Jumbo (Bee Gees Song)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

"Jumbo" is a song released by the
Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry Gibb, Barry, Robin Gibb, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in ...
, written by Barry, Robin and
Maurice Gibb Maurice Ernest Gibb (; 22 December 1949 – 12 January 2003) was a British musician and songwriter. He achieved global fame as a member of the Bee Gees pop group. Although his elder brother Barry Gibb and fraternal twin brother Robin Gibb wer ...
. It was released as a double A side with " The Singer Sang His Song" but featured as the lead track in some territories.


Origin

"Jumbo" was recorded on January 10 during sessions for the album '' Idea'' (though it was not included on the album) on the same day as "Gena's Theme" and "Bridges Crossing Rivers" (neither of which saw release until the remastered edition of ''Idea'' in 2006). The song has a strong emphasis on guitar with two tracks laid down by Vince Melouney


Release

The decision on which song would be the A-side came so late that many British singles have " The Singer Sang His Song" marked as the A-side, but "Jumbo" was promoted as the A-side instead. This single broke the series of major Bee Gees hits, and fell into obscurity as neither side was on the next album nor was "Jumbo" on '' Best of Bee Gees'' in 1969. The two songs only resurfaced on unofficial compilations and boxed sets. The song reached #25 in the British charts and #57 in the American charts and Barry said:
We've been attacked for apparently never changing our style. Well, remember that we write all our own material. We try for unusual song lyrics, but obviously we have a bias towards one particular style of song. Our single was going to be "The Singer Sang His Song" as the A-side, but we heeded the criticism. We switched to "Jumbo", which is a distinct change of direction for us. A simple sort of idea, every kid has an imaginary pet animal, but scored differently. As it happened, a lot of people thought we were wrong to change and said they preferred "Singer" even if it was on the same lines as earlier ones, But when we study other groups, we know the dangers of staying on one direction.
Following a string of transatlantic Top 20 singles, "Jumbo" was the first single to miss that mark in both Britain and America (though " To Love Somebody" had missed the UK Top 40). "Jumbo" managed to reach number 25 in the UK but stalled at number 57 in America, breaking a streak of five consecutive Top 20 singles there. Until the release of the box set '' Tales from the Brothers Gibb'', "Jumbo" was available only on vinyl. In other versions "The Singer Sang His Song" was the A-side and the B-side was this single. This song, along with "The Singer Sang His Song", was only released on a single in 1968, so it was mixed only to mono at that time. It wasn't until 1990 that a stereo version was prepared by Bill Inglot for the release of the ''Tales from the Brothers Gibb'' box set. Bee Gees manager Robert Stigwood said "As far as record sales go, "Jumbo" was aimed at the American market." The band's guitarist Vince Melouney explained "Jumbo" and "The Singer Sang His Song":
It was always Stigwood's call. The only exception was "Jumbo" where we pushed for that. Robert wanted the other side as the A-side. When that started to go wrong, he quickly tried to make "Singer Sang" as the A-side.
The single was released in March 1968 elsewhere. In Germany, it was released in April 1968. Its relative failure was quickly forgotten when the next single "
I've Gotta Get a Message to You "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" is a song by the Bee Gees. Released as a single in 1968, it was their second number-one hit in the UK Singles Chart, and their first US Top 10 hit. Barry Gibb re-recorded the song with Keith Urban for his 2021 ...
" became an international hit. '' Cash Box'' said that "changing tempos and powerful instrumental thrust" gave the song "extra punch". '' Record World'' called it a "children's song with appeal for all ages."


Personnel

*
Barry Gibb Sir Barry Alan Crompton Gibb (born 1 September 1946) is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. Along with his younger fraternal twin brothers, Robin Gibb, Robin and Maurice Gibb, Maurice, he rose to global fame as a member ...
lead vocals,
acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
*
Maurice Gibb Maurice Ernest Gibb (; 22 December 1949 – 12 January 2003) was a British musician and songwriter. He achieved global fame as a member of the Bee Gees pop group. Although his elder brother Barry Gibb and fraternal twin brother Robin Gibb wer ...
bass, organ, mellotron * Vince Melouney – electric guitar *
Colin Petersen Frederick Colin Petersen (24 March 1946 – 18 November 2024) was an Australian musician and actor. He played as a member of the bands Steve and the Board, the Bee Gees and Humpy Bong. In August 1969, he left the Bee Gees and he was replaced ...
drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


References

{{Authority control Bee Gees songs 1968 singles Songs written by Barry Gibb Songs written by Maurice Gibb Songs written by Robin Gibb Song recordings produced by Barry Gibb Song recordings produced by Robin Gibb Song recordings produced by Maurice Gibb Song recordings produced by Robert Stigwood