Idea

1968

LET THERE BE LOVE

Words by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb

Tom Jones covered this song, but, for me, you can't beat the Bee Gees' lovely harmonies in the original version.

Let there be love,

So I can be loved by you,

In Paradise Avenue.

Let there be life,

So everyone lives to love.

Let it happen to me and you.

I am a man,

So take me for what I am.

I'll never have everything,

But let there be love.

Let there be love,

Let there be love.

I can be nothing,

I can be something.

I've got to give you you my life.

I'm tired of living

Without your giving.

I've got to get you for my wife.

Can't hold on much longer.

I never begged but I'm begging now.

Let there be love,

So I can be loved by you,

In Paradise Avenue.

Let there be life,

So we can live to love

And let it be for both of us.

I am a man,

So take me for what I am.

I'll never have everything,

But let there be love.

Let there be love,

Let there be love.

KITTY CAN

Words by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb

I notice that this song and When Swallows Fly, on the same album, have a reference to a certain poem by Wordsworth - but there the similarity ends. Both songs have a charm of their own. As in some of their other songs, they seemed to favour rather old-fashioned girls' names for the time - maybe this was deliberate. What I want to know is who is the 'you' at the end - Eve or Kitty? Answers on a postcard, please (or an email will do nicely).

Eve never pleases me and Kitty can.

When Kitty smiles the world stands still.

I see a thousand golden daffodils,

But when she cries the world just dies.

I see a million tears in Kitty's eyes.

Eve never pleases me and Kitty can.

Now Eve is bad and treats me cruel.

She likes to see me looking like a fool.

I'll find a way with word I say,

To be in love in such a lonely way.

Eve never pleases me and Kitty can.

Now they are two and I am one,

But can I fall in love with everyone?

So I must choose between the two.

Made up my mind, now I am choosing you.

She never pleases me and Kitty can.

Eve never pleases me and Kitty can.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

IN THE SUMMER OF HIS YEARS

Words by Barry, Robin and Maurice

Not sure who this song is meant to be about, if indeed it is about anyone in particular. Let me know if you have any idea (if you pardon the pun). Nice song, anyway.

In the summer of his years,

He would always smile.

He would laugh every day,

If he was here to stay

For the summer of his years.

In the daylight of his dreams,

He would save his tears.

He would always hear

When there was no-one near,

For the summer of his years.

Aaaaaaa

For the summer of his years.

Aaaaaaa

INDIAN GIN AND WHISKY DRY

Words by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb

Sounds like a lethal combination - never tried it myself, but it makes a good song, even if the lyrics are a little obscure (unless I've entirely misheard them) - hardly surprising after all that Indian gin and whisky dry!

All day, all night

You feel as if the earth could fly.

Three more all for

Indian gin and whisky dry.

Small town, closed down.

There's nowhere else around to try.

Go home, no loan.

You have your gin and whisky dry.

Four ten, four men

Lining up for their handy brandy.

"All's gone, you're none,"

Came the bartender's reply.

But I try and I'm tied

To Indian gin and whisky dry.

DOWN TO EARTH

Words by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb

Hello there! Is there any air?

Can you slow me down?

Can you believe that what you see

Could never ever be so cute somehow?

Down to earth, my merry men.

There's some help needed here and you're there.

You can see if you stand on your chair

That there's millions and millions and millions and millions of people like you.

Hello there! Do you really care?

Have you time to learn?

Could you believe that what you read,

A thousand pages couldn't tell you why.

Down to earth, my merry men.

There's some help needed here and you're there.

You can see if you stand on your chair

That there's millions and millions and millions and millions of people like you.

SUCH A SHAME

Words by Vince Melouney

Not a Gibb composition, but, as Vince was a Bee Gee at the time, I think it definitely deserves to be included.

All that I hear doesn't feel right.

Don't call me till you're alright.

I listened and I heard but don't tell me.

La la de la la de la la de la.

Once in a while you said goodnight.

Will I care? Sometimes feels right.

What a shame it's the same each day.

La la de la la de la la de la.

Oh how I tried, I just sat and then I cried.

Maybe I'm wrong, will I find out when I'm gone?

Had such fun in my leisure.

Don't bother me, man, just stay there.

If it's a sin, I'll converge my stray.

La la de la la de la la de la.

Come home with me, it's not a shame

For you to see. Oh! Let it be.

And you're Miss Reality.

I'VE GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU

Words by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb

Robin was first inspired to write this song after his first wife, Molly was upset, following an argument between them and he was finding it difficult to communicate with her. His brothers got together with him to help him to finish it off (the song, not the argument!) As you see from the words, it then took a very different turn, in which they imagined what it was like for somebody facing a death sentence. Robin's interpretation is that the man had killed his wife's love, now it was his turn to die. This track was released as a single in July 1968 and became their first US top ten single.

The preacher talked to me and he smiled
Said, "Come and walk with me one more mile.
Now for once in your life you're alone
But you ain't got a dime. There's no time for the phone"

I've just gotta get a message to you
Hold on, hold on
One more hour and my life will be through
Hold on, hold on

I told him I'm in no hurry
But if I broke her heart, won't you tell her I'm sorry?
And for once in my life I'm alone
And I've got to let her know just in time before I go

I've just gotta get a message to you
Hold on, hold on
One more hour and my life will be through
Hold on, hold on

Well I laughed but that didn't hurt
And it's only her love that keeps me wearing this dirt
Now I'm crying but deep down inside
Well I did it to him, now it's my turn to die.

I've just gotta get a message to you
Hold on, hold on
One more hour and my life will be through
Hold on, hold on

I've just gotta get a message to her
Hold on, hold on
One more hour and my life will be through
Hold on, hold on

IDEA

Words by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb

I been thinkin', sittin' on a pole,
I'm gettin' sick of doin' what I'm told.
Just me and my mirror and my brain.
But that was when I got an idea.
Came like a gun and shot in my ear.
Don't you think it's time you got up and stood alone?
Fifteen years I lay down on the ground.
Couldn't feel any noise or hear any sound.
Fifteen million years I spent down the line.
But that was when I got an idea.
Came like a gun and shot in my ear.
Don't you think it's time you got up and stood alone?

SWAN SONG

This is my swan song. Whatever I do now, I do it well.
This is my swan song. I fell in love with you I love you well.
And if the Lord provides the music for the world around to sing,
My love will build a castle in the air.

This is my last chance, a chance to show the world that I am strong.
This is my last dance. I'm walking off the floor where I belong.
And if the Lord provides the music for the world around to sing,
My love will build a castle in the air.

(music) La.....

And if the Lord provides the music for the world around to sing,
My love will build a castle in the air.

This is my swan song. I fell in love with you , I love you well,
I love you well, I love you well.

WHEN THE SWALLOWS FLY

Words by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb

I wander lonely as a cloud,
I keep my head above the crowd.
Ain't nobody else as big as me.
But I must remember, friend,
What has to start just has to end.
Everybody's got a destiny
And I know when the swallow flies.
Yes, I know and the earth just dies.
Then I'll be told what I am,
The swallow and me.
I look after number one.
I forget the beggar's son.
Everybody's got to stay alive.
I keep on walking 'mongst the clowds.
I keep my head above the crowd.
I watch them live, I watch them die
And I know when the swallows fly.
Yes, I know and the earth just dies.
Then I'll be told what I am,
The swallow and me.
Yes, I know when the swallows fly.
Yes, I know and the earth just dies.

I HAVE DECIDED TO JOIN THE AIR FORCE

Words by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb

Also known as 'I've Decided to Join the Air Force'

Mother, I'm going to join the Air Force today.
I don't care what the neighbours may say,
But I'm going to join the Air Force today.

Mother, I don't care what my father might think.
Perhaps it's going to drive him to drink.
But I don't care what my father might think.
Don't ask me why, it's my mind and it's right.
Don't ask me why, it's my mind ,
It's better, it's better than being alone,
Alone on the ground, now I found

Mother, I've got to join the Air Force you see.
I've seen my friends and they all agree
That's it's better than joining the army or going to sea.

Mother, I've got to join the Air Force you see.
I've seen my friends and they all agree.
That's it's better then joining the army or going to sea.
Mother,
Mother,
Mother.

I STARTED A JOKE

Words by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb

Robin's in great voice on this track. I like the story behind it. The Bee Gees were travelling on a Vickers Viscount plane and they thought the noise of engine sounded almost like part of a tune, repeated over and over again. They also fancied that the high-pitched background noise sounded like a heavenly choir! When they arrived at their destination, they wrote this song. Wonderful what a bit of imagination can do!

I started a joke
Which started the whole world crying
But I didn't see that the joke was on me.
Oh no.
I started to cry
Which started the whole world laughing
Oh, if I'd only seen
That the joke was on me.
I looked at the skies
Running my hands over my eyes
And I fell out of bed
Hurting my head from things that I'd said.
Till I finally died
Which started the whole world living,
Oh, if I'd only seen
That the joke was on me.
I looked at the skies
Running my hands over my eyes
And I fell out of bed
Hurting my head from things that I'd said.
Till I finally died
Which started the whole world living,
Oh, if I'd only seen
Oh yeah
That the joke was on me.
Oh no
That the joke was on me.
Oh Oh Oh Oh
No No No

KILBURN TOWERS

I am a bird; watch me go drifting by.
With my feathers of power I laugh as the hours go slowly by.
That could mean ev'rything.
I am a street watching the people walk.
As I listen their conversations glisten as they start to talk.
Then I hear ev'rything.

Little white jug, me and Kilburn Towers,
as we sit on the hill and we drink and we swill
till the early hours,
Then I am ev'rything.
Little white jug and me and Kilburn Towers
That could mean ev'rything.

Little white jug, me and Kilburn Towers,
as we sit on the hill and we drink and we swill
till the early hours,
Then I am ev'rything

Little white jug and me and Kilburn Towers
Little white jug and me and Kilburn Towers
Little white jug and me and Kilburn Towers
Little white jug and me and Kilburn Towers.