High Civilization

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Not to be confused with High culture.
High Civilization
Studio album by the Bee Gees
Released 25 March 1991 (UK)
April 1991 (US)
Recorded 1990 at Middle Ear studio, Miami Beach, Florida
Genre Rock, pop, soul
Length 60:12
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb
the Bee Gees chronology
Tales from the Brothers Gibb
(1990)		 High Civilization
(1991)		 Size Isn't Everything
(1993)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 2/5 stars[1]
Chicago Tribune 2/4 stars [2]

High Civilization is the Bee Gees' nineteenth original album, released in 1991. It was their last album recorded for Warner Bros. Records, after a four-year contract. Possibly in reaction to firm resistance from US radio to the previous two albums, E.S.P. (1987) and One (1989), which had done well in other countries, the US-based Warner Bros gave this one less promotion and did not issue remixes. Engineered by Femi Jiya, High Civilization found a new change for the Bee Gees sound, with heavier use of drum programming and electronic effects, making a relatively cool production. Highlights from the album included the first single, "Secret Love", an up-tempo ballad, which was a top five hit in the UK, "When He's Gone", a heavier pop song, issued as the album's second single, and the sentimental ballad "The Only Love", released as the third and final single from the album. The soft ballad "Happy Ever After" was also a cassette-only single released.

While it did not chart in the US, it reached #6 in Switzerland, #2 in Germany (reaching Platinum certification in both countries), #24 in the UK and sold 1.1 million copies worldwide.

Both High Civilization and Size Isn't Everything were the only post-RSO era albums not to feature tours of the US in their support, presumably due to health issues with Barry Gibb and lackluster record sales.

Despite the album's failure, the brothers would work with Femi Jiya again on the follow-up, Size Isn't Everything.


Contents

[edit] Track listing

All songs composed by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb.

  1. "High Civilization" – 5:31
  2. "Secret Love" – 3:42
  3. "When He's Gone" – 5:59
  4. "Happy Ever After" – 6:17
  5. "Party with No Name" – 4:56
  6. "Ghost Train" – 6:04
  7. "Dimensions" – 5:28
  8. "The Only Love" – 5:36
  9. "Human Sacrifice" – 5:42
  10. "True Confessions" – 5:16 (Not included on cassette version)
  11. "Evolution" – 5:37

"The Only Love" was written with a view to being covered. The Bee Gees offered the song to Bryan Adams, though he declined their offer.

[edit] Singles

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Charts

[edit] Chart positions

Chart (1991) Peak
position
Austrian Albums Chart[3] 4
Dutch Albums Chart[4] 21
German Media Control Albums Chart[5] 2
Swedish Albums Chart[6] 50
Swiss Albums Chart[7] 6
UK Albums Chart[8] 24

[edit] Year-end charts

Chart (1991) Position
Austrian Albums Chart[9] 18
Swiss Albums Chart[10] 17

[edit] Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Austria (IFPI Austria)[11] Gold 25,000x
Germany (BVMI)[12] Platinum 500,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[13] Platinum 50,000x

^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

[edit] References

  1. ^ High Civilization at Allmusic
  2. ^ Caro, Mark (1991-09-19). "Review: Bee Gees - High Civilization". chicagotribune.com (Chicago Tribune). http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-09-19/features/9103110102_1_bee-gees-star-singles. Retrieved 2011-08-31. 
  3. ^ "austriancharts.at Bee Gees - High Civilization" (in German) (ASP). Hung Medien. http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Bee+Gees&titel=E.S.P.&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-02-16. 
  4. ^ "dutchcharts.nl Bee Gees - High Civilization" (in Dutch) (ASP). Hung Medien. MegaCharts. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Bee+Gees&titel=High+Civilization&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-02-16. 
  5. ^ "Album Search: Bee Gees - High Civilization" (in German). Media Control. http://www.charts.de/album.asp?artist=Bee+Gees&title=High+Civilization&cat=a&country=de. Retrieved 2012-02-16. 
  6. ^ "swedishcharts.com Bee Gees - E.S.P." (ASP). http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Bee+Gees&titel=High+Civilization&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-02-16. 
  7. ^ "Bee Gees - High Civilization - hitparade.ch" (in German) (ASP). Hung Medien. Swiss Music Charts. http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Bee+Gees&titel=High+Civilization&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-02-16. 
  8. ^ "Chart Stats - Bee Gees - High Civilization" (PHP). UK Albums Chart. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=43594. Retrieved 2012-02-16. 
  9. ^ "Austriancharts.at - Jahreshitparade 1988" (in German) (ASP). Hung Medien. http://austriancharts.at/1988_album.asp. Retrieved 2012-02-16. 
  10. ^ "Hitparade.ch - Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1991". Hung Medien. http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=1991. Retrieved 2012-02-16. 
  11. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Bee Gees – High Civilization" (in German). IFPI Austria. http://www.ifpi.at/?section=goldplatin. Retrieved 2012-02-16.  Enter Bee Gees in the field Interpret. Enter High Civilization in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen
  12. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Bee Gees; 'High Civilisation')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=High+Civilisation&strInterpret=Bee+Gees&strTtArt=alben&strAwards=checked. Retrieved 2012-02-16. 
  13. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Bee Gees; 'High Civilization')". Hung Medien. http://www.swisscharts.com/search_certifications.asp?search=Bee+Gees+High+Civilization. Retrieved 2012-02-16. 
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