Background
''Idea'', released in September 1968, was the Bee Gees' third international album. "We were in friction at that point," says Barry. "We weren't getting on, and that was it. I think it was a mixture of the group not getting along very well and egos. Ego, I think, is the key word for this group. It's not unlike any other group in that everybody wants to be the one that gets the attention. Unfortunately, I think that happens a lot. Certainly it happened to us." Many of the songs on the album's second side reflect a yearning for escape ("When the Swallows Fly," "I've Decided to Join the Air Force," "Swan Song") while Vince Melouney's "Such a Shame" was, by his own admission, about how it was a shame that the group was disintegrating. "In the Summer of His Years" was Robin's requiem for the Beatles' managerRecording
The band recorded its previous album ''Horizontal (album), Horizontal'' between July and December 1967. The last song recorded was "Swan Song," but this was not released until 1968 on ''Idea.'' "Words (Bee Gees song), Words" was released as a single in place of "Swan Song." The band started recording ''Idea'' in January 1968 after a Christmas holiday in Australia, and few weeks after the ''Horizontal'' sessions. The songs recorded were "Chocolate Symphony", "The Singer Sang His Song", "Down to Earth", "I Can Lift a Mountain", ("Gena's Theme" was finished in June,) "Jumbo (Bee Gees song), Jumbo" was released as a non-album single, "Bridges Crossing Rivers", and "She Is Russia". The February songs are "In the Summer of His Years" and "I've Decided to Join the Air Force". By March, Barry Gibb, Barry, Maurice Gibb, Maurice, and Colin Petersen, Colin participated on the track "By the Light of the Burning Candle" by The Marbles (duo), The Marbles, a newly formed band at that time made up of members Graham Bonnet and Trevor Gordon. Between June and July in 1968, they recorded " Kitty Can", "I.O.I.O.", "Let There Be Love (Bee Gees song), Let There Be Love", "Stepping Out", and "No Name". In June, Robin Gibb, Robin recorded "The Band Will Meet Mr. Justice", "The People's Public Joke", "Indian Gin and Whisky Dry", "The Girl to Share Each Day", "Come Some Halloween or Christmas Day", "My Love Life Expired", and "Heaven in My Hand", a mono tape of seven songs which was credited only to him. In the same month, they recorded "Completely Unoriginal", "Kilburn Towers", the Vince Melouney composition "Such a Shame", "Indian Gin and Whisky Dry", "When the Swallows Fly", "Idea", "Come Some Christmas Eve or Halloween", "Maypole News", "Men of Men", and "I Started a Joke". The other songs recorded around 1968 included "Sitting in the Meadow" and "Another Cold and Windy Day," both recorded for Coca-Cola, "In the Middle of Grass," "Let Your Heart Out," and "The Square Cup". "Everything That Came From Mother Goose" was written by Colin Petersen and Maurice Gibb, and Petersen mentioned this song in an interview in September 1968. In July, "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" was recorded in the same session as "I Laugh in Your Face" (released on ''Odessa (Bee Gees album), Odessa'', 1969) following the completion of the album, but was only included on the US version.Release and reception
This album features "Such a Shame", the only non-Gibb Bee Gees song included on any of their studio albums, written and co-sung by lead guitarist Vince Melouney. The song was included on the British version of the album but deleted from the American issue, which instead included their recent hit "I've Gotta Get a Message to You", not on the UK LP. When the album was issued on CD in the 1980s, both tracks were included. "I Started a Joke" was not issued as a single in the UK, but it reached No. 6 in America. The UK sleeve had a lightbulb on a dark blue ground. In 2006, Reprise Records reissued ''Idea'' (using the European cover) with both stereo and mono mixes on one disc and a bonus disc of unreleased songs, non-album tracks, and alternate mixes. After the release of ''Idea'', the band went to Brussels for the TV special ''Idea (TV special), Idea'' in September, and European tour in October and November. After that, Vince left the band saying, "I was just too young, too naive." His final album with the band was ''Odessa (Bee Gees album), Odessa'', which was recorded in August that year. Allmusic's Bruce Eder described "I Started a Joke" as very much of piece with their early work. Eder said that "Kitty Can", "Indian Gin and Whisky Dry" and "Such a Shame" sounded like the output of a working band with a cohesive group sound, rather than a harmony vocal group with accompaniment.Track listing (UK)
All songs written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, except "Such a Shame", written and composed by Vince Melouney.American release
It was released also in September on the Atco Records, Atco label, and was released in stereo. "Personnel
;Bee Gees *Barry Gibb – lead, harmony and backing singing, vocals, rhythm guitar *Robin Gibb – lead, harmony and backing vocals, Hammond organ *Maurice Gibb – harmony and backing vocals, bass guitar, piano, Hammond organ, Mellotron *Vince Melouney – lead guitar, harmonica, lead vocals on "Such a Shame" *Colin Petersen – drum kit, drums ;Additional musician and production *Bill Shepherd – orchestral arrangement *John Pantry, Damon Lyon Shaw – audio engineer, engineer *Charts
Weekly charts
References
{{Authority control Bee Gees albums 1968 albums Polydor Records albums Atco Records albums Reprise Records albums Albums produced by Robert Stigwood Albums produced by Maurice Gibb Albums produced by Barry Gibb Albums produced by Robin Gibb Albums with cover art by Klaus Voormann Albums recorded at IBC Studios Psychedelic rock albums by English artists Soft rock albums by English artists