''Trafalgar'' is a 1971 album by the Bee Gees. It was their ninth album (seventh internationally), and was released in September 1971 in the US, and November 1971 in the UK. The album was a moderate hit in the United States, and peaked at No. 34. The lead single "

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" is a song released by the Bee Gees in 1971. It was written by Barry and Robin Gibb and was the first single on the group's 1971 album '' Trafalgar''. It was their first US No. 1 single and also reached No. 1 in ...

?" was the first Bee Gees' No. 1 single in the United States but failed to chart in Britain as did the album. It is Geoff Bridgford's only full-length appearance on a Bee Gees album as an official member. ''Trafalgar'' is included in Robert Dimery's book ''

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'' is a musical reference book first published in 2005 by Universe Publishing. Part of the ''1001 Before You Die'' series, it compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music critics ...

''.''

''. New York, NY: Universe, 2006. pg 165. ()

Recording

In December 1970, barely more than two months after the group recorded their last session for the ''

2 Years On ''2 Years On'' is the eighth studio album by the Bee Gees, which reached No. 32 on the US charts. Released in 1970, the album saw the return of Robin Gibb to the group after an earlier disagreement and subsequent split following '' Odessa''. ...

'' album, they recorded "Together", "Over the Hill and Over the Mountain", "Merrily Merry Eyes" and "When Do I". They returned to the studio with new backing band member, guitarist

Alan Kendall Alan Kendall (born 9 September 1944) is an English musician and was the lead guitarist for the Bee Gees, in an unofficial capacity from 1971 until 1980, and again from 1987 until 2001. Career His first recording was "Don't Play That Song (You ...

, who would play on the majority of their subsequent albums. Several songs were recorded around this time which have not officially been released. All of the songs chosen for release were ballads. Recording began on 28 January 1971 with "

We Lost the Road "We Lost the Road" is a song by the Bee Gees, it was written by Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb and was released on their 1972 album ''To Whom It May Concern''. It was originally recorded in sessions for '' Trafalgar'' on January 28, 1971 (and the fir ...

", "When Do I" and "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" ("We Lost the Road" was held over for use on the following album ''To Whom It May Concern''). Recording continued through April with several demos and out-takes recorded but not released.

Release

With "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" as the lead single from the album, "

Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" is a ballad written and sung by Barry Gibb, and released on the Bee Gees' album '' Trafalgar'' in 1971, and the second single release taken from the album. Recording and release This slow dramatic piano ballad wa ...

" was released as the second single but only reached No. 57 on the US charts. "

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

" was released as a single in the Netherlands and reached No. 22. The album's cover depicts the

battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...

. Bridgford was credited on the sleeve notes on the original vinyl release as "Jeoff Bridgford". In support of the album, The Bee Gees toured the US in the fall of 1971, playing such cities as

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Asbury Park Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 15,188

, New York City (7 shows),

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

, Kansas City, and Indianapolis.

Track listing

Alternate version

* This 53-minute version of the album was sent to Atlantic Records in the United States with a different track order and with 14 songs in total. The two extra songs are "

Country Woman "Country Woman" is a song written and released by British rock band Bee Gees. It was written and performed solely by Maurice Gibb, and released as a B-side of "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart", which was the group's first US No. 1. The songs wer ...

" (the B-side of "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart") and "

" (released on the group's next album ''

To Whom It May Concern To Whom It May Concern may refer to: *Salutation (greeting), used for opening a letter to an unknown recipient In music ; Albums * ''To Whom It May Concern'' (Bee Gees album), 1972 * ''To Whom It May Concern'', a Blacklite District album, 2016 ...

''). There was no commercial release of the album in the US. Side one #"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" #"Israel" #"The Greatest Man in the World" #"It's Just the Way" #"Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" #"Country Woman" #"Somebody Stop the Music" Side two #"Trafalgar" #"We Lost the Road" #"Dearest" #"When Do I" #"Lion in Winter" #"Remembering" #"Walking Back to Waterloo"

Personnel

Barry Gibb Sir Barry Alan Crompton Gibb (born 1 September 1946) is a British musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He rose to worldwide fame as a member of the Bee Gees, one of the most commercially successful groups in the history of popula ...

– lead, harmony and backing vocals, rhythm guitar * Robin Gibb – lead, harmony and backing vocals *

Maurice Gibb Maurice Ernest Gibb (; 22 December 1949 – 12 January 2003) was a British musician. He achieved fame as a member of the pop group Bee Gees. Although his elder brother Barry Gibb and fraternal twin brother Robin Gibb were the group's main lea ...

– harmony and backing vocals, bass, rhythm guitar, piano, Mellotron, Hammond organ, lead vocals on #4 (side 1) and #1 (side 2), drums on #1 (side 2) * Geoff Bridgford – drums *

– lead guitar * Bryan Scott – audio engineer * Bill Shepherd – orchestral arrangement

Charts

References

{{Authority control 1971 albums Bee Gees albums Polydor Records albums Atco Records albums Albums produced by Barry Gibb Albums produced by Robin Gibb Albums produced by Maurice Gibb Albums produced by Robert Stigwood Albums recorded at IBC Studios Soft rock albums by English artists Concept albums