Trafalgar (album)

Trafalgar
Studio album by Bee Gees
Released	September 1971 (US) November 1971 (UK)
Recorded	28 January – April 1971 IBC Studios, London
Genre	Soft rock, pop music
Length	47:28
Label	Polydor (UK) Atco (US, CA)
Producer	Robert Stigwood, Bee Gees
Bee Gees chronology
2 Years On (1970) Trafalgar (1971) To Whom It May Concern (1972)
Singles from Trafalgar
"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" Released: May 1971 "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" Released: November 1971 (United States) "Israel" Released: May 1972 (New Zealand/Netherlands/Belgium)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Trafalgar is the Bee Gees' ninth album (seventh internationally), released in September 1971 in the US, and November 1971 in the UK. The album was a moderate hit in the United States, and peaked at No. 34. The lead single "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?" was the first Bee Gees' No. 1 single in the United States but failed to chart in Britain as did the album. "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" was released as the second single and only reached No. 57 on the USA charts. "Israel" was only released in the Netherlands and reached No. 22. Trafalgar is noted in Robert Dimery's book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.^[2]

Background and recording

Advertisement and tour schedule

In December 1970, just after two months before the group recorded their last session for the 2 Years On album, they recorded "Together", "Over the Hill and Over the Mountain", "Merrily Merry Eyes" and "When Do I". On January 11, 1971, Maurice Gibb contributed writing, producing and play guitar on Lulu's 1971 single "Everybody Clap" with Jack Bruce of Cream and Maurice's friend, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin on drums.^[3]

The group also did the 2 Years On Tour to support their album and they returned to the studio with new band members guitarist Alan Kendall, who remained as lead guitarist with the Bee Gees until their final album in 2001. Although the Gibb Brothers had reunited in 1970, they were still working separately as evident in the writing credits. Several songs were recorded around this time, many of which have never officially been released. All of the songs chosen for release were ballads, which gives the album something of a concept feeling. The group started to record for this album on 28 January 1971 when they recorded "We Lost the Road", "When Do I" and "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" ("We Lost the Road" was not included on this album and released in 1972 on their next album). Recording continued through April with several demos and outtakes recorded but never released.^[3]

In the support of the album, The Bee Gees toured the US in the fall of 1971, playing such cities as Boston, Asbury Park, New York City (7 shows), Memphis, Kansas City, and Indianapolis.

Track listing

Alternate version

• This 53-minute version of the album was sent to Atlantic Records in the US with a different track order and with 14 songs in total. The two extra songs are "Country Woman" (a non-album song) and "We Lost the Road" (released on the group's next album To Whom It May Concern). There was no commercial release of the album in this state.

Side one

1. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"
2. "Israel"
3. "The Greatest Man in the World"
4. "It's Just the Way"
5. "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself"
6. "Country Woman"
7. "Somebody Stop the Music"

Side two

1. "Trafalgar"
2. "We Lost the Road"
3. "Dearest"
4. "When Do I"
5. "Lion in Winter"
6. "Remembering"
7. "Walking Back to Waterloo"

Unreleased Tracks

• "If I Were The Sky"
• "Bring Out the Thoughts in Me"
• "Ellan Vannin"
• "You Leave Me Hanging On"
• "Boots"
• "Nightwatch"
• "C'mon Tappelais"
• "Telegraph to the Pine Trees"
• "Mr. Good Memories Man"
• "Long Chain On"
• "Cigarette"
• "Blue"
• "Deep in the Dark of the Day"
• "I'm Only Me"
• "Something"
• "Amorous Aristocracy"
• "Irresponsible, Unreliable, Indispensable Blues"
• "A Word of Love"
• "God's Good Grace"
• "Engines, Aeroplanes"

Chart positions

Personnel

Bee Gees

• Barry Gibb — lead, harmony and backing vocal, guitar
• Robin Gibb — lead, harmony and backing vocal
• Maurice Gibb — harmony and backing vocal, bass, piano, guitar, organ, lead vocal on "It's Just the Way" and "Trafalgar" and drums on "Trafalgar"
• Geoff Bridgford – drums

Additional personnel and production

• Alan Kendall — guitar
• Bryan Scott — engineer
• Bill Shepherd – orchestral arrangement

References