70s Legend Made History When He REPLACED Himself at #1 THREE Times in a Row! | Professor of Rock

Up next we go behind the signature song behind a ground-breaking album that boasted 11 Top 40 singles on the Hot 100, and seven #1 hits*. Just unbelievable numbers. I’m talking about Saturday Night Fever the soundtrack from 1978 that really is a Bee Gees album. the record was so big you almost have to call it a movement…The song most associated with this movement the Bee Gees Staying Alive has been misunderstood for decades! Everyone knows it as a carefree, jolt of swagger but it’s actually a very serious song from a group that absolutely dominated the charts even doing something the Beatles didn’t do. Barry Gibb replaced himself at #1 not once, not twice but three times with four straight #1 hits. With Staying Alive, Night Fever, If I Can’t Have You, and Love Is Thicker Than Water… Stayin’ Alive started the momentum and it almost didn’t get released… the story is coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.
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Hey music junkies, Professor of Rock, always here to celebrate the greatest artists and the greatest songs of all time. If your cassette tape ever got jammed in your car and you couldn’t get out forever so you had to listen to that album nonstop. You’ll relate to this channel of music nostalgia… We curate the best of the rock and roll era through interviews, through stories, and through history, make sure to subscribe below right now. I know you’ll dig this channel. We also have a patreon you'll want to check out. There you’ll find an additional catalog of exclusive content and you can even become an honorary producer to help us curate this music history.
In 1977 the Bee Gees, comprised of twin brothers Robin and Maurice Gibb and big brother Barry, were in Paris working on material for their next album. While there, they received a call from their manager and entertainment mogul Robert Stigwood. He was putting together a new movie and wanted the brothers to write some songs for the soundtrack. At this point, the film was still untitled and there wasn’t much to tell them, only that it was going to be about the disco-craze. That film would of course become the famed Saturday Night Fever.
According to Robin, the three brothers had no concept of the movie during the writing process, except for a very rough draft of the script. He said, “We didn’t really want to take our chances on a film… But we had a bunch of songs written and said they [the movie execs] were quite welcome to come and have a listen.”
When the Paramount reps arrived in France to hear what the Bee Gees had written, they were predictably underwhelmed. I say that because this is a familiar story in the music industry…
Record executives, or in this case movie executives, who are completely clueless about what they are listening to. If it doesn’t sound like anything that’s already popular on the radio, they want nothing to do with it. Well, as it turns out, the batch of songs they were listening to included three iconic disco-era tracks that would all go to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100… How Deep is Your Love, Night Fever, and today’s featured track Stayin’ Alive.

[@ProfessorofRock]

Poll; What is your pick for the greatest movie soundtrack album?

[@catherine6653]

I like the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack. It's the only movie record I own. The Forest Gump soundtrack is a good collection of classic rock. I also like the theme song Chariots Of Fire by Vangelis.

[@christineml1476]

Can't pick just one ... in addition to Saturday Night Fever: Top Gun The Big Chill Dirty Dancing Purple Rain

[@carlwalker1623]

Last Action Hero

[@killrmillr]

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

[@floydparr8006]

Original music Help - The Beatles Non original music - American Graffiti

[@DaveCosley]

It always drove me nuts when people said that they hated the BeeGees because they hated Disco. Give me a break, they harmonized and sounded as good as anyone out there. I feel bad that Barry is all by himself now. What a talented family...

[@ProfessorofRock]

Right? thanks David!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

He’s been through a lot of heartbreak with the losses of all of his brothers and his parents. Hope he’s doing good.

[@ASalvaro]

The Bee Gees are so much more than Disco..their early stuff is great

[@littlecatfeet9064]

@@ASalvaro It is, but as someone who loves disco as much as any rock, I’m glad they made some of the genre’s best songs. Great music is great music.

[@ASalvaro]

@@littlecatfeet9064 i love their disco era too i'm just saying the stuff they put out before disco was great

[@christineml1476]

No matter the decade it's from, each Bee Gee song sounds timeless.

[@ProfessorofRock]

Agreed!

[@TracyLeaOgden]

For sure!

[@frankie9259]

To this day If I here the song "night fever" Im singing along Beepin and Boppin and it always puts me in a good mood

[@bherrin67]

Definitely 👍🏻 The Bee Gees were just phenomenal , “top notch” song writers, above all else. Their songs will live on…

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

Classics.

[@ksteiger]

I worked with the BeeGees and Arif Mardin at Atlantic Studios for a month in 1987. They were the finest human beings I ever had the pleasure to work with.

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

So cool.

[@madsjensen6330]

Which songs did you do? Esp sessions right?

[@frodeapeland1442]

How cool! There are some really wonderful songs on the E.S.P. album. Thank you for contributing for the group which means so much to me.

[@robinleonard8862]

I agree! Having met them several times myself, they always treated their fans like old friends rather than strangers. The 3rd time I met them, Robin even remembered where I was from. That blew my mind considering how many people they met every year.

[@sweetcaroline2060]

Cool ❤.

[@Ninang363]

As a Cardiac Nurse for 31 years, I will confirm the song is used for a compression rate and have heard professionals sing it under their breath during chest compressions

[@carolineb619]

I loved "I Started a Joke" first and my love for the Bee Gees rose from there. They were astounding!

[@AvalidGirl]

I was so young during that time. I always teared up listening to that song. I felt so sorry for him. So many lyrics "How can you mend this broken man?" 😢

[@tracyanne8616]

Massachusetts for me. Along the lines of I Started a Joke. Shows my age.

[@johnbolton4553]

Great, tragic song. 'First of May' also always hits me right in the feels. The line "Now we are tall, and Christmas trees are small" sums up the loss of childhood wonder in such a perfect, heartbreaking way.

[@lhanekamp65]

Their albums from the 1960s were just amazing. I love every song on these albums: Spicks and Specks (1966) Bee Gees' 1st (1967) Horizontal (1968) Idea (1968) They were amazing songwriters.

[@bettyartis3648]

Finally someone showing the immense respect the Bee Gees worked so hard for and earned time and time again. Their legacy is just as important as the Beatles. Their humour and humility are second to none and their talent was always off the charts! Thank you for a well informed commentary on a great career.

[@jontalbot1]

Agree about respect but they do not come close to comparing with the Beatles, mainly because no one else does either. I say this as not a particular fan or obsessive, l like all kinds of things. It’s just the way it is

[@JJ-ju6ky]

The Bee Gees do NOT have the same influence and musical importance that the Beatles had/have. Those two bands are not on the same level. The Bee Gees were hit makers and very talented, but there's only one Beatles. They are incomparable.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

@@JJ-ju6ky Think I'll agree with you and give the edge to the Beatles. The Fab Four were all over the board musically as a band and individually. Plus they were popular in different social eras. That doesn't take away from the BeeGee's talent though as I'd put them in a Top 5 or Top 10 list, and I like their music. The later 1970s were a different time socially and psychologically than the 1960's, which has an effect on the music of the period. All is just IMHO. I love good music regardless when it was made.

[@4862cjc]

Years ago, I saw an interview of Alice Cooper who said, “In a decade when everyone said they hated disco, along come the Bee Gees and produce one of the greatest albums of all time!”

[@2edged955]

I have watched the documentary "How do you mend a broken heart" 4 times now...and I cry at the end everytime. When Barry says he'd trade every hit song they ever had to have all his brothers back...😢

[@twilagitschlag5662]

I understand that!!! Would give anything to have my brother back.

[@jv-ep2tc]

I have always thought that Barry is/was in touch with "the other side" and has some psychic ability that helped him pull in the melodies. When he started that documentary with the statement "nothing is true", my belief was confirmed. I think I'll watch it again tonight.

[@lisaanderson135]

@@twilagitschlag5662I agree! I would give anything to have my parents back. They passed away from cancer when they were way too young. My mom was 66 in 2017 and my dad was 57 in 2007. I’m 47 which is extremely close to those numbers. It’s quite a sobering thought. Not to complain, but why do good people( like my parents) pass away? All the while mean and nasty people live long lives? I don’t get it?! It’s not fair… wow that sounds like I’m whining, sorry

[@ed9334]

The Bee Gees are NOT a guilty pleasure. There is no guilt associated with listening to great harmonies and thought provoking lyrics. They're simply one of the few giants in music history.

[@judyludlum2371]

Agree…100%!

[@yogibear6363]

From the last week of December 1977 to the first week of January 1979, a span of 54 weeks, Barry Gibb had the #1 song 27 weeks. He was #1 half the time.

[@tshouse2782]

Sooo many great, well written songs. "Nights on Broadway" is a masterpiece

[@57highland]

"Fanny" is a true masterpiece ...

[@eauhomme]

@@57highland Incredible song! The Bee Gees' tribute band Stayin' Alive has a fantastic version on KZbin. They have a backup singer that is unbelievable with the soprano part. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKmvqXane7epoLM

[@SangriaSamurai]

Love nights on Broadway.. then Timberlake re-wrote the Lyrics for Barry Gibb Talk Show sketch and i can't get that out of my head

[@msamelienp]

I agree. Barry uses his "chest voice" and it sounds totally different from the "Disco" falsetto.

[@billhorstkamp98]

Nights on Broadway was a great song, so was jive talking

[@paulharms7253]

"You Win Again" is a great song that suffered from the fallout of people not giving the BeeGees a fair listen after disco died. But that was mostly in the U.S. I had a close friend that joined the BeeGees road crew in the early 80s. He shocked me on one of his trips home when he told me that they were packing stadiums all over the planet through the 80s, in every country but the United States.

[@ProfessorofRock]

That's right! I lOVE that song!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

They were being largely ignored, and it was so unfair.

[@robertsalcido5518]

People think they disappeared at this time but they were writing and producing for other artists. The haters were rocking out to their songs without even knowing it.

[@Blujonny11]

I think it was the industrial sound that was the reason it never got traction in the U.S. It was a very intellectual sounding song, almost baroque. Now if they'd turned it into a rhythmic party song in 1987...

[@shiroibasketshoes]

This major Bee Gees fan thinks "You Win Again" is a really excellent song except for one aspect. Part of the lyrics go, "I shake you from now on, I'm gonna break down your defenses one by one, I'm gonna hit you from all sides, lay your fortress open wide, nobody stops this body from taking you." I was shocked; it really sounds abusive to me. it sounds like he won't accept if she complains he is making her uncomfortable and if she wants him to go slower or stop. A couple of female Bee Gees fan friends of mine were horrified at those lyrics; I am a guy and so was I. Then later it goes "I could never let you cast aside the greatest love of all." Never "let" her? She has a right to break up with him if she wishes to. After all those lyrics I quoted, I think the song's guy then calling what he feels "the greatest love of all" is egotistical abuser tactic. I am amazed at how the sinister aspect of these lyrics go over the heads of so many fans, who think after seven years it was all still about the disco backlash, why this song was not a bigger US hit. Program directors audition intently, and maybe some of them were put off by those lyrics I quoted. Just the title alone "You Win Again" does sound kind of gentlemanly, but what I quoted makes me wonder if the title is meant to be sarcastic. I'm not saying all the lyrics are or were the Bee Gees' own personal ways of treating women, but if they were playing a character, what's the point? I wish someone would ask Barry Gibb about those lyrics.

[@debgarner5289]

100% agree, never again in my lifetime will there be anyone as great as The Bee Gees. Loved them dearly as a teen in the 70s and still love all four of the Gibb brothers. RIP Andy, Mo and Robin.💔

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

So sad. Only one still standing.

[@Jennifer-qv8rq]

Barry Gibb- musical genius in my opinion. So versatile!

[@paullentz1972]

The BeeGees ability to 1. Write their own music...2. Each of them played a number of instruments....3. Each could sign both high and low pitch voices.....4. Write songs for other well-known artists....puts them near the top musical artists of all-time. The royalties that their descendants will earn will keep them living the good life for a long time.

[@dianeskahill4366]

I’m a huge fan of the BeeGees. I consider them to be one of the greatest song writing groups of all time. Never mind there performances as signers. I happen to be a person that really listens to music , meaning I pay attention to the lyrics and try to figure out what they mean. The BEE GEES will never be forgotten. Their music will live on!

[@daviidhopper7875]

I always down played the Bee Gees because "disco" but then in like 1997 or 1998 I saw a VH1 behind the music. And my buddy and I were like, "So wait! Basically, the Bee Gees were the greatest band ever." From there I started giving them the respect they deserved.

[@maryanncolyer9378]

I love trying to sing high like Barry

[@proudgram61]

Simply put, the Bee Gees will always be the best of the best on SO MANY LEVELS!!!!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

💯

[@lisaanderson135]

My love for the Bee Gee’s began when my parents relentlessly played the Bee Gees Greatest album over and over! At that time, disco partner dancing was all the rage and they actually took lessons. I can still see them practicing their moves in the living room with the album blasting! I was probably 8 or 9 years old at the time. The visions are as clear today as they were then. Unfortunately, both of them were taken way too early… my father had bone cancer and was 58 and my mom had Glioblastoma and was 67. Cancer sucks, NOT disco!

[@ProfessorofRock]

Such great memories! Thanks for sharing Lisa!

[@kariqualters5908]

My younger bother-in-law also died of a Glioblastoma at 34. Cancer takes too many for sure!!

[@lisaanderson135]

@@kariqualters5908 Anyone who knows what Glioblastoma is, is someone who either knows someone who had it or is a physician. I had no idea what it was until the doctors told me what it was. My mother went from being an extremely independent woman to a hollow shell of a person, sort of like someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. I think it’s probably the most horrible disease that I’ve ever seen

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

The kings of disco! My condolences Lisa. 😢

[@kariqualters5908]

@@lisaanderson135 I agree, but the night bf Tony passed away, although he couldn’t speak or move anything else, somehow he was able to move his arms and he knew who we were and held my kids hands in one hand and would point up with the other letting them know he had to go, it really was a miracle!!!!!!!

[@johnlascala5355]

I am a die hard rocker, but I love the Bee Gees. Their music, from all stages of their career, is excellent. Funny story about me as a rocker and the Bee Gees. At work, a friend came to my office and saw I was listening to "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and gave me the rock and roll horns and commented on how great Metallica is. My reply was, yes Metallica is great, but so are the Bee Gees in a very different way. I'm actually listening to the Bee Gees.

[@kimberley1449]

I love that song

[@sariahut1]

I grew up thinking they were just a cheesy disco band that my mom liked. I remember seeing them perform an acoustic version of This is Where I Came In (on Oprah of all places 🙄) when I was a teen, and having a complete change of heart. I absolutely love their music and have an entire playlist on my phone just dedicated to them. They are so iconic for the Gen X era. Anyone who claims to not like them in my presence is immediately subjected to a repeated barrage of BeeGee’s music until they change their mind.

[@deborahh2556]

Brilliant!

[@robertweldon7909]

For some of us who are Viet Nam era vets, "get a message to you" has a special place, because it said what many of us felt. How ever, the sound track from "Saturday Night Fever" is the music that defined DISCO. Starting with Travolta walking along to the beat of "Stain' Alive" (the defining tune of disco) right on through the entire sound track, you felt the beat and emotion spelled out in the movie. The Bee Gee's were great writers, artists and performers and few ever even came close to their unique talent. I'm not a disco fan, but every time I hear that guitar lick on "Stayin" Alive" My NON DANCING feet start to shuffle a little to the beat. ;-)

[@christysbutterfly1612]

Thank you for your service!!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

It’s instantly recognizable.

[@Rocketman5442]

Love that song

[@WhatsCookingTime]

I was just a little kid when staying alive . Night fever etc. My dad's Vietnam vet. But yeah to this day I still love the music. My dad likes some of the early BG stuff as well be also really like Saturday night fever soundtrack. He had the album

[@57highland]

SNF opened with "Stayin' Alive" and closed with "How Deep Is Your Love?" Brilliant musical bookends.

[@danl2479]

Thank you so much for giving the Bee Gees their long overdue respect. The Disco backlash hurt their image as a serious band considerably, but in recent years, after the deaths of Maurice and Robin, many people have come to realize just how amazing they were. The HBO documentary definietly spurred a newfound appreciation for their body of work. I was a fan of their early work in the late sixties and always thought their talent was amazing. Lately I've had old friends come up to me and say, "Hey, you were right, those guys are great! I love the Bee Gees!

[@sallypope7871]

I love how they reinvented themselves so many times. What other songwriters wrote so many hits for so many artists, across so many genres.

[@davidgibson8484]

When I was 9, my father got a perm and grew a beard. I didn't know why. Today, I'm convinced it was because of my mom's crush on Barry Gibb.

[@karencahill4798]

Smart man👍❤️

[@MyName-pl7zn]

If you were alive in the 70s you had this album in your house if you didn't buy it yourself someone in your house did. It was an absolute monster that started disco clubs throughout the country. ah ah ah Stayinggg alive! Great episode professor.

[@vernonsanders9696]

We didn't have this album. Irrelevant, the music was everywhere.

[@ProfessorofRock]

Thanks!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

I don’t know a single person who has never heard at least one song from Saturday Night Fever.

[@roythurston7799]

I have this album next to my Michael Jackson’s ‘Off the Wall’ LP

[@Nicksonian]

I was in college 1975-79. I never had this album, nor did I have any intention of buying it. I had a number of friends who, like me, changed the radio station when a BeeGees song came on. I don’t think there’s much comparison between the BeeGees and Michael Jackson. Michael was called the King of Pop for damn good reason. There were also good reasons you could buy T-Shirts and bumper stickers that said, “ DISCO SUCKS!”

[@SherryAnnOfTheWest]

Boy ... Barry Gibb really DID have the most luxuriant hair!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

One of the greatest 70s hairstyles.

[@weejim48]

The Bee Gees are probably one of the all time greatest singer/ song writer groups ever. They started in the 60’ & wrote, produced & sang their own hits. Then wrote , produced & sang backing vocals on hits for other stars. I would settle for 1% of their success. Amazing.👍

[@tinakeith5822]

Actually they started in 1958-2021

[@willow_wise]

Bee Gees have become my favorite band of all time - so talented and diverse. I am so happy you highlighted their vast catalog and variety of genres. Some of their most genius music is outside the disco fever era. It is strange that a band can be so successful and get so underrated at the same time, especially in the U.S. Thanks for featuring the Bee Gees.

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

They have a lot of records.

[@hermanschroder3822]

Try their fairly little known classic, in my opinion. called 'The Only Love'. A live performance is on youtube and showcases their unbelievable talent and genius. Cheers.

[@willow_wise]

There are too many hidden gems to list. 50+ years of great music across many genres.

[@robertfindley921]

"If it doesn't sound like something already popular, they (record execs) want nothing to do with it." Rick Beato says exactly the same thing.

[@ProfessorofRock]

It's the age old tale. No innovation.

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

True statement. 👍

[@urbanurchin5930]

@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 ......and - exactly why all of todays music is so.......lackluster ??

[@mazroon]

I think the only time that wasn't true was after the death of disco. It was so huge and then its demise was equally huge, leaving a gigantic void and all these new genres tried to fill it like rap, new wave, new romantics, hair metal, goth, thrash, etc. No one sounded the same in the early 80s.

[@kencrowe1965]

The Bee Gees are ALWAYS timeless!!! They are probably the MOST "gifted" group to EVER grace the music industry, IMHO!!! Barry Gibb's range is one of the best, if not the best, of all time!!! "Still Waters" is a masterpiece in itself!!!

[@christelgrimmer4478]

There is so much more to the Bee Gees than their disco era. They were very successful in 1966/ 67 after going to back to the UK. They performed from an early age on Australian TV and before that as fillers between the races. All three( four) brothers are/were so talented. I love their early work, anything before and after their Disco era.

[@robertmichalscheck3072]

Their music from the disco era is imo some of their best music people ,people are so dumb

[@christelgrimmer4478]

@@robertmichalscheck3072 Hasn't got anything to do with intelligence. I just prefer their styles from their early years and after the disco era. I know they had the songs ready to go before they were even approached for SF and that just shows how they could gauge upcoming trends, in this case disco-dancing music. Then they had success again after until Maurice's death. Maybe it also depends were the listener is at that point of time, teenage years, young adult, middle age.I can remember when I first heard them on my late Grandma's radio( secretly), with so many other groups emerging at that time, they, to me stood out. At that time, they had a new song out almost daily( it seemed), I just preferred the BeeGees to the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Small Faces, Kinks. and so on, all the groups my older brother admired and listened to.

[@judyludlum2371]

I love their early work too!

[@robertmichalscheck3072]

@@judyludlum2371 yes it was great too

[@stevelanemusic4463]

I have made it clear for decades, and I made a rant on my popular FaceBook Page about how I have never considered the Bee Gees to be "Disco" or dance music. Their music transcends all generations, genres and trends. Barry in this house of mine is considered one of the top three songwriters of all time and a true musical genius. I absolutely love this segment (again) 😆. Great Job Adam..!

[@ProfessorofRock]

Good call Steve. They ARE NOT DISCO

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

I would agree Steve. They made so much more than just disco music. They were good at rock songs, ballads, even new wave.

[@midnite_rambler]

I think Robin was as good a singer, if not better than Barry. And also just as good a songwriter. He's just never got the same recognition.

[@toddlentner1708]

Executives have been proven wrong too many times over the years. Look where the industry is now. Bee Gees are one of those groups that has left their mark on music, much like Elvis and Michael Jackson. One of the greatest groups ever.

[@cindytaillefer]

As one from a family of working bands (I am the amateur there) I have always thought of the BeeGees as the most underrated band of my lifetime - possibly better than (you know who). This past winter, I've become obsessed with learning everything I could about their talent - so much more than singing; the writing, the arranging, the flexibility, the VOLUME. It used to be a bit of a "joke" to say they were my favorite band... It is good to see them finally getting the recognition they deserve!

[@maestroaxeman]

"You Know Who"🤣 Believe me...I KNOW😉 I won't "clown around" with anymore hints🤣

[@felipehernandez-pedroza8288]

Yeah I remember being mocked at school for having the nerve of admiting I like the Bee Gees.

[@tonielliott8659]

You couldn't have said any plainer. They are one of the greatest bands of all time. Too many people in the world like you said think of them as a disco band and aren't giving the respect and recognition they deserve. I started listening to them because of my mother back in the late 60s. And never stopped loving them

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

I Started a Joke is one of my favorite songs from them.

[@Texeq]

The Bee Gees, like Fleetwood Mac, went through several distinct phases from 1967 through 1977, each one great. In 1976-78 their singles were all over the radio and heard played at roller rinks and nightclubs and from car windows. I thought they were nice, catchy but I was not completely won over. Couple years later when playing the original 45s I couldnt believe how great they were. Just smoking hot. Great melodies and beat. Yeah, they're one of the absolute best groups ever.

[@saudabrahams]

Best episode yet. The Bee Gees, no words can describe. Barry Gibb, in my opinion one of the most illustrious artists around.....whether it was for himself or producing for other. Thank you POR

[@Zlata1313]

A great many of their songs, over 1000 is estimated, were written by all three brothers, or at least by Barry and Robin.

[@kimberley1449]

They wrote everything together and there's no one to compare them to. Together they made magic and history!!

[@davidlaw689]

Whether you loved or loathed the soundtrack ( I loved it ) it was undeniably the soundtrack to and defined the late 70s.

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

Just the FACTS.

[@andersnielsen6044]

ABBA: Hold my beer..

[@michaellaporte4422]

What about Frampton Comes Alive

[@tonydecobellis1234]

For me, the Bee Gees are the best. From the '60s to the 2000s they made incredible songs. Did you know that Barry Gibb in one year wrote eight number one songs? Incredible. They had success in the '60s '70s '80s '90s and the 2000s plus they wrote number one songs for other people. Barry Gibb is a genius. Thank you for keeping the Bee Gees alive.

[@MademoiselleRose40]

I know MTV gets all the credit for music video clips, but Ian "Molly" Meldrum in Australia who ran Countdown, Australia's iconic rock show on Sunday nights from around '74, was very influential with starting that years before MTV began in the 80s. He may not be known outside of Australia, but all the music industry worldwide knew him, he was friends with all the big stars of the day and pretty much every artist that came to Australia went on Countdown. He encouraged artists to make video clips for their singles because Australia was so far away, live wasn't possible, so Coundown needed video clips to showcase the music to Australia. Australia is credited with "breaking" a lot of artists to the world, Blondie, Abba, etc, which was done through Countdown and it was done through these video clips. Ian Meldrum had an ear for new artists and he was incredibly influential. I argue he blazed the way for video clips, well before MTV came along. The BeeGees would have known all about that growing up in Australia. I was mid-teens for Saturday Night Fever, couldn't go see it because you had to be 18, but the music was HUGE. Eventually got to see the movie years later and didn't like it, but Travolta was amazing. I like disco because it makes you wanna dance and, to me, that's what music is all about, making you happy, lifting you up, making you want to dance in a celebration of life. That's why I love 80s music, the music was little 3-4 minute pockets of heaven. Everyone had their own sound, unlike today, they all seem to want to sound the same and so boring. Anyway...

[@michaelszewczyk9781]

I always wondered as a kid where those clips came from b/c Casey Kasem's Top 10 Countdown (on television) would show certain artist's music & only speak about others, in a time before MTV. I remember Blondie & Abba always getting their songs/clips played on the show. Big advantage.

[@donnahansen4940]

In the states, Mike Nesmith of the Monkees fame was a pioneer of music videos with Elephant Parts (1981)

[@aaronleverton4221]

The video of AC/DC's Jailbreak was filmed in a quarry outside Melbourne in 1976 for Countdown. And yet Malcolm (and Angus) never really got how important videos could be, just filming a performance on an empty stage until 1985 when they tried for thematic with Fly on the Wall and finally understood in 1986 by hiring David Mallet to remake You Shook Me All Night Long and make Who Made Who, beginning a relationship that continued uninterrupted until Pwr/Up.

[@bethsmith3421]

Hmmm I was in 7th grade when SNF came out, and I went to see it. I loved the movie and the music. I still love the music. I can't stand Travolta now.

[@0448mickey]

The Bee Gees are one of the best groups for me since the 60's. I was no fan of disco, but when they became the "Disco Kings", they were to me like a brother in jail: you love him, but you don't talk about it. I still have all their vinyl LP's, and many of their CD's. The Bee Gees' talent was always second to none. I wish I could have given this video more than one "like". Thank you.

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

Like your guilty pleasures. It’s okay.

[@Coowallsky]

Disco Kings wasn’t something they were trying to be.

[@TimStCroix]

In the late '70s I watched a panel discussion on TV hosted by a notorious disco hating radio DJ. On the panel was Meatloaf who, I guess, didn't know what it was about. The DJ, ragging on disco music, started breaking disco albums, one after another. He got to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack album and Meatloaf grabbed it out his hands. The DJ asked him why and Meatloaf said that he liked 'Stayin Alive.' I've carried that memory for 45 years, now, and it always pops up whenever I hear that song.

[@petercena9497]

I saw that show too, but can't remember what it was. Steve Dahl was the DJ.

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

The album has to STAY ALIVE.

[@LizLesBeeGeesOne]

Bee Gees are alot more than disco. Their music before and after being my preferred . Blue eyed soul yes. Robin with his weeping vocals and Barry with his strong vocals. And the harmony like none other. The Bee gees to me are the Best group and the best music I've come to hear. Timeless...

[@nate_d376]

I'm a HUGE Bee Gees fan! I celebrate their entire catalog. Doesn't get better than 'I Started a Joke' and 'New York Mining Disaster 1941'. Guess I'm an old soul, growing up spinning my dad's records (without his knowledge, lol) which included several Bee Gees records. Been a music junkie ever since!

[@TamingTheSprue]

Agreed..I love their album “Odessa” from 1969. They were amazing long before the disco era.

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

Massachusetts, To Love Somebody.

[@eddieschneider8470]

Professor, you are continuing to do a fantastic job. One cool dude

[@ProfessorofRock]

Thanks a lot!

[@queenslanddiva]

I have been a Bee Gees fan since before they left Australia in the 60s to return to the UK. One of the finest bands EVER to exist.

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

They’re so classic.

[@RobNMelbourne]

Especially on Brian Henderson's 'Bandstand' on Channel 9 ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXi0m2Ohmc-DgMU

[@littlecatfeet9064]

I love going to Redcliffe, a modest little beach suburb where the Gibbs lived in Australia. There’s a little memento to them, nothing like Graceland. Record executives are clueless. Hearing the first 10 seconds of Staying Alive still gives me the shivers. The movie is a classic of a working class man’s escape from depressing reality through music. The soundtrack is a classic for every era and story.

[@bbodinefan11]

I know Barrys falsetto took them through the late 70's but to me Robin had the most unique voice I've ever heard. I have all his solo albums.

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

Robin’s harmonies are bliss.

[@danieldoherty5034]

In the Bee Gees documentary, their dad made fun of Robin's voice, saying he sounded like a "Billy Goat." Didn't bother Robin at all. Cracked me up. Kind of true, but it's what made his voice so unique. Watch him as a kid, he had a great personality.

[@TheGoofyBuddha]

The Bee Gees were just Pop Music hit machines. Their songwriting and melodic singing were simply unparalleled at the time in Pop music.

[@freeassange5151]

It’s not that Simple they didn’t start in America they started in Australia if you broaden your horizon past the border of the USA you will discover a lot of things going on. The US military know about it They blow up sovereign nations pipelines check it out for yourself.

[@eleanormedina6703]

I agree but got me thru my first year of college. 😂

[@eleanormedina6703]

Every one could sing all the lyrics .

[@robertcronin6603]

Stayin' Alive just makes you move....you can't help tapping your foot or shaking your leg as *soon* as it starts playing....it's absolutely infectious and undeniably inspiring....amazing tune - amazing band ❤

[@kelwin58]

I've got to say I feel the same way about Don't Fear The Reaper and Godzilla By Blue Öyster Cult.

[@kimmatura3564]

I got that album for my 16th birthday and I still have it. I’m now 62. I also went to the drive-in after prom to see this movie. At the drive-in, the first movie would play again after the second movie. Got home after 1 am and was in trouble. So worth it!

[@ProfessorofRock]

Thanks Kim!

[@williamsherman1089]

Hmmmm! Wanna go to the movies 😉? I was just a few years younger than you but yeah those were some good times back then, seemed like everything was fun.

[@kimmatura3564]

@@williamsherman1089 Only if we go to the drive-in and see Saturday Night Fever! 😘

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

My aunt saw Saturday Night Fever and Grease at the drive-in.

[@Yngsatchvai]

​@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Stranded at the drive in , branded a fool what will they say Monday at school?

[@williamj.dovejr.8613]

It always bugged me how this band, the Bee Gees was credited with saving the music industry and dominated the last few years of the decade was suddenly discarded as soon as 1980 came around.

[@kentrichardson9070]

The only band that could compete with the Beatles. Considering all the songs they wrote for other artists and their professional career going back to them as kids in Australia,they may be the greatest group ever.cheers

[@mikesparks3398]

I’ve played guitar for almost 50 years. Back in the 70’s I had a BeeGees song book that I credit to learning guitar. I’m a 70’s 80’s rocker at heart but man there are so many great Bee Gee’s songs. Run to me, Words, New York mining disaster 1941, Massachusetts, Fanny, Nights on broadway, Too much heaven,…the list goes on and on.

[@charlie-obrien]

I also love to play BeeGees songs. Nights On Broadway when I'm feeling funky and How Deep is Your Love for a soulful acoustic ballad. Like you point out, there are so many more. They have a catalog of music that never disappoints.

[@mikesparks3398]

@@charlie-obrien Fanny and Love so right are two of my favorite later years songs

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

They had been around since the 60s, when there was no disco.

[@catherinedouglas8049]

I have always LOVED the Bee Gees since I first heard New York Mining Disaster. I went to 4 of their concerts throughout the years. They were always awesome and fantastic....perfect live performances. Thank you so very much for recognizing their genius and talent.

[@gregdavis1341]

The Bee Gees were Incredible!! Barry Gibb is Fantastic singer and an even better song writer!🙏

[@BlackCatMargie]

'You Win Again' is one of my favourite songs ever. I remember trying to tape it from the radio, and trying to figure out the station play lists for when it would come on. Bee Gees disco might be what they are most remembered for, but the rest of what they did, before and after SNF, is what I like best.

[@WillSpires]

Bee Gees are a huge part of my growing up. They were everywhere in the radio. I remember growing up in the 70's and 80's one of the first 45's I ever bought with my allowance was a copy of Tragedy and I wore that song out on my record player!

[@ReverendDr.Thomas]

Possibly their finest song, along with "Love You Inside and Out".

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

Such a great song.

[@Lisa-dn2gx]

I saw them in 78 & still have the 11x14 glossy color program! What a great concert!! Never sat down once the music started, EVERYONE was up dancing the entire time!!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

How could you NOT dance to them?

[@TheGlssr60]

GREAT VIDEO! Been a Bee Gees fan since the first time I heard "Massachusetts" upon it's release on the top 40. I've got the entire Bee Gees catalog plus Barry's solo efforts. Rarely does a day go by that I don't play at least one Bee Gees song but it's usually more than one. He is probably the most underappreciated singer/songwriter of the 20th century behind only perhaps Jeff Lynne of ELO fame IMHO.

[@slaphead8835]

You’re absolutely right. The Bee Gees are one of the greatest groups EVER! I was into them in the 60s when they had a string of great hits, too many to mention. It’s unfortunate that they got saddled with a negative disco reputation. They were so much more than Saturday Night Fever. They proved that by writing so many hits for other artists that most people weren’t even aware of. Great tribute Professor! Well done as usual.

[@goodi2shooz]

The Bee Gees are absolutely one of the greatest bands ever. And the Saturday Night Fever album was the sountrack to the best New Year's Eve Party I ever went to.

[@mournblade1066]

I absolutely love "Night Fever." Such a great song.

[@ProfessorofRock]

Same! My favorite from the soundtrack.

[@eleniprovia7667]

Agree!!!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

Me too. It’s a 70s classic.

[@kissfan003]

GOAT of soundtracks!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

They did awesome here.

[@terencetheturrible5193]

Great summation of one of the greatest pop groups in history, encompassing over 5 decades. Incomparable. Indisputable. Enduring. So sad to have lost Mo and Robin so soon, but their harmonies, range of vocals and emotion still go on…

[@trinaq]

I've actually learned First Aid CPR using this song, which is insanely helpful, and gives a whole new meaning to "Staying Alive!" 😊

[@ProfessorofRock]

Right on Trina!

[@amyrussell860]

@Trina Q-speaking as a medical professionall, the songs beat is perfect for helping someone know they are doing 100 compressions/minute. I saw this with my then best friend as a 12 y.o. in 6th grade. Her dad took us to the theater, and he saw something else. Totally appropriate for that age group? Not really 😅.

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

I’m about to start CPR training in the fall for my senior year and I need to steal this idea.

[@kellyalves756]

This technique is Dr Mike approved! 😁

[@melanieshaw3210]

I have heard many times that staying alive is a universally approved measure for doing CPR because of its exact beat to how fast you are to do the compressions! And yes, the ironic name LOL

[@jodyrroberts]

Hi Prof, In 1978 my wife and I (now ex) used the Saturday Night Soundtrack to teach people (mostly older) to disco. We actually played the album completely every weekend night... dancing. The Bee Gees had amazing songs without the "disco" sound. I'll never forget the smiles and fun we had. JRR

[@edwardjacobs4042]

My mom got me into The Bee Gees and I’m a huge fan of the songs on the Saturday night fever soundtrack. It was so sad losing Robin and Maurice. They were so talented and sorely missed. I never thought of them as the kings of disco. ❤❤

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

Just in that moment, but overall, nope.

[@user-dd4dq2kw5t]

Barry Gibb is one of the best song writers ever. The BeeGees have stood the test of time changing to meet the needs of their listeners as music changed around them.

[@denisetowe895]

I have always loved The Bee Gees! I don’t care what they sing; they rock!

[@larrycanepa]

Apples and oranges to compare The Bodyguard Soundtrack to the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack in sales. If SNF had the accessibility in its day that Bodyguard did, it would have absolutely exceeded it for all-time sales. Not to mention, and as much as I love Whitney, Bodyguard was a piece of existing Pop music, where SNF helped jumpstart an entire genre. No comparison in my book as to who was the 'biggest' soundtrack of all time...

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

I agree!

[@christines1709]

The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack will always have a special place in my heart. I was in high school when the movie came out and grew up in the Brooklyn neighborhood where the movie was filmed. My friends and I spent as much time naming the neighborhood landmarks as we did paying attention to the plot!

[@Ezekiel33USA]

The BeeGees for me were a guilty pleasure. I loved their music but couldn’t admit it because the whole “disco sucks” and “death to disco” thing was going on and it wasn’t cool to admit you liked disco. These guys were some of the greatest song writers that have ever lived.

[@fivestring65ify]

A lot of people gave these guys grief over the whole disco thing, but this music was some of the best ever made. I love disco, as well as a lot of other musical genres. Another great episode, Adam.

[@RC32Smiths01]

Bee Gees are so timeless, they practically defined the genre they are iconic for. Cheers as always.

[@ProfessorofRock]

Couldn't agree more!

[@RC32Smiths01]

@@ProfessorofRock Thank you!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

One could go so far as to say that they invented disco. The late 70s version of it.

[@jodysauer9040]

The Bee Gee’s are my absolute favorite group. They wrote the soundtrack to my life. Every milestone punctuated by a Brothers Gibb song. I am not even worthy enough to write what their music means to me. They are the greatest. Thank you for sharing their stories on your show.

[@isalovez]

Agree. The Bee Gees had the versatility, range, and absolute talent of writing songs that, no matter what decade it was, were so good and beautiful. I am a college student who just entered their 20s and it amazed me of how rich and vast their discography is. Barry, Robin, and Maurice truly made magic and it's pretty sad that we won't get to see them together again.

[@KnightlyHouse]

my mum has the silver vinyl version ... amazing album that got plenty of play even in the 80's. Barry Gibb is one of the greatest singer song writers of our time.

[@JohnWhitakerHRHardball]

The BeeGees are amazing artists, harmonies like only siblings can accomplish. The Hanson version (lord, forgive me) is really great as well. Mad respect.

[@koalalou7418]

My dad passed the BeeGees on to me as well with the Best of Bee Gees Album. All tunes from the 60's. I later fell in love with Fanny Be Tender, Love So Right, and Lonely Days, Lonely Nights in the early 70's and lived the the Saturday Night Fever era in real time!! I love the Bee Gees and see them as so much more than a Disco band. That being said, their disco tunes (which they always called R&B really hold up! They were gifted songwriters, and could harmonize beautifully! Thank you for featuring them. They deserve all the respect and recognition!!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

They were just genuinely awesome human beings.

[@amymarckel420]

First album I ever bought with my own money. Even at just 7 years old I knew how great the Bee Gees music was. The Brothers Gibb literally wrote the soundtrack of my childhood. ❤

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

I’ve lived with them since elementary school!

[@kelwin58]

My first purchased album was In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.

[@erichfischer8064]

The Bee Gees are almost an anomaly, in that the whole family was so gifted, from songwriting, singing, and being able to arrange and produce their own compositions. Saturday Night Fever came out, and my oldest brother and my sister, of course, had the album and 8 track. The movie came out when I was four almost five years old, and I especially loved Night Fever, and Staying Alive. However, at that time I was too young to realize about the early Bee Gees, and all of the great music that they created, which is nothing like the dominant disco-theme of Saturday Night Fever. That's when I realized just how special these guys really were. I Started a Joke, is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard in my life and still brings tears to my eyes when I hear it to this day. Just incredible emotion from Robin, not to mention absolutely no auto-tune or studio tricks whatcha see is whatcha get live as well. That's saying something. And I would only be lying if I said that I could endure and soldier on the way Barry has. I know it certainly isn't easy for Barry to carry so much for his family now that he is the only one, and my heart goes out to him, not so much as for pity, but for being an inspiration of bravery. Thanks for the wonderful music Bee Gees.

[@rchristy4540]

Bee Gee's transcend labels of any kind. They were and still are a gift to us all.🎵❤️

[@kevindobson3701]

Bee gees are my fav groups of all time RIP Robin , .Maurice and Andy .

[@terryandrews7271]

Great song writers, Great performers and great musicians. It's a crying shame more people don't know about it✌️✌️✌️

[@jennyjenny4501]

Saturday Night Fever would not have been the same without the BeeGees! Edit: I love The Tavares cover of “More Than a Woman”!

[@ProfessorofRock]

So good!

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

I agree, it’s a great version.

[@sourisvoleur4854]

Never was a huge fan of this song, but hearing it over and over here, I must say the rhythm section is fabulous.

[@megmcguigan3857]

I was a kid in the 70's and I have always loved the Bee Gees. I love disco and I have no shame!

[@robertstingley1867]

grew up in the 70's, the youngest of 7 sibs. My older brothers always listened to bread, america, boston, and yes the beegees. grew up on this music. I clicked the like button; but in all honesty, i love it.

[@rjh1967g]

My dad went to school with the Bee Gee's here in Australia. It was at Humpybong Primary School on the Redcliffe Peninsula. They played in a talent show apparently, don't know if they won or not. Happy times!

[@andrewsvaz]

I always identified with Stayin' Alive as the struggle to stay alive in a big city. When I moved to another town on my own, this song kept me going. People called me dramatic and silly at the time because I was always listening to disco, specifically to Stayin Alive. At the hardest times, it gave me the support I didn't have anywhere else driving me forward when I couldn't talk to anyone else, even today. I personally don't understand people that don't like this music, and I find it weird people that don't like Disco, especially at a party. I love Rock but there are times when only Disco hits the spot. And Bee Gees... top of the list.

[@julibugable]

Loved this. My favorite band. I rediscovered the BeeGees when I discovered that I could listen to old songs on KZbin. I stupidly went along with the trends of not liking disco for three decades, but when relistening I realized, these guys are really good…REALLY good. That’s when I found out that they hadn’t quit writing and putting out albums. I guess I’ve listened to them all now. I can honestly say that there isn’t a BeeGees song I don’t like. I also like Robin’s and Barry’s solo albums. Maurice’s lead singing and Robin’s lead are favorites as well. To top it off they are true gentlemen, kind-hearted and funny. Watch their interviews. Treats are Robin Gibb on The Dating Game and Maurice and Lulu singing The First of May.

[@hermanschroder3822]

Barry and his lovely wife now married 55 years ( same as me lol ). Not only a musical genius but a devoted family man as well, Hard to find these days especially in the world of celebrity. Cheers.

[@37swansong]

I love the BeeGees! ❤😊 One of the greatest group of singers, song writers and musicians❣️☺️

[@susannediaz7549]

My dad hated the Beatles and got me the BeeGee’s in 1967 and they were one of my Favorites always. Went to see them at Spirits Having Flown tour in 1979. ❤❤❤

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

Nice!

[@cindyedwards6924]

The Bee Gees are the soundtrack of late high school, early college and young motherhood for me. Boy, I LOVE those voices. I can sing every word of those songs. Thank you for the hit to those memories.

[@psykomystro]

It's the media that puts a stigma on artists and it's tragic that the masses don't seek things out themselves but the brothersGibb are way beyond disco. They were big way before and made a lot of noise long after. One of my favorite artists as well. Good stuff Proff... You did it again. ✌️

[@sagewitch7762]

Due to a disability have no rhythm and yet even I can not stop myself from starting to move in time to the music the minet Staying alive come on the radio. i'm 64 and when I here it I'm 17 again every time thank you for this wonderful episode.

[@CarlWithACamera]

There's a word for music like this. Iconic

[@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980]

“Iconic” is the word! (Thanks Frankie Valli)

[@dallisb1047]

All of the songs by the Brothers Gibb should been #1. I know all of the soundtrack songs except 2. Their harmonies are some of the best in all of music. The same for any of their works that come to mind. Your channel feels like an old sweatshirt. Comfortable. I tell people about it all of the time. I particularly love #1 In Our Hearts. Rock it Prof! Lonely Days is one of my favorites.

[@funkyshlunky]

Thank you so much for this video! One of the greatest groups of all time and definitely some of the greatest songwriters! The Beatles and the Bee Gees were a huge part of the soundtrack of my childhood