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In January 1975 the Bee Gees were working on a new album. For a change they went to Miami. Where they rented a house at 461 Ocean Boulevard. And began recording at Criteria Studios. Arif Mardin (who was producer on “Mr. Natural”) returned to work with the brothers. At a time when Robin, Maurice and Barry felt the record company had lost faith in them. Arif kept the faith. He helped to gently move them in a new direction. To a more R+B sound.

The brothers began to have fun and be creative. On the first day of the “Main Course” session Robin and Barry wrote “Was It All In Vain”(outtake). During the two months that they worked on their new “Main Course” album (which would be released June 1975). Robin and Barry wrote “Your Love Will Save The World” (outtake-would later be covered by Percy Sledge), “Come On Over”, “Wind Of Change” (B side), “Country Lanes” (B side) and “Edge Of The Universe” (B side). Robin, Maurice and Barry and Blue Weaver wrote “Songbird”. Robin, Maurice and Barry wrote “All This Making Love”, “Baby As You Turn Away”, “Nights On Broadway” (the second single from the album which reached #7 on the US charts. This was the first song Barry used falsetto on), “Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)” (the third single-reached #12 on US charts) and “Jive Talkin”.

“Jive Talkin” was inspired when the boys would drive from Criteria Studios to the house they rented on Ocean Boulevard. The drive took them across a bridge. Where the sound the car made as it crossed inspired the groove that made the song. The original lyrics were based on the rock and roll jive (the dance). When Arif told the brothers that jive talking was an expression for bullshitting somebody. The lyrics were changed from “Jive talkin’ you dance with your eyes” to “Jive talkin’ you’re telling me lies”. And the first line of the chorus became “Jive talkin’ so misunderstood”.

“Jive Talkin” became the first single off the “Main Course” album. And would be released in May. On June 18 the song hit #1 in the United States. It entered the charts in the UK and reached #5.

When the Bee Gees began their tour of the US on Mary 30 it would be the first time in eight years they would perform without a orchestra. Just the band. Dennis Bryon on drums. Geoff Westley and Blue Weaver on keyboards. Alan Kendall on lead guitar. Barry on rhythm guitar and Maurice on bass.

By 1974 the brothers were going through a down period. A week after they finished recording their new album “Mr. Natural”. On March 4th the Bee Gees began and American tour in New York City. After the high of the American tour they returned to England to begin a tour of Northern England club dates on April 28, 2974. They then moved on to Canada where from August 21st through the 31st they played to sold out houses all over Canada. On the “Mr. Natural” album the brothers worked with Arif Mardin as producer. Robin and Barry wrote “Mr. Natural” (first single released February 1974 which hit 93 on US charts yet did not even make it into the UK chart), “Dogs”, “Down The Road”, “Heavy Breathing”, “Throw A Penny” (second single) and “Charade” (3rd single. The song that Maurice said is “The Song for making Love”).

Maurice, Robin and Barry wrote “Had A Lot Of Love Last Night”, “Voices”, “It Doesn’t Matter Much To Me” (B side from “Mr. Natural” single) and “I Can’t Let You Go”.

In the end of 1972 and beginning of 1973 the Bee Gee were hard at work on their latest album “A Kick In The Head Is Worth Eight In The Pants”. But by August it was reported the Bee Gees had reached a decision to junk their album master. Robin, Maurice and Barry wrote these songs for the unreleased album. “Where Is Your Sister”, “Rocky L.A”, “Losers And Lovers”, “A Lonely Violin”, “Life Am I Wasting My Time”, “Jesus In Heaven”, “Home Again Rivers”, “Harry’s Gate”, “Dear Mr Kissinger”, “King And Country” “Castles In The Air” (which Graham Bonnet covered later in 1973) and “Wouldn’t I Be Someone” (which was released as a single on June 1973. With the Robin, Maurice and Barry written “Elisa” as the B side. “Wouldn’t I Be Someone” did appear on the “Best of Bee Gees Vol. 2″ that was released in June 1973).

In August a Robin and Barry written song “You’re My Heaven” was submitted as a single. But turned down. With no new album the Bee Gees needed a boost. Enter: Arif Mardin as producer.

Early 1972 Robin, Maurice and Barry were back writing and recording for a new album. “To Whom It May Concern”, which would be released in October of 1972. Robin wrote “Never Been Alone” for the new album. While Maurice, Robin and Barry wrote “Bad Bad Dreams”, “The Happiest Day Of Your Life” (outtake), “I Hold A Party”, “Paper Mache, Cabbages + Kings” (B side), “Please Don’t Turn Out The Lights”, “Road To Alaska” (B side to first single), “Run To Me” (first single released in July), “Sea Of Smiling Faces” and “Sweet Song Of Summer”.

By September the brothers were in LA. Where they were writing and recording for “Life In A Tin Can”. Which would be the first album for Robert Stigwood’s new RSO record label. The album would be released in the US on January 19, 1993. The album would hold four songs written by Robin, Maurice and Barry. “Living In Chicago”, “Method To My Madness”, “My Life Has Been A Song” and “Saw A New Morning” (released as a single March 1973).

Between January and April of 1971 Robin, Maurice and Barry recorded their latest album “Trafalgar”. For the new album Robin wrote “After The Laughter”, which ended up being an outtake. Barry and Robin wrote “Dearest”, “Amorous Aristocracy” (outtake), “Child” (outtake), “Lion In Winter”, “Remembering”, “When Do I” and “We Lost The Road” (which became an outtake on the “Trafalgar” album. But did appear on the Bee Gees next album “To Whom It May Concern”).

Robin, Maurice and Barry came together to write “Deep In The Dark Of Day” (outtake), “God’s Good Grace” (outtake) and “Walking Back To Waterloo”.

During the year Robin and Barry also wrote “If I Were The Sky”, which would be covered by Peter Maffay. And “My World” which the Bee Gees would release as a single on January 1972. It would also appear on “Best of Bee Gees Vol. 2″ in June 1973. The brothers proved they were back in force when “Lonely Days” (written by Robin, Maurice and Barry in 1970 for the “2 Years On” album) reached number three on the US singles charts. And “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” (written by Robin and Barry in 1970 and appearing on the brothers “Trafalgar” album) hit number one in the US charts.

In the beginning of 1970 Robin was writing songs for his second solo album “Sing Slowly Sisters”. He wrote “All’s Well That Ends Well”, “Avalanche”, “Beat That Drum”, “C’est La Vie, Au Revoir”, “Cold Be My Days” (a six minute song that hints of his Isle of Man beginnings with the lyrics “You can see Snaefell from Pell Castle Tower”), “Everything Is How You See Me”, “I Was Your Used To Be”, “I’ll Herd My Sheep”, “Irons In The Fire”, “It’s No Use Crying Anymore”, “I’ve Been Hurt”, “Life”, “Make Believe”, “The Man Most Likely To Be”, “Return To Austria”, “Seven Birds Are Singing”, “Sing Slowly Sisters”, “Sky West And Crooked” and “A Very Special Day”.

Robin also wrote two songs that appeared on demos “Anywhere I Hand My Hat Is Home” and “Loud and Clear”. A published poem, “Your Life Was Created For Me”. And songs for two musicals. The song “The Family Circle” (for a play by the same name) and “Henry VIII” (for a play by the same name). Fifteen months after Robin had walked away from the Bee Gee. He made a surprise visit to Barry at his home. Where the two wrote “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart”. (Which would be a single on their “Trafalger” album in 1971.) “It’s not nice when you have success on your own.” (Robin) The brothers stopped work on solo projects (the “Sing Slowly Sisters” project was set aside). The Bee Gees reunion was made public on August 21, 1970.

Robin and Maurice began writing for the new Bee Gees album “2 Years On” in June. They wrote “2 Years On”, “Belinda” (outtake), “Blue Bird” (outtake), “Blues” (outtake), “Call I What You LIke” (outtake), “The Change I See” (outtake), “Come To The Mission” (outtake), “Conquer The World” (outtake), “Fantasy” (outtake), “Find Me A Woman” (outtake), “Getting Back Together” (outtake), “I Can Laugh” (outtake), “I Wonder If You Wonder” (outtake), “I’ve Been Waiting” (outtake), “Jam” (outtake), “Lost” (outtake), “Maybe Tommorow” (outtake), “No More Music Now” (outtake), “Red Train” (outtake), “Sail At My Side” (outtake), “Sincere Relation” (Robin’s tribute to his late father-in-law.[Molly’s]), “Sweet Summer Rain” (outtake), “Too Much To Think About” (outtake), “The Way I Feel Today” (outtake), “Whistle Me” (outtake), “You Got To Lose It In The End” (outtake) and “You’re Going Away” (outtake).

Barry, Robin and Maurice wrote “Back Home”, “Lonely Days” (which was released as a single in November) and “Man For All Seasons” (B side) for the “2 Years On” album. While Maurice wrote “Lay It On Me”. Barry wrote “Every Second, Every Minute”, “The First Mistake I Made”, “Portrait Of Louise” and “Tell Me Why”. Robin wrote “Alone Again” and “I’m Weeping”.

Robin Maurice and Barry also wrote an instrumental “To Dance Again” for the Musketeers TV program.

The brothers were back “It’s like a spiritual thing when we write. We know what the other one is thinking. As if we have a language between us.” (Robin)

In the beginning of 1969 egos and management problems were getting in the way. The Bee Gees newest album “Odessa” was released. When choosing the first single to be released. The first candidate was “Odessa (City On The Black Sea)”. This was a song Robin had worked hard on and was very proud of. But the length of the song (7 1/2 minutes) played a part in the song being dropped. Then the talk turned to either “First Of May” (Barry sang lead) or “Lamplight” (Robin sang lead). Robert Stigwood decided on “First Of May” as the A side with “Lamplight” as the B side. The single was released in February 1969. On March 19, 1969 Robin announced he was leaving the Bee Gees. He signed a new management and agency contract with managing director of NEMS, Vic Lewis (former top band leader).

Robin began to write for his first solo album “Robin’s Reign”. Which would be released in April of 1970. He wrote “To Heaven And Back” (outtake), “Down Came The Sun”, “Engines, Aeroplanes” (outtake), “Farmer Ferdinand Hudson”, “The Flag I Flew” (outtake), “The Complete And Utter History” (outtake), “Gone Gone Gone”, “Great Caesar’s Ghost” (outtake), “Hudson’s  Fallen Wind” (outtake), “Lord Bless All”, “Most Of My Life”, “The Worst Girl In This Town”, “Saved By The Bell” (first single released on June 27, 1969 - Maurice was on piano and backing vocals), “Mother and Jack” (B side to first single), “Alexandria Good Time” (withdrawn B side “Saved By The Bell”), “August October” (3rd single), “Give Me A Smile”, “Weekend” (B side) and “One Million Years” (2nd single).

During 1969 Robin would also write “Forty Days + Forty Nights”, “Janice”, “Love Just Goes”, “Old Fashioned Band”, “The Statesman (Sir Winston Spencer Churchill)” (dedicated to Winston Churchill. The was the first son written for Robin’s “Sing Slowly Sisters” album) and “No Other Heart” (Which Robin wrote with Vic Lewis and Ken Thorne. The song would be covered by The Vic Lewis Orchestra and his singers.).

Robin was finding success as a solo artist. Maurice and Barry were finding success. But what about that special magic when the brothers come together.

“It was strange, there was no doubt about it, because Robin was such an integral part of it. They were’nt really The Bee Gees just with Barry and Maurice, with Robing missing” (Tom Kennedy-the Bee Gees road manager - On the May 1969 concert at The Talk Of The Town)

In these early years, as soon as one album would be completed. Robin, Maurice and Barry would move on to the next album.

With the release of their “Horizontal” album. Robin, Maurice and Barry spent alot of time in the first part of 1968 touring. But they never stopped writing. In January Robin, Maurice and Barry wrote “Jumbo”. Which would be released as a single in March. With the brothers written song “The Singer Sang His Song” on the B side. In between their concert performances the brothers were working on their next album, “Idea”. When the tour ended on May 3 the boys took a break until June 12. The brothers then returned to the studio for a four week session to complete the album. The first two days were spent warming up. The first day was a jam session with the three brothers. The second day Robin spent doing demos of songs he composed. Which included “The Band Will Meet Mr. Justice”, “The Girl To Share Each Day”, “Heaven In My Hands”, “My Love Life”, “The People’s Public Poke” and “Come Some Christmas Eve Or Halloween”.

For the “Idea” album Robin, Maurice and Barry wrote “When The Swallows Fly”, “Swan Song”, “She Is Russia” (outtake), “Men of Men” (outtake), “Let There Be Love”, “Kitty Can”, “Kilburn Towers”, “I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You” (release as the 1st single in July), “I’ve Decided To Join The Airforce”, “Indian Gin + Whisky Dry”, “In The Summer Of His Year”, “Idea”, “I Started A Joke” (2nd single), “Down To Earth”, “Completely Unoriginal” (outtake), “Chocolate Symphony” (outtake), “Bridge’s Crossing River’s” (outtake) and “Stepping Out” (outtake - appears on the brothers jam session).

By the middle of August the brothers began to work on their next album, “Odessa”. Where they wrote “Black Diamond”, “The British Opera” (an instrumental), “Edison”, “Give Your Best”, “I Laugh In Your Face” (an “Idea” outtake), “Whisper, Whisper”, “Suddenly”, “Sound Of Love”, “Seven Seas Symphony” (instrumental), “Nobody’s Someone” (outtake), “Never Say Never Again”, “Melody Fair”, “Marley Purt Drive”, “You’ll Never See My Face Again”, “With All Nations(International Anthem)” (instrumental), “Odessa (City On The Black Sea)” (7 1/2 minutes), and “Lamplight” (B side) and “First Of May” (first single release in February 1969).

Robin, Maurice and Barry also wrote two songs for Coca Cola commercials. “Another Cold and Windy Day” and “Sitting In The Meadow”.

They wrote “Royal Horse Artillery”, “Chequered Flag” and “Gena’s Theme” (and instrumental that would appear in 1983 on “Rarities”).

And the following songs which would be covered by other artists. “By The Light Of The Burning Candle” (The Marbles), “You” (Sounds Of Modification), “The Square Cup” (Max Greger), “Smile For Me” (The Tigers), “Love You” (The Marbles) and “Only One Woman” (The Marbles, Nigel Olsson, Graham Bonnett, Gene Pitney).

In 1967, after the brothers moved back to England. They began to work on their first album to be released world wide.

In about a month and a half the brothers wrote and recorded the songs for their “Bee Gees 1st” album. Barry commented, “We can write a song about almost anything. We write all the time. I suppose we finish about 4 or 5 songs a week on average. But alot of the material we write is thrown away.” Just think what us fans must have missed out on over the years!

For the album Barry and Robin wrote “Craise Finton Kink Royal Academy Of Arts”, “Cucumber Castle”, “Holiday”, “In My Own Time”, “I Can’t See Nobody” (the B side of their 2nd single), “One Minute Woman”, “Mr. Wallor’s Wailing Wall” (outtake), “New York Mining Disaster 1941″ (the albums 1st single)), “Please Read Me”, “Red Chair Fade Away”, “To Love Somebody” (the 2nd single) and “Turn Of The Century”. Maurice, Robin and Barry wrote “Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You”, “I Close My Eyes”, “All Around My Clock” (outtake), “I’ve Got To Learn” (outtake), “Close Another Door” and “Life” (outtake).

By August the brothers were back in the studio working on their second album, “Horizontal”. All three brothers wrote “Massachusetts” (1st single from the album), “Ring My Bell” (outtake), “World” (2nd single), “And The Sun Will Shine”, “Birdie Told Me”, “With The Sun In My Eyes”, “The Change Is Made”, “The Ernest Of Being George”, “Day Time Girl”, “Harry Braff”, “Horizontal”, “Lemons Never Forget” and “Really And Sincerely”.

The brothers wrote some songs in 1967 that would be covered by other artists. Barry and Robin wrote “Cowman Milk Your Cow” (recorded by Adam Faith), and “Mrs. Gillespie’s Refrigerater” (The Sands). Maurice, Robin and Barry wrote “Garden Of My Home” (Esther and Abi Ofarim).

During the year Robin, Maurice and Barry also wrote “In The Middle Of The Grass”, “Let Your Heart Out” and “Sir Geoffrey Saved The World” (the B side of “World”).

The brothers wrote songs for two films that would never be released. “We Can Lift A Mountain”, “Four Faces West” and “Treacle Brown” for the film “Pippi Longstocking”. They wrote “Words” for a movie “The Mini Mob”. The Bee Gees would release “Words” as a single in January 1968 (with the brothers composed “Sinking Ships” on the B side). And “Words” would appear on their album “Best Of The Bee Gees” which was released in 1969.

Robin, Maurice and Barry would end 1967 with their Christmas Eve Special “How On Earth?”. Where they sang a song they wrote “Thank You (For Christmas)”.

Robin Gibb is a very talented singer. With a strong, unique voice. That can bring such feeling to each song he sings.

But Robin is also a very talented songwriter.Whether he is writing by himself. Or with his brothers. Maurice and Barry. The magic comes through. He blends the music and lyrics together to keep us moving and touch our hearts. Robin is willing to try new things with instruments and sounds to get the feeling he wants (When the brothers were writing the song “Alone” Maurice came up with a bagpipes sound on the synthesizer. Maurice and Barry were not sure if the bagpipes worked. Robin insisted they be left in. The bagpipes give “Alone” the special driving rhythm.). With his lyrics Robin can entice, amaze, soothe and shock us. Robin’s songwriting is an obsession the fans can’t get enough of.

With all the songs Robin has written over the years. It would be hard to include them all. But here is a taste of Robin Gibb: The Songwriter.

In 1966, at the age of 16, Robin began to give us a taste of his songwriting ability. As the brothers were attempting to get their first hit song in Australia. They were working on their second album, “Monday’s Rain”. Twelve songs were lined up for the album. Which included Robin’s first solo written song to be recorded, “I Don’t Know Why I Bother With Myself”. And the first Robin and Barry composed son, “Tint of Blue”. In June “Monday’s Rain” was released as the brothers new single. Due to disappointing sales of the single the album was put on hold and the brothers returned to the studio. Where Barry wrote “Spicks and Specks”. In September the single of “Spicks and Specks” was released. With the B side being “I Am The World”. Where Robin sang lead vocal on his second composed song to be recorded. Even though the new album “Monday’s Rain” was at the factory. With the success of the new single the title for the album was changed to “Spicks and Specks”. All copies of “Monday’s Rain” were ordered to be destoryed. But a few copies of “Monday’s Rain” made their way out of the factory to become collector’s items.

Also in 1966 Barry, Robin and Maurice wrote “House of Lords”. Which the Monopoly would record a cover version of. And “Town Of Tuxley Toymaker Part One”. Which would go on to be covered by Jon Blanchfield, Billy J. Kramer, Trevor Hales and The Vipers. While Robin and Barry wrote “Gilbert Green”. Which Gerry Marsden would record.

Robin, Maurice and Barry wrote “Exit Stage Right”, “Like Nobody Else”, “Butterfly”, “I Know What To Do”, “Storm” and “Terrible Way To Treat Your Baby”. While Robin wrote “Lum-De-Loo”. Which would all appear on the Bee Gees 1970 album “Inception, Nostalgia”.