Idea (album)

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Allmusic

Idea is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Bee Gees, and their third international release. Released in September 1968, the album sold over a million copies worldwide. The album was issued in both mono and stereo pressings in the UK. The artwork on the Polydor release designed by Wolfgang Heilemann featured a lightbulb with a group photo in its base while the North American ATCO release designed by Klaus Voormann featured a composite head made from each band member. No singles from the album were issued in the UK but ATCO released both "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" and "I Started a Joke" in North America.

The North American ATCO LP and the South African Polydor LP replaced "Such a Shame" with "I've Gotta Get a Message to You". Both songs were included when the album was released on CD in 1989.

Recording

The band recorded their previous album Horizontal between July and December 1967. The last song recorded was "Swan Song", but this was not released until 1968 on Idea. "Words" was released as a single in place of "Swan Song".

The band started recorded Idea on January 1968. The songs recorded were "Chocolate Symphony", "The Singer Sang His Song", "Down to Earth" and "I Can Lift a Mountain". ("Gena's Theme" was finished in June). "Jumbo" was released as a non-album single, "Bridges Crossing Rivers" and "She is Russia". The February songs are "In the Summer of His Years" and "I've Decided to Join the Air Force". By March, Barry, Maurice and Colin participated on the track "By the Light of the Burning Candle" The Marbles, a newly formed band at that time, the members are Graham Bonnet and Trevor Gordon. Between June and July in 1968 they recorded "Kitty Can", "I.O.I.O.", "Let There Be Love", "Stepping Out" and "No Name". In June, Robin recorded "The Band Will Meet Mr. Justice", "The People's Public Joke", "Indian Gin and Whisky Dry", "The Girl to Share Each Day", "Come Some Halloween Or Christmas Day", "My Love Life Expired", "Heaven in My Hand", a mono tape of seven song which was credited only to him. In the same month they recorded "Completely Unoriginal", "Kilburn Towers", the Vince Melouney composition "Such a Shame", "Indian Gin and Whisky Dry", "When the Swallows Fly", "Idea", "Come Some Christmas Eve Or Halloween", "Maypole News", "Men of Men" and "I Started a Joke".

The other songs recorded around 1968 included "Sitting in the Meadow" and "Another Cold and Windy Day", both recorded for Coca Cola, "In the Middle of Grass", "Let Your Heart Out" and "The Square Cup". "Everything That Came From Mother Goose" was written by Colin Petersen and Maurice Gibb, and Petersen mentioned this song in an interview in September 1968. In July, "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" was recorded in the same session as "I Laugh in Your Face" (released on Odessa, 1969) following the completion of the album, but was only included on the US version.

Release and reception

This album features "Such a Shame", the only non-Gibb Bee Gees song, written and co-sung by lead guitarist Vince Melouney. "Such a Shame" was included on the British version of the album but deleted from the American issue, which in turn included their recent hit "I've Gotta Get a Message to You", not on the UK LP. When the album was issued on CD in the 1980s, both tracks were included. "I Started a Joke" was not issued as a single in the UK, but it reached #6 in America. The UK sleeve had a lightbulb on a dark blue ground, In 2006, Reprise Records reissued Idea (using the European cover) with both stereo and mono mixes on one disc and a bonus disc of unreleased songs, non-album tracks, and alternate mixes. "I Started a Joke" was not released as a single in the United Kingdom. After the release of Idea, the band went to Brussels for the TV special Idea in September, and European tour in October and November after that, Vince left the band saying "I was just too young, too naive". His final album with the band was Odessa which was recorded in August that year.

Allmusic's Bruce Eder described "I Started a Joke" as very much of piece with their early work. Eder said that "Kitty Can", "Indian Gin and Whisky Dry" and "Such a Shame" sounded like the output of a working band with a cohesive group sound, rather than a harmony vocal group with accompaniment.

Track listing (UK)

All songs written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb, except where noted.

Side one

No.	Title	Lead vocal(s)	Length
1.	"Let There Be Love"	Barry, Robin & Maurice	3:28
2.	"Kitty Can"	Maurice & Barry	2:31
3.	"In the Summer of His Years"	Robin	3:05
4.	"Indian Gin and Whisky Dry"	Robin	1:55
5.	"Down to Earth"	Robin	2:28
6.	"Such a Shame"	Vince Melouney	2:28

Side two

No.	Title	Lead vocal(s)	Length
1.	"Idea"	Barry, Robin & Maurice	2:51
2.	"When the Swallows Fly"	Barry	2:22
3.	"I Have Decided to Join the Air Force"	Robin, Barry & Maurice	2:06
4.	"I Started a Joke"	Robin	3:03
5.	"Kilburn Towers"	Barry	2:14
6.	"Swan Song"	Barry	2:55

American release

Untitled

It was released also in September on the Atco label, and was released in stereo. "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" was included on this version instead of "Such a Shame". Its cover was a composite head by Klaus Voormann, the artist who also did the Bee Gees' 1st art.

Side one

No.	Title	Lead vocal(s)	Length
1.	"Let There Be Love"	Barry, Robin & Maurice	3:32
2.	"Kitty Can"	Maurice & Barry	2:38
3.	"In The Summer of His Years"	Robin	3:11
4.	"Indian Gin and Whisky Dry"	Robin	2:01
5.	"Down to Earth"	Robin	2:38
6.	"I've Gotta Get a Message to You"	Robin & Barry	2:55

Side two

No.	Title	Lead vocal(s)	Length
1.	"Idea"	Barry, Robin & Maurice	2:50
2.	"When the Swallows Fly"	Barry	2:29
3.	"I've Decided to Join the Air Force"	Robin, Barry & Maurice	2:11
4.	"I Started a Joke"	Robin	3:07
5.	"Kilburn Towers"	Barry	2:17
6.	"Swan Song"	Barry	2:56

2006 reissue (disc one)

No.	Title	Lead vocal(s)	Length
14.	"Let There Be Love (Mono Mix)"	Barry, Robin & Maurice	3:32
15.	"Kitty Can (Mono Mix)"	Maurice & Barry	2:38
16.	"In The Summer of His Years (Mono Mix)"	Robin	3:11
17.	"Indian Gin and Whisky Dry (Mono Mix)"	Robin	2:01
18.	"Down to Earth (Mono Mix)"	Robin	2:32
19.	"Such a Shame (Mono Mix)"	Vince Melouney	2:28
20.	"I've Gotta Get a Message to You (Mono Mix)"	Robin & Barry	2:55
21.	"Idea (Mono Mix)"	Barry, Robin & Maurice	2:50
22.	"When the Swallows Fly (Mono Mix)"	Barry	2:29
23.	"I Have Decided to Join the Air Force (Mono Mix)"	Robin, Barry & Maurice	2:11
24.	"I Started a Joke (Mono Mix)"	Robin	3:07
25.	"Kilburn Towers (Mono Mix)"	Barry	2:17
26.	"Swan Song (Mono Mix)"	Barry	2:56

2006 reissue (disc two)

No.	Title	Lead vocal(s)	Length
1.	"Chocolate Symphony"	Barry	2:42
2.	"I've Gotta Get a Message to You (Mono Single Version)"	Robin & Barry	3:01
3.	"Jumbo"	Barry	2:08
4.	"The Singer Sang His Song"	Robin	3:19
5.	"Bridges Crossing Rivers"	Barry, Robin & Maurice	2:07
6.	"Idea (Alternate Mix)"	Barry	2:48
7.	"Completely Unoriginal"	Robin & Barry	3:36
8.	"Kitty Can (Alternate Mix)"	Barry & Maurice	2:36
9.	"Come Some Christmas Eve or Halloween"	Robin	3:30
10.	"Let There Be Love (Alternate Mix)"	Barry	3:34
11.	"Gena's Theme"	Instrumental	3:19
12.	"Another Cold and Windy Day"	Robin	1:00
13.	"Sitting in the Meadow"	Robin	1:00

Chart positions

Chart (1968)	Peak position
Australia Kent Music Report Albums Chart	8
Canadian RPM Albums Chart	10
France Albums Chart	4
UK Albums Chart	4
US Billboard 200	17
West German Media Control Albums Chart	3

Personnel

Bee Gees

• Barry Gibb — lead, harmony and backing vocal, guitar
• Robin Gibb — lead, harmony and backing vocal, organ
• Maurice Gibb — bass, piano, organ, mellotron, harmony and backing vocal
• Vince Melouney — guitar, harmonica, lead vocal on "Such a Shame"
• Colin Petersen — drums

Additional personnel and production

• Bill Shepherd — orchestral arrangement
• John Pantry — engineer
• Damon Lyon Shaw — engineer
• Klaus Voormann — art cover (US version)