''Robin's Reign'' is the first solo album by British singer
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb (22 December 1949 – 20 May 2012) was a British singer and songwriter. He gained global fame as a member of the Bee Gees with elder brother Barry and fraternal twin brother Maurice. Robin Gibb also had his own successfu ...
, a member of 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 ...
with his brothers
Barry and
Maurice. Robin had left the group following a disagreement with his brother Barry over who should sing lead vocals. The album was not a commercial success, though it did spawn Gibb's solo hit, "
Saved by the Bell
''Saved by the Bell'' is an American television teen sitcom created by Sam Bobrick for NBC. The series premiered, in prime time, on August 20, 1989, a Sunday night. Targeted at kids and teens, ''Saved by the Bell'' was broadcast in the United ...
" (UK #2). The other songs in the album were produced by Gibb, and the rest was produced with his (then new) manager,
Vic Lewis. This album was reissued by
RSO Records
RSO Records was a record label formed by rock and roll and musical theatre impresario Robert Stigwood and record executive Al Coury in 1973. The letters "RSO" stood for the Robert Stigwood Organisation.
RSO managed the careers of several ma ...
in 1978 and reissued in 1991 on Spectrum Records. The album had a limited CD release in Germany and was made available digitally on Amazon and Spotify in 2011 and iTunes the following year. Gibb would not release another solo album until 1983.
It was considered a psychedelic pop masterpiece in some circles as Gibb explained: "Sometimes on the BBC they'll play unreleased tracks from that album that even I haven't got."
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
covered the two songs on the album, "Saved by the Bell" and "
August October".
Background
The song chosen as the
A-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of vinyl records and cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a single usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or ...
of the single from the Bee Gees' album ''
Odessa
ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...
'' was "
First of May" which featured only Barry Gibb with an orchestra. Robin had hoped for the song "
Lamplight
"Lamplight" is a song by the Bee Gees, released as the B-side of "First of May (Bee Gees song), First of May", but featured as the single's A-side in Germany. It also featured on their double album ''Odessa (Bee Gees album), Odessa'' in March 1969 ...
", a full group performance which featured him on lead vocals, to be the single but in the end it came out on the
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...
. Tensions between the three brothers were already high and Robin left the group after this incident, beginning work on ''Robin's Reign'' soon afterward. While Gibb was recording ''Robin's Reign'' he wrote "Moon Anthem" and "Ghost of Christmas Past" in June 1969. Both tracks were instrumental with the orchestra and choir being arranged by
Kenny Clayton. It was credited to 'Robin Gibb Orchestra and Chorus' but the two songs were left unreleased.
Recording
On 19 March 1969, Gibb announced his solo plans, and the same day when the Bee Gees recorded "
Tomorrow Tomorrow", "Sun in My Morning" and "Ping Pong" (unreleased), and Gibb began recording later in March, Maurice participated at least in one session, on which he played piano on "Saved by the Bell" and bass on "Mother and Jack", but later, Barry was not happy to hear about it.
Despite Robin's break with the Bee Gees, twin brother
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 ...
played bass on the song "
Mother and Jack" and piano on "
Saved by the Bell
''Saved by the Bell'' is an American television teen sitcom created by Sam Bobrick for NBC. The series premiered, in prime time, on August 20, 1989, a Sunday night. Targeted at kids and teens, ''Saved by the Bell'' was broadcast in the United ...
", which was recorded around March 1969 with "Alexandria Good Time" and "Janice" but none of the songs was released. Gibb's method of recording was to record himself playing organ accompanied by an electronic drum machine, then a track playing guitar, then added one or more vocal tracks. The demo was then sent to
Kenny Clayton, who wrote an orchestral arrangement, adding much detail to Robin's layered tracks. Around September, Gibb signed with
Vic Lewis of NEMS. Also in September, Gibb had mentioned about
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
called "The Statesman", and later in August, he gave the press eleven titles for the forthcoming album called ''My Own Work''.
''All My Own Work'' album
Gibb originally planned to entitle his first solo album ''All My Own Work'' for obvious reasons, and announced that the tracks would be:
#"Alexandria Good Time"
#"The Flag I Flew Fell Over"
#"I'll Herd My Sheep"
#"The Man Most Likely To Be"
#"Love Just Goes"
#"Make Believe"
#"I Was Your Used to Be"
#"The Complete and Utter History"
#"Seven Birds Are Singing"
#"Sing a Song of Sisters"
#"Beat the Drum"
But later in August 1969, when he returned to studio to complete work on the album, the title and tracks had changed as he explains, "I've got fifteen tracks in the can for the LP titled ''Robin's Reign''".
Gibb recorded "
One Million Years", "The Worst Girl in This Town", "Most of My Life", "Down Came The Sun" and "
Hudson's Fallen Wind" (later renamed as "Farmer Ferdinand Hudson"). Gibb's manager Vic Lewis, conducted the orchestra on "Give Me a Smile" and "Weekend". Gibb completed recording for ''Robin's Reign'' on 10 October 1969, when he recorded "
August October", "Gone Gone Gone" and "Lord Bless All" (10 October was also the day when the Bee Gees recorded "The Chance of Love" for their LP ''
Cucumber Castle
''Cucumber Castle'' is the seventh studio album by the Bee Gees, released in April 1970. It was produced by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robert Stigwood. It consists of songs from their television special of Cucumber Castle (film), the same na ...
''.)
Mr. Bloe member
Zack Lawrence arranged "August October" and "Gone Gone Gone".
In that same interview, Gibb mentioned that he was working on a book, a Christmas special, and two screenplays and musical scores, which other articles of this time identified as an original story called ''The Family Circle'' and a musical version of
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
''.
Release
In that same interview, he talks about his inspirations: "Perhaps because I am unduly sensitive, things like the
Hither Green rail crash in which I was involved affect me deeply. That had a lasting effect upon me. I saw bodies and people being given the last rites. I'm frightened stiff of death." Gibb is something of a sentimentalist and unashamedly admits to seeing the
Julie Andrews
Dame Julie Andrews (born Julia Elizabeth Wells; 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over eight decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Fi ...
' film ''
Mary Poppins Mary Poppins may refer to:
* Mary Poppins (character), a nanny with magical powers
* Mary Poppins (franchise), based on the fictional nanny
** Mary Poppins (book series), ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fanta ...
'': "I love the music they write for Julie, I would love to write a song for her. I tried to get ''Mary Poppins'' for my home movie projector,
The Sherman Brothers write beautiful songs.
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their musical ...
, I like all that kind of music."
Gibb spoke of his departure from the Bee Gees: "Music to me is an adventure and I can do far more on my own. It was restricting writing for the Bee Gees but I enjoyed it until they began to judge what I was doing. I'm not going to be judged. O.K. SO I KILLED A MAN, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO BE JUDGED!"
Bruce Eder at
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
describes the lyrics in "Most of My Life" as steeped in bitterness. On side one, "
August October" and "Gone Gone Gone" could have passed muster on any of the Bee Gees' late 60's albums. "The Worst Girl in This Town" at a sonic level is as great an achievement as a Bee Gees cut. "Down Came The Sun" is a perfect example. "Mother and Jack" is a calypso-flavoured piece that was Gibb's answer to Barry and Maurice's (Bee Gees) "
I.O.I.O.
"I.O.I.O." is a song by the Bee Gees, released on the album ''Cucumber Castle''. It was written by Barry Gibb, Barry and Maurice Gibb. The song was released as a single in March 1970, and was also one of the highlights of the album. The single was ...
" This song offered possibilities for a new, leaner, different sound.
The tracks now appear on the posthumous boxed set ''Saved by the Bell: The Collected Works of Robin Gibb 1968-1970''.
Track listing
2015 expanded reissue
For the track listing of the expanded reissue of ''Robin's Reign'' from 2015, see ''
Sing Slowly Sisters#Saved by the Bell: The Complete Works of Robin Gibb: 1968-1970''.
Personnel
*
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb (22 December 1949 – 20 May 2012) was a British singer and songwriter. He gained global fame as a member of the Bee Gees with elder brother Barry and fraternal twin brother Maurice. Robin Gibb also had his own successfu ...
– vocals, acoustic guitar, Hammond organ and drum machine
*
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 on 6 (side 1) and piano on 1 (side 2)
*
Kenny Clayton –
orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...
l arrangement
*
Zack Lawrence – orchestral arrangement on 1, 2, 3 (side 1)
*
Vic Lewis –
conductor
* Hamish Grimes – album artwork
* Ray Washbourne – photographer
Chart positions
References
{{Authority control
1970 debut albums
Robin Gibb albums
Baroque pop albums
Polydor Records albums
Atco Records albums
Albums produced by Robin Gibb