Main menu
Fretplay home Submit tabs

Bee Gees
Bee Gees tabs Bee Gees discography

Channels
Guitar channel Bass channel Guitar videos Reviews

Message Forum
Guitar forum Bass forum Bands and artists Promote your band Recent discussions All categories

Fretplay.com

Bee Gees guitar tabs

CD reviews

Idea

Bee Gees - Idea Audio CD

A fair review of the Bee Gees "Idea" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Bee Gees reviews here, or go back to the Bee Gees tabs.

Band: Bee Gees
Title: Idea
Rating:

Release Date: 2007-01-23
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Let There Be Love [Stereo] 2: Kitty Can [Stereo] 3: In the Summer of His Years [Stereo] 4: Indian Gin and Whisky Dry [Stereo] 5: Down to Earth [Stereo] 6: Such a Shame [Stereo] 7: I've Gotta Get a Message to You [Stereo] 8: Idea [Stereo] 9: When the Swallows Fly [Stereo] 10: I Have Decided to Join the Airforce [Stereo] 11: I Started a Joke [Stereo] 12: Kilburn Towers [Stereo] 13: Swan Song [Stereo] 14: Let There Be Love [Mono Version][Version] 15: Kitty Can [Mono Version][Version] 16: In the Summer of His Years [Mono Version][Version] 17: Indian Gin and Whisky Dry [Mono Version][Version] 18: Down to Earth [Mono Version][Version] 19: Such a Shame [Mono Version][Version] 20: I've Gotta Get a Message to You [Mono Version][Version] 21: Idea [Mono Version][Version] 22: When the Swallows Fly [Mono Version][Version] 23: I Have Decided to Join the Airforce [Mono Version][Version] 24: I Started a Joke [Mono Version][Version] 25: Kilburn Towers [Mono Version][Version] 26: Swan Song [Mono Version][Version] 27: Chocolate Symphony [#][*] 28: I've Gotta Get a Message to You [Mono Single Version][*][Version] 29: Jumbo [*] 30: Singer Sang His Song [*] 31: Bridges Crossing Rivers [#][*] 32: Idea [Alternate Mix][#][*][Mix] 33: Completely Unoriginal [#][*] 34: Kitty Can [Alternate Mix][#][*][Mix] 35: Come Some Christmas Eve or Halloween [#][*] 36: Let There Be Love [Alternate Mix][#][*][Mix] 37: Gena's Theme [*] 38: Another Cold and Windy Day [Coke Spot #1][#][*] 39: Sitting in the Meadow [Coke Spot #2][#][*]

Bee Gees History Part 3
At this point the group was stil a five-piece with the three Gibb-brothers, guitarist Vince Melouney and drummer Colin Petersen. "Idea" is part three of the fine remastered re-issue series of the early Bee Gees albums.

According to the fine background story told in the booklet, Melouney was getting increasingly frustrated by the concept of the group, giving him only occasional chances to play real rock. Melouney would leave the group soon after the recordings of "Idea".

The big heavily orchestered ballads were always a big part of the group, but the simpler band approach of "Horizontal" is also continued here with songs like "Such a Shame", "Kitty Can", "Indian Gin and Whisky Dry", "Idea" and "Kilburn Towers". Apart from "Such a Shame", which is pretty ordinary, these songs are among the highlights of the album.

Once again two big hits are featured "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" and "I Started a Joke". Both good songs, but also played very often ( too often - some would say ).

The closing track "Swan Song" is one of their finest ballads, but the album as a whole suffers a little from some weak tracks - especially "I've Decided to Join the Airforce" which is outright stupid.

On the bonus-disc there are some real gems. Not least the double A-side single "Jumbo"/"The Singer Sang His Song".

Among the previously unreleased songs "Bridges Crossing Rivers" should have been included on the original album. "Completely Unoriginal" sounds like a fun-thing created in the studio - quite interesting. "Gena's Theme" is a nice instrumental. The alternate versions of "Idea" and "Kitty Can" are both great - though not radically different.

Fans will delight; newcomers will be pleasantly surprised.
Songs like "In The Summer Of His Years" are unbearable if this isn't your favorite style of singing; where, "I Started A Joke," "I've Got To Get A Message To You" and "When The Swallow Flies "are borderline. One classic thing the BG's do that can often be done without, is make their voices tremble; that is tremelo. These songs usually have full stringed arrangements that can make the song dated in the least, and just pure cheese in the worst cases. Songs falling into the 'least' offensive in this category include; "Let There Be Love" and "Swan Song. " Other songs in the oddly dated department include several folk-based songs with stringed moments; "I Have Decided To Join The Air Force," "Kilburn Towers" and to some smaller degree, "Indian Gin & Whiskey Dry. " There's also a "Space Oddity"-style track called "Down To Earth", that fits in with nothing else here, and preceeds that song by a year (if you agree with that assessment). The straight folk songs that never received airplay in America are the ones that most people will find shockingly different. These include "Kitty Can," "Such A Shame," and "Idea;" which are all Beatles inspired to some degree. If the last five songs mentioned turn out to be your favorites, do not despair; more can be had on other early Bee Gees albums (and make a fascinating compilation).

As for the second disc of extras; there's plenty here of interest. "Chocolate Symphony" is typical of early Bee Gees songcraft, and with it's "Aaaaaaaaahhhhh" backing vocals, plodding pace, strings, bells and vibes; it falls nicely in with "Let There Be Love. " The mono version of "Gotta Get A Message To You" sports a dense bassline that reminds one of the Rolling Stones bass sound of this period; and consequently might be preferred to the album mix. Imagine the disappointment of buying the single, then getting the emasculated version on the album! "Jumbo" is one of those psychedelic gems that hardly anyone relates to the Bee Gees. "Singer Sang His Song" is one of those tremolo songs at a plodding pace, with strings, french horn, flute and even tubular bells to try lightening the mood! "Bridges Crossing Rivers" is another with a backing that reminds of Rolling Stones, and that's not a bad thing at'all. The mono version of "Idea" is harder and stronger with the rhythm section up front. It begins with a whistling and handclapping acid intro, and the last line of each chorus (Don't you think it's time you got up and stood alone?) is more blues-phrased than the album's tremolo-styled version; in other words, it's more Andy than Barry. "Completely Unoriginal" is a cracked Beatles-styled song, that re-emphasizes the Bee Gees penchance for oddball subject matter! It's a snappy number, with a bizarre musical-comedy break that deserved more off-beat backing; perhaps the harpsichord in the mono version of "Kitty Can" would have fit! This version of "Kitty Can" is a more minimal arrangement without the rhythm of the acoustic guitar, that also sports a subtle flute intro, trumpet on the choruses and less 'mouth percussion' at the end. Not necessarily a 'better' mix, but intriguing for sure. "Come Some Christmas Eve Or Halloween" jumps on the list of strange sentiments in Bee Gees songs; and that's saying something! It's a sort of stream-of-consciousness rememberance of one man's obsession with someone. She's married, but he fancies himself as a dragon who's love will turn from blue to green. No one's certain what tunnel air has to do with it, or why his train abandoned her, but at least you get to hear a Bee Gee yodel at the end! Otherwise, it's another one of those plodding songs with tortured lyrics where someone starts a joke that effects the whole world, or is trapped in a mine going crazy asking the same questions over and over again and telling other people to be quiet, until he can barely whisper "Mr. Jo-o-o-o-ones. . . " (But that's what some people like about the BGs. ) The alternate mix of "Let There Be Love" is once again closer to what the Stones and Beatles were doing at the time than the material the Bee Gees are better known for. Without the violins, harps and stratospheric backing vocals, the song now relies on acoustic guitar and rumbling piano chords, which shows it as a fine song that commands less attention without all the layered vocals, strings and the delivery of the franticly impassioned final verse. Bee Gees fans will delight in this package, and newcomers to their early material will be pleasantly surprised.

Superb!
I have the original release and I was very surprised to hear this re-issue. As a hard core Bee Gees fan, I would think this item was excellent anyway. It has the original album in both mono and stereo which makes for good listening. Although a very early Bee Gees release, this sounds just as fresh today as it did back then. I really loved the 2nd disc in this item. It has some alternate mixes and some unreleased tracks. Apparently the Bee Gees did a couple of Coke commercials which are included on the 2nd disc. If you're as big a Bee Gees fan as I am, then you will want to have this reissue.

1968 And A Third Triumphant Album!
Being the third album by the three brothers, Rhino has beautifully remastered the original into one CD that has all the original thirteen songs in Stereo and Mono. Wrapped in a snug fold-out digipak, this Rhino re-issue of Bee Gees Idea is a wonder to behold. These are different sounding recordings and not simply Stereo condensed into Mono. Classics like, "I've Gotta Get A Message To You" and "I Started A Joke" is given new life.

Disc 2 contains fantastic Alternate Versions and previously unreleased material. It's interesting to compare "I've Gotta Get A Message To You", "Kitty Can", "Let There Be Love" or "Idea" to the original takes. Also include on album for the first time are singles, "Jumbo" and "The Singer Sang His Song". Other new delights are the rocking, "Bridges Crossing Rivers" and "Chocolate Symphony". "Completely Unoriginal" is `tongue in cheek', being one of the most original songs the Bee Gees have ever written. Also of note is the rare instrumental, "Gena's Theme" and two classic Coke commercials. With 39 songs and a running time of over 100 minutes, this is a long awaited release. "I've Gotta Get A Message To You" went to #8 on the Billboard Charts and "I Started A Joke" went to #6! The album hit #17 in the USA and #4 in the U. K. ! Also includes a colorful booklet packed with trivia, history, album and single photos as well as comments from Barry and Robin Gibb.
.

You can see a complete list of all Bee Gees discography, or go back to the Bee Gees tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.