Disco de Bee Gees: “Spirits Having Flown”

Note: This is a re-issue until Rhino Records releases the Remastered Expanded version.

In the difficult position of having to top "Saturday Night Fever", the Gibb brothers surpassed themselves and created their biggest hit studio album of their careers, including three more #1 hits, making six #1 hit songs in a row! "Tragedy", "Too Much Heaven" and "Love You Inside Out" were all top hit singles. "Spirits (Having Flown)" was a large hit single overseas. All songs are Barry dominated vocals and he is at his falsetto best. However, "Stop (Think Again)" is a tad long and a little bit tedious, but the following tracks go right back to their upbeat best! Succeeding in avoiding any dance songs (disco), the Bee Gees out-do themselves. These songs are truly funky "R & B" numbers, a solid match for any rythym and blues band. "Until", the closing solo track may not be equal to their earlier hit "Words", but Barry's voice accompanied by the electronic harpsichord makes for a delicious ending.

This is really one of the best albums these three guys ever released. The tropical "Spirits (Having Flown)" and "I'm Satisfied" are both great. The ballads "Reachin' Out" and "Stop, Think Again" are heartbreaking. You can also dance to this album, thinking of "Search, Find" and "Living Together." "Until" is almost the music you often find in a dream in a movie. The three biggest hits of the album, "Tragedy", "Too Much Heaven" and "Love You Inside Out" are all three also great songs. Barry's fallsetto is great on this album and he really reaches notes that I couldn't believe he could reach. But hey, after all it's the "BEE GEES."

This album is really worth buying and a great one to have in you're collection.

The Spirits Having Flown album is not only the last disco album of the Bee Gees, but one of the BEST ones too! Tragedy rised up to US #1 because of its strong and energetic music. Too Much Heaven also went to #1 because of its sweet melody. This song was later tributed to the UNICEF by the Bee Gees. Inside and Out went to #1 after those two did. THe other songs were just as sweet as the mentioned #1 hits.

Saturday Night Fever brought the Bee Gees to their height of their career, and they took this chance to write more songs. But they actually had some problems, because they already achieved 5 #1s in SNF, and if they produce another album that sucks, the public will reject them. But they trusted in themself, and believed that they can achieve more #1 hits, and succesfully, they did it! Great album!

This album spawned three #1 hits(Tragedy,Too Much Heaven,Love You Inside Out[strangely missing here]),but it's no hits-plus filler package.Its got excellent R&B falsetto ballads(Reaching Out,Stop Think Again,I'm Satisfied), funky midtempo dance tracks(Search Find,Living Together),and the gorgeous tropical-sounding title song that ranks it as their most accomplised efforts.It also sounds less dated than most disco product of that year because its more rooted in R&B/pop.One of my favorite Bee Gees albums!

As many have said here, the Bee Gees did something truly remarkable in rock history. They followed up Saturday Night Fever, one of the greatest, most successful soundtracks ever recorded, with an equally great album that was artistically and commerically successful. The album has three of their greatest songs, Tragedy, Too Much Heaven, and Love You Inside Out, all of which were #1 hits. The title track is one of my favorite Bee Gees songs. I remember having this on vinyl, and during the "disco sucks" years (when the Bee Gees were unfairly maligned as a purely "disco" act, which they never were), I put it away. I got the CD many moons ago, and I still play it a lot (along with the Bee Gees' box set). This was the last Bee Gees album for a number of years, as the "disco sucks" years forced them to hide for a bit (thanks a lot, Steve Dahl and Gary Meier, the two shock jocks who conjured up the disco sucks phenomenon). But luckily, the Bee Gees are once again being appreciated for being fantastic musicians. And whatever happened to Steve and Gary?