The Bee Gees Celebrate

Celebrity news: The Bee Gees celebrate 50 years of music making

Growing up I clearly remember being the envy of the kids on my street because of the huge 'playhouse' we had in our backyard. It was actually supposed to be my dad's storage shed but somehow my sister and I convinced my dad to hold off on his storage shed dreams and instead he pimped it out 'playhouse' style. So some carpeting, a couch, small table, two chairs, curtains and a record player later we had the best playhouse in the neighbourhood. It was so choice.

Ah yes the record player. Nothing like the scratchy sounds of vinyl on my top-of-the-line orange Fisher Price record player. It was my prized possession. I loved that thing with all my heart. And at the time of the pimped out 'playhouse' glory days I was listening to these three records over and over again: Connie Francis '24 Greatest Hits', Paul Anka '21 Golden Hits' and Saturday Night Fever Original Movie Soundtrack. [OK they were the only three records my mom A. would let me listen to B. bring into the playhouse...so my choices were let's say limited] Yes, I was the cool kid in the schoolyard belting out tunes like 'Diana', 'Put Your Head On My Shoulder', 'Who's Sorry Now' and 'Staying Alive'...yeah my mom totally cemented by 'popular status' at my elementary school. Umm yeah no. But I digress.

This trip down my troubled musical memory lane came about with the press release that the Bee Gees are celebrating 50 years in the music making business. And because it's such a milestone, their record company (Reprise) is releasing two 'Greatest Hits' packages put together by Robin and Barry Gibb to commemorate the event [both sets are being released on November 3rd, 2009].

The first release, Mythology, is a set of 81 songs spanning the band's five-decade career [on four CDs]. Each CD is dedicated to the one of the four brothers, including Maurice, who died in 2003, and Andy, who died in 1988. On the CDs dedicated to Maurice and Robin, there will also be several solo songs and other Bee Gee tracks. Barry's CD includes successful Bee Gee hits and Andy's CD is made up of songs chosen by his daughter, Peta.

The boxed set 60 page book will include tributes, memories, and appreciations from friends and collaborators, as well as musicians who were greatly influenced by the group. Barry and Robin have both written liner notes for "Mythology" - which is a first for a Bee Gees release, and the package will also include many never-before-seen personal photos.

The second release is called The Ultimate Bee Gees: The 50th Anniversary Collection. It will include a box set consisting of two discs with 39 of their greatest hits and a mix of songs that the group wrote for other artists. The limited deluxe edition of The Ultimate Bee Gees will also include a DVD of rare TV performances and promo films [many of which have been previously unavailable].

Personally I can't wait until November 3rd. Until then, there is always belting out my favourite Bee Gees song, in front of the bathroom mirror, with hairbrush in hand. I dare you not to get up and dance and shake your thing 70s style. And need I say I had the biggest crush on Barry Gibb? [yeah that was probably assumed...he oozed the sex appeal]

Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,
I'm a woman's man: no time to talk.
Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around
since I was born.
And now it's all right. It's OK.
And you may look the other way.
We can try to understand
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