "My World" (A-side single, 1972 / from Best of Bee Gees, Volume 2, 1973) B & R Gibb 4:18
7. "On Time" (B-side of "My World", 1972) M Gibb 3:00
8. "Run To Me" (A-side single, 1972 / from To Whom It May Concern, 1972) B, R & M Gibb 3:04
9. "Alive" (A-side single, 1972 / from To Whom It May Concern, 1972) B & M Gibb 4:01
10. "Saw a New Morning" (A-side single, 1973 / from Life in a Tin Can, 1973) B, R & M Gibb 4:08
11. "Wouldn't I Be Someone" (A-side single, 1973 / from Best of Bee Gees, Volume 2, 1973) B, R & M Gibb 5:39
12. "Elisa" (B-side of "Wouldn't I Be Someone, 1973) B, R & M Gibb 2:48
13. "King and Country" (Previously unreleased) B, R & M Gibb 5:19
14. "Mr. Natural" (A-side single, 1974 / from Mr. Natural, 1974) B & R Gibb 3:48
15. "It Doesn't Matter Much To Me" (B-side of "Mr. Natural", 1974) B, R & M Gibb 3:49
16. "Throw A Penny" (A-side single, 1974 / from Mr. Natural, 1974) B & R Gibb 4:45
17. "Charade" (A-side single, 1974 / from Mr. Natural, 1974) B & R Gibb 4:11
Chapter III: 1975-1979
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Jive Talkin'" (A-side single, 1975 / from Main Course, 1975) B, R & M Gibb 3:44
2. "Nights on Broadway" (A-side single, 1975 / from Main Course, 1975) B, R & M Gibb 4:33
3. "Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)" (A-side single, 1976 / from Main Course, 1975) B, R & M Gibb 3:44
4. "You Should Be Dancing (long version)" (A-side single, 1976 / from Children of the World, 1976) B, R & M Gibb 4:44
5. "Love So Right" (A-side single, 1976 / from Children of the World, 1976) B, R & M Gibb 3:39
6. "Boogie Child" (A-side single, 1977 / from Children of the World, 1976) B, R & M Gibb 4:14
7. "Edge of the Universe" (A-side single, 1977 / from Here at Last... Bee Gees... Live, 1977) B, R & M Gibb 5:15
8. "How Deep Is Your Love" (A-side single, 1977 / from Saturday Night Fever, 1977) B, R & M Gibb 4:04
9. "Stayin' Alive" (A-side single, 1977 / from Saturday Night Fever, 1977) B, R & M Gibb 4:44
10. "Night Fever" (A-side single, 1978 / from Saturday Night Fever, 1977) B, R & M Gibb 3:31
11. "More Than A Woman" (from Saturday Night Fever, 1977) B, R & M Gibb 3:17
12. "If I Can't Have You" (B-Side of "Stayin' Alive" / from Bee Gees Greatest, 1979) B, R & M Gibb 3:21
13. "(Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away" (from Bee Gees Greatest, 1979) B Gibb & Blue Weaver 4:05
14. "Too Much Heaven" (A-side single, 1978 / from Spirits Having Flown, 1979) B, R & M Gibb 4:57
15. "Tragedy" (A-side single, 1979 / from Spirits Having Flown, 1979) B, R & M Gibb 5:05
16. "Love You Inside Out" (A-side single, 1979 / from Spirits Having Flown, 1979) B, R & M Gibb 4:13
Chapter IV: 1981-1989
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "He's a Liar" (A-side single, 1981 / from Living Eyes, 1981) B, R & M Gibb 4:00
2. "Another Lonely Night In New York (Robin Gibb)" (A-side single, 1982 / from How Old Are You, 1982) R & M Gibb 4:13
3. "The Woman in You" (A-side single, 1983 / from Staying Alive, 1983) B, R & M Gibb 4:01
4. "Someone Belonging To Someone" (A-side single, 1983 / from Staying Alive, 1983) B, R & M Gibb 4:22
5. "Toys (Robin Gibb)" (A-side single, 1985 / from Walls Have Eyes, 1985) B, R & M Gibb 4:40
6. "E.S.P. (Demo version)" (Previously unreleased) B, R & M Gibb 4:43
7. "You Win Again" (A-side single, 1987 / from E.S.P., 1987) B, R & M Gibb 3:58
8. "Ordinary Lives" (A-side single, 1988 / from One, 1989) B, R & M Gibb 4:03
9. "One" (A-side single, 1989 / from One, 1989) B, R & M Gibb 4:50
10. "Juliet (live)" (Previously unreleased) R & M Gibb 3:35
11. "To Love Somebody (live)" (Previously unreleased) B & R Gibb 3:41
12. "Medley (live)" (Previously unreleased) B, R & M Gibb 12:17
13. "Spicks and Specks (live)" (Previously unreleased) B Gibb 2:33

References

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ "Gibb Songs". http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/gibbsongs.