In September 1962, my parents and I were dining in a Surfers Paradise, Queensland, restaurant for my 13th birthday. There was an act that night, three young boys from Brisbane. It was The Bee Gees! They were dressed as in this video. The twins were my age and Barry had just turned 16 a few days before. My parents and I loved them. We had no idea, of course, what was ahead for them. I like to think I was there at the start of what became a truly stellar career.
Imagine these young boys growing up to be some of the most prolific songwriters ever, not to mention the hit songs they recorded themselves. Such a talented family!
It is tragic that Barry is the only one left. The beautiful Andy first to depart at only 30. They were all extraordinarily talented singers and songwriters.
You better watch out now,his wife might hear you. Hahahaha, just kidding, Robin and the rest of them were handsome cats and very talented to say the least.
Awesome analysis. They are really young there. I liked The Bee Gees . A friend of mine actually ran into Barry Gibb. And I mean my friend and Barry bumped into each other. I was back before Saturday Night Fever came out.😅🎸👍
In reality Disco was just a small fraction of their career span. I don’t really understand the distaste for disco. It was a fun time to go to clubs and bars for dancing. We didn’t all dance like John Travolta but we had a great time trying!
@@suzanneespinola6509 Disco came out around 1973. The Tramps., George McCrea, Tavares, has more with Disco than The Bee Gees. I lived in the Discos. The Bee Gees, ruined Disco.
In Australia their agent said "It was hard to book them on Bandstand because Robin was so extroverted that he scared people". He also said they bordered on being "feral" and were terrors. I believe Robin was told to tone down the behavior. A shame. He was a ham. They were born performers and loved it. Their parents were originally leery about them performing but ended up supporting them because the boys loved it so much. The twins quit school about 12. The 2nd song was first made famous by Lonnie Donegan. Loved his many versions of "Does your chewing gum lost its flavour on the bedpost overnight". He also wrote "I'll never fall in love again" for Tom jones. His "skiffle" influenced a lot of groups.
Lonnie Donegan again... Yeah without him the UK would have been nothing but an island in the stream I suppose. No Shadows, Beatles or Stones without him either.
Very good but though Tom Jones made it his song and was fantastic, Lonnie did not rite it for him as he wrote it in 1961 and Sor Tom was Tommy Woodward in The Tommy Scott Orchestra in Wales until 1963 do unknown until his massive hits stared in 1964.
As an Aussie, my heart swells when I see these early Bee Gees clips. Our clubs, radio stations & fledgling TV channels provided a good training ground to nurture their innate singing talent 😊 Barry also developed his songwriting skills during this time. 'In the Morning' is a lovely example that you might want to check out some time.
The Brothers Gibb are one of my all-time favs. Incredible artists and supreme professionals. And yeah, Robin is just aDORable omg! Thanks for highlighting them!
THEIR mother Made THEIR vetemens!! And the letters B and G with the old shoes!!! Barbara talks about it in "the bee Gees - the oficial HISTORY" on RU-vid.. IT'S a great material!!! 😊😊
I didn’t really think much of The Bee Gees back in the 70s, but after seeing this as well as a recent episode of Professor Of Rock telling of their many comebacks over the years, I’ve gained a new appreciation of them and now find them simply wonderful😊
@markhesse2928 YES! That episode started an avalanche of music and information for me too, although I do have the 1978 Greatest Hits on an actual record. 👍🏻
i was a fan in 1967 and when i had a band, we played a lot of their hits. "spicks and specks" was their earliest song we played. they were pure talent! i quit listening to them when they went disco. now, if you actually hear a beegee song on the radio, it's disco! i hate disco! robin singing "i started a joke" is wonderful.
I never really appreciated them in the 60s and 70s. Over time, their many talents and song writing abilities could not be ignored. Great live band and they moved with the times. Much more talented than I ever realized when growing up. Glad you put this up.
My daughter found this video last week and showed it to me. Robin had us in stitches, especially in "My Old Man's a Dustman". I think her exact words were, "Little dude in the front is killing me"...and now she keeps singing it, complete with all Robin's movements.😂😂 This was a fun one, for sure. Is there anyone who doesn't love the Bee Gees? It was definitely entertaining to see them at this age. 😊
What a journey from these youngsters to the gold medallion wearing, hairy chested disco gods of the 70's! 😁What a little ham Robin was! Thanks. Very cute.
Reminds me so much of The Osmonds early before Donny. With the ham being Jay. You even see similarities between Jay and Robin here as they both knew exactly what camera was panning in. Love this!
What a fun video! I love this analysis of the early BeeGees. Fun to see how Robin was already so at ease on stage. Incredible harmonies even then! Thanks so much, Fil!
It's truly amazing that just four years later they were writing (and performing) songs like 'New York Mining Disaster 1941' and 'To Love Somebody'. Robin and Maurice look so young here.
There's a great double CD, sadly Long out of print called 'Brilliant From Birth' which featured all of their early pre 1966 recordings. The title pretty well summed it up however, 'Brilliant From Birth'. Being an Aussie and a fan, all of their pre 1966 45 records are worth big dollars now. Even in later years, there was still no better sound with just the 3 brothers with Barry's acoustic guitar. Wonderful stuff Fil!
Aaaww, the Gibb brothers before they knew dentists existed, LOL. Also fun to see that Robin was the smallest here. He sure caught up to his twin Maurice and outgrew him.
@@LillyMarz777 Yeah, I know. Their teeth should be enough for people to tell they're originally from the UK. Their and older generations of Brits were generally known for not having the best teeth.
Great analysis, Fil! Yes, these three wonderful and talented young men were crowd pleasers even at this stage in their careers. Their enthusiasm and showmanship were present from the very beginning and everyone can see from watching early performances like this one why they were destined to become the superstars of tomorrow in just four more years that lasted over five decades. I'm not sure if any other musical group could ever claim that. In my eyes they're in a league all of their own. Greatest group ever!
Interesting analyses. There will never be another "BeeGees". Sadly they had to stop too early because Maurices death. I learned from RU-vid that they had no musical education. And what a career!
This is a fantastic video of the young Bee Gees. Of course they are adorable and so talented already. Robin is personality plus for sure! It's interesting how Barry's falsetto is starting to show. The Bee Gees had the most amazing, distinctive sound as a trio that I ever came across. My favorite songs by them are "Jive Talkin", "You Should be Dancing" and the fantastic "Staying Alive!" Talk about blue-eyed soul, they had it. It's so surreal that Barry is the last surviving brother. In my mind, they will always be The Bee Gees. Wonderful analysis Fil!
Thank you very much for your recognition of these geniuses. As you know perfectly well the bee gees were censored on the radios, refused to broadcast their songs, their records were burned in football stadiums and it was always a group very mistreated by critics and musical establishment. Years ago saying that you were a fan of the Bee Gees was a source of shame for many people (certainly not for me), today little by little they are achieving the recognition they deserve as one of the greatest bands of all time.
I just read the other comments, and basically have nothing else to add, but I do want to thank you so much for hitting these older groups (some of the very best, you may remember my comments on the Beatles--love the early stuff; the Andrew Sisters, etc.). And, what a treat to what the Bee Gees were like at that age!!! Oh, my goodness. Another treat of equal value was watching your face as you enjoyed the performance!! Thank you, Fil!! Great video! 😘
The harmonies were there from the beginning. I know this sounds corny, but it’s clear that they were destined for stardom. They were so talented. I must say that it was later in the 60’s that they did shine as huge stars - and yet, it was only about 4-5 years later they were world wide stars. What a talent - and such a tragedy with their lifes. Only Barry left. 😢
Thank you, this was so interesting. I'm a new subscriber due to your previous Bee Gee's reactions and voice analysis videos. I'm a huge Bee Gees' fan but I hadn't been that interested in their super early, black and white, childhood stuff until I saw your thumbnail for this video and decided to watch. I'm so glad I did, your analysis and breakdown of their voices and stage presence at such young ages was so worth the view, I've gleaned new appreciation for the brothers as the child prodigies I believe they were. -It's also so interesting to see that even at such young ages their distinct stage personalities were taking shape. Barry of course being the handsome young front man all business about keeping the song going, and Robin and Mo standing together moving in unison. But Robin's natural front man presence was evident also in his confidence of personality, as you noted. And if you noticed Maurice's expression in parts of My Old Man's a Dust Man, he was already exhibiting his since of humor with a slightly bored expression while Robin and Barry played to the audience. Something we would see take shape much later when Mo would be the funny man onstage during songs such as Holliday, acting bored as he stood aside, looking at his watch, and trying to break in as Robin and Barry sang the catch; De de de de de de DE De de de de De.
Love your videos but I must say I especially love the Bee Gees videos. Your smile lights up the room when you're watching them. Thanks for all you do and explain.
Thanks for another great analysis! I love seeing these really early clips of the Bee Gees when they were really young. They had so much raw talent even back then. My favorite era by them is the 60's-70's before disco.
They grew up making home movies and his father was a drummer in a local band when they were young and i also think they were “comedians” with a well developed sense of fun early on. All these things i think contributed to their naturalness on stage
The first time I saw these early performances of the Bee Gees I got a kick seeing them so young. like how you pointed out how the Gibbs brothers crafted their vocals and showmanship at a young age. even you Fil seems to really enjoyed witching these early performance of the Bee Gees. 😊
Fil. I saw this trio at Surf City in Sydney back in 1964. Barry is 17 and the twins 13. Even then the harmony was masterful. They played all around Sydney and New South Wales mainly with the man who 'discovered' them - Col Joye and The Joyboys.
They were discovered at the Redcliffe Speedway where they used to perform by a Brisbane DJ Bill Gates and he promoted them. He may have taken them to Sydney. Their first tv appearances were on Brisbane children shows.
I still sing ‘My old man’s a dustman’ when I’m in a funny mood along with ‘Mud mud glorious mud’. 😀 A great natural job they did while still so young. ❤️🙏🎸I just listened to ‘In the Morning’ and it is lovely. I really love the lyrics👍
Thanks for doing this Fil. The Bee Gees have been such a a fantastic band and group over all the years of my life (50+ years). There is so much one can say, and that has been said, but one can't deny just how great they were as singer song writers! So good. P.S. You should (in your own time) check out some of the documentaries that show their early history where the boys were working in pubs and club where they worked in the RAIN with everyone standing about in ankle deep water. The boys put in the hard yards and were seasoned by the time they did this act.
Fun look and different analysis examining this trio's vocals in covers from early stage of career. But noting how these vocalists would evolve into songsters with mega hits
Barry was a lot taller than the twins, even as adults. It’s not surprising that the age difference looks a lot bigger than it is. I thought it was interesting that Barry never seemed self-conscious about being with his little brothers all the time. My older sister would barely be seen in public with me if she could help it, when we were those ages.
Yeah, the Gibb boys got progressively shorter in descending birth order. Barry had about 2 inches on Robin (the elder twin by half an hour) who had about 1 to 2 on Maurice who had at least 2 on Andy. So Barry was on the tall side of average while Andy was downright short. I haven't done a statistical analysis here of what is technically "average" height although I think it is shorter than my general impression. Andy seemed pretty short to me though.
Hi Fil, This was a WONDERFUL analysis today! I love these guys… so amazingly gifted and talented and a joy to watch and listen to. They would, to me become the group that no one else could surpass! They were just the ultimate professionals, showmen, vocalists and musicians. Awesome look back at their earlier years. But I will always love their Disco era style songs the best. It just doesn’t get any better than, Stayin’ Alive…!!! Love what you have done with this analysis and how you showcased these talented brothers. You Are The Best… Debbie☮️😍
What an absolute delight!!! I have loved the Bee Gees forever! They were so adorable at that age! I wonder if they knew then that they would become one of the biggest groups in the world. I love the your analysis. Thanks, Fil. This was great
OMG, they are gorgeous. Maurice still doing that bored thing he did so well and Robin so very cute. And their musicianship shone right from the very start. Fabulous. I actually remember seeing them during this time on telly in Sydney. Thanks Fil.
WOW, Fil!! Another Bee Gees analysis video! What a treat! ❤ It's wonderful that you examined this early part of their career! I don't believe enough people are aware of this part of their lives and what longevitiy they had in spite of the obstacles life threw at them. This brought a smile to my face--loved seeing your own smile as you watched them. Thank you so much!
Wow, that was a fun video and analysis! The Bee Gees are one of my favorite "family" singers and I enjoy listening to their music. Thank you Fil, for another wonderful analysis! Rock!
Individually- Brilliant Together - Perfection Their harmonies were awesome. As they grew,their writing,their style changes just to stay relative were to me truly amazing, been following these guys forever, just adore them all❤❤❤❤
Awesome analysis. There really young there. Was a fan of The Bee Gees. Reminds me of the time when a friend and Barry Gibb almost ran into each other. This was before Saturday Night Fever Barry was really tall. 🎸😅👍🤙🏻
The Gee Gee's were super talented is an understatement. Maurice's bass lines were phenomenal. A funny story I heard Tommy Emmanuel tell about when they were all kids in Australia. Tommy attended the equivalent of a Country Fair and saw these three brothers on stage entertaining the crowd. He didn't who they were back then but noticed the guitar player (Barry) had his guitar tuned to an open chord and just played three chords using a barre finger position.... He told his dad... "these kids will never make it in the music business"🤣🤣
And Barry has told us that he learned how to play from his Hawaiian neighbor, who taught Barry to play in that method. Plus, Barry is left-handed, and is playing right-handed. Is there nothing he can't do?
Barry had been writing original songs for sometime, but the programs they performed on required them to perform well known songs. Robin was actually the introvert and Maurice was the extrovert. Remember that this was before the Beatles had made their major impact and schtick was very much a part of the young Bee Gees performances. It’s one thing they never lost as they became famous, although Maurice would become the comedian.
I love The Bee Gees music. This performance was so enjoyable to watch. When you slowed down Barry's falsetto it made me think of his vocals on "More than a Woman." This was another fun analysis to watch and you did a great job pointing out the details. 😊🎸🎵
@@moemcgovern7345 I like both versions. Tavares also had some great songs back in the day. I always liked "Whodunit" and "Heaven Must be Missing an Angel."
I really enjoyed your analysis. Even at these young ages these gifted brothers could hold an audience in their hands. They already had incredible timing and knew how to lay a harmony line down.
Knowing what we know about the Bee Gees and what became of them it fun to look back at their early performance before they became internationally known and writing their own songs. at a young age you can tell they had it.
And back then they already could make their voices sound like horns. Apparently they had listened to a lot of Mills Brothers records because their dad was a fan, and that was an inspiration. They also already were writing some of their own songs.
Wonderful analysis! Their fabulous performance of Alexander's Ragtime Band on The Midnight Special is almost an exact copy of this one. Highly recommended! A very early attempt at falsetto singing can be heard on Please Read Me (1967), where Barry is probably emulating The Beach Boys or Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
Woohooo you played old Aussie TV. I was brought up on Bee Gees by my parents and still love them to this day. Such a sad story seeing the brothers leave us one by one. Such a blessed musically talented family.