THE British Isles seem to be going a bit Bee Gees crazy, in a wave of nostalgia that has celebrated the Isle of Man trio.
A TV special, an increase in radio play and a new greatest hits collection has renewed interest in the band that have generated hits decade after decade.
Throughout the autumnal months, fans have been able to take part in a phone vote for their favourite Bee Gees track and the results were part of a 90 minutes primetime show over Christmas.
To coincide with this somewhat indulgent musical televisual feast, there has been an updated and slightly revised reissuing of their greatest hits album. When I received my copy and saw that it was called Number Ones, I confess to raising an eyebrow.
The prestigious ‘number ones’ title is fine when used in the collected works of Elvis or The Beatles. I questioned immediately whether there had indeed been enough chart topping singles to merit such a prestigious title.
I was right to query this – there have only been five UK chart toppers, so I feel an alternative title could have carried it off better.
But there are many great hit singles on the CD that have performed well around the world and to find them all listed on one release is a fine trip down Memory Lane.
Out now to buy and download, there are 20 songs on Number Ones, kicking off with Massachusetts, World and Words before launching into timeless classics like Jive Talkin’, How Deep Is Your Love, Stayin’ Alive, Night Fever and Tragedy. The new album is completed by Man In The Middle, a tribute to the late Maurice Gibb and then there’s the demo version of Immortality, a song that they wrote and performed backing vocals for Celine Dion.
