Bee Gees' 1st

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Bee Gees' 1st
Studio album by the Bee Gees
Released	July 14, 1967 (UK) August 1967 (USA, Australia)
Recorded	March 7 – April 14, 1967, IBC Studios
Genre	Pop, Rock
Length	37:39
Label	Polydor
Producer	Robert Stigwood Engineer: John Pantry
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
the Bee Gees chronology
Spicks and Specks (1966) The Bee Gees' 1st (1967) Horizontal (1968)
Singles from Bee Gees' 1st
"New York Mining Disaster 1941" / "I Can't See Nobody" Released: April 1967 (UK) "To Love Somebody" / "Close Another Door" Released: June 1967 "Holiday" / "Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You" Released: September 1967

Bee Gees' 1st is the debut album for the Polydor (USA: ATCO) label by The Bee Gees, released in July of 1967 (see 1967 in music). Contrary to the group's later disco-oriented releases, Bee Gees' 1st was a psychedelic rock album. The album cover was designed by Klaus Voormann who had previously done the cover for Revolver by the Beatles.

The song New York Mining Disaster 1941 was later covered by Chumbawamba on their WYSIWYG album, by Martin Carthy on Signs of Life, and as a B-side by the Levellers. "Every Christian Lion-Hearted Man Will Show You" has also been covered by The Flaming Lips as an intro to early live versions of "Shine On Sweet Jesus" as documented on the compilation 20 Years of Weird: Flaming Lips 1986-2006. Singer and pianist Nina Simone covered three songs from the album: "To Love Somebody" and "I Can't See Nobody" on 1969 album To Love Somebody and "Please read me" on 1968 Nuff Said.

In 2006, Reprise Records reissued Bee Gees 1st with both stereo and mono mixes on one disc and a bonus disc of unreleased songs and alternate takes.

Bee Gees 1st peaked at #7 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart.

[edit] Track listing

• Side 1

1. "Turn of the Century" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) – 2:25
2. "Holiday" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) – 2:54
3. "Red Chair, Fade Away" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) – 2:19
4. "One Minute Woman" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) – 2:17
5. "In My Own Time" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) – 2:14
6. "Every Christian Lion-Hearted Man Will Show You" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb/M. Gibb) – 3:39
7. "Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy of Arts" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) – 2:18

• Side 2

1. "New York Mining Disaster 1941" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) – 2:10
2. "Cucumber Castle" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) – 2:04
3. "To Love Somebody" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) – 3:01
4. "I Close My Eyes" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb/M. Gibb) – 2:23
5. "I Can't See Nobody" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) – 3:45
6. "Please Read Me" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) – 2:17
7. "Close Another Door" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb/M. Gibb) – 3:29

[edit] 2006 Reissue

In 2006, Bee Gees' 1st was reissued as a 2 CD set. In CD 1 were listed the original 14 songs, in both mono and stereo. In CD 2, were releasead a count of songs and versions not previously released. They were:

1. "Turn of the Century" [Early Version] (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) - 2:23
2. "One Minute Woman" [Early Version] (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) - 2:20
3. "Gilbert Green" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) - 3:08
4. "New York Mining Disaster 1941" [Version One] (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) - 2:03
5. "House of Lords" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb/M. Gibb) - 2:50
6. "Cucumber Castle" [Early Version] (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) - 2:04
7. "Harry Braff" [Early Alternate Version] (B. Gibb/R. Gibb/M. Gibb) - 3:10
8. "I Close My Eyes" [Early Version] (B. Gibb/R. Gibb/M. Gibb) - 2:28
9. "I've Got to Learn" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb/M. Gibb) - 2:50
10. "I Can't See Nobody" [Alternate Take] (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) - 3:51
11. "All Around My Clock" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb/M. Gibb) - 2:00
12. "Mr. Wallor's Wailing Wall" (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) - 2:38
13. "Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy of Arts" [Alternate Take] (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) - 2:17
14. "New York Mining Disaster 1941" [Version Two] (B. Gibb/R. Gibb) - 2:39

[edit] Personnel

• Barry Gibb - vocal, guitar
• Robin Gibb - vocal, organ
• Maurice Gibb - vocal, bass, piano, organ, harpsichord, mellotron, guitar
• Vince Melouney - lead guitar
• Colin Petersen - drums
• Phil Dennys - orchestral arrangement (3, 5, 8, 11)
• Bill Shepherd - orchestra arrangement (other songs)
• Mike Claydon - audio engineer
• Robert Stigwood - producer
• Ossie Byrne - producer

[edit] Charting singles

1967   New York Mining Disaster 1941 / I Can't See Nobody           US #14 / NZ #3
1967   To Love Somebody / Close Another Door                        US #17 / AU #6
1967   Holiday / Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You     US #16 / NL #3