"The Singer Sang His Song" is a song 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 and Robin and released in early 1968 as a single along with Jumbo. In some countries the song was the B-side of Jumbo but in others they were promoted as a double A-side.

Recording and mixing

This track was only issued as a single and not included on a studio album at the time, so by standard practice at the time, it was not mixed to stereo. The song was recorded on 8 January 1968, the same day the song "Down to Earth" was recorded, which was included on their third international album '' Idea'' and " Chocolate Symphony", now included on the expanded version of ''Idea'' released in 2007. The song was unavailable until 1990 when it was mixed in stereo for the first time and extended to 3:19 for inclusion on the '' Tales from the Brothers Gibb'' boxset. A remastered version featured on the deluxe edition of ''Idea'' released in 2006. Its promotional video was filmed in black and white, which featured a man and woman running in a park, interspersed with The Bee Gees performing on stage. It reached #25 in the UK.

Release

Maurice Gibb explained about this song:

The only time
Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...
was wrong when he said to release "Jumbo" as the A-side instead of the flipside "The Singer Sang His Song." We thought that was going to be the A-side, but Atlantic convinced Robert, and Robert had been convinced by Vince and Colin 'cause they liked playing a bit more bluesy stuff, Robert said 'never again will I let anybody talk me into anything'.

The band's manager Robert Stigwood also explained about this song:

I also now realise it was a mistake to release it umboas an A-side in Britain because the public still want big, emotional ballads from the boys.

In a '' Billboard'' magazine interview with the Bee Gees, Maurice said of the song, "I love 'The Singer Sang His Song' from way back n 1968 But the songs are like our kids, and you feel funny favoring one to the other".

Personnel

* Robin Gibb — lead vocals, organ *

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 ...

— backing and

harmony vocals Vocal harmony is a style of vocal music in which a consonant note or notes are simultaneously sung as a main melody in a predominantly homophonic texture. Vocal harmonies are used in many subgenres of European art music, including Classical ...

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

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 ...

— backing vocals, bass,

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

, organ, mellotron * Vince Melouney — acoustic 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 ...

* Bill Shepherd — orchestral arrangement

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singer Sang his Song 1968 songs Bee Gees songs Songs written by Barry Gibb Songs written by Robin Gibb Songs written by Maurice Gibb Song recordings produced by Robert Stigwood Song recordings produced by Barry Gibb Song recordings produced by Robin Gibb Song recordings produced by Maurice Gibb Pop ballads Rock ballads 1968 singles