Black Diamond (Bee Gees song)

Last updated

"Black Diamond"
Song by Bee Gees
from the album Odessa
ReleasedMarch 1969 (1969-03) (UK)
January 1969 (1969-01) (US)
RecordedOctober 1968 at IBC Studios, London
Genre Baroque pop
Length3:274:00 (demo version)
Label Polydor Records (UK)
Atco Records (US)
Songwriter(s) Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb
Producer(s) Robert Stigwood, Bee Gees

"Black Diamond" is a song by the Bee Gees released on the album Odessa in 1969. [1] The song was written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb and featured lead vocals by Robin Gibb. It was included on the compilation Marley Purt Drive released in 1970. [2]

Contents

Recording

This track was the first song recorded when the Bee Gees returned to England after initial sessions for the album in New York City, and was the first song not to feature lead guitarist Vince Melouney who had left after the New York sessions for the album. It was recorded twice, the first version ended to 4:00 was released on Sketches for Odessa in 2006. [3] and the second version was released on the album. The intro features a guitar part played by Maurice, and the orchestral arrangement by Bill Shepherd. Barry Gibb did not feature on the demo version. [4] The beginning of the song is similar but there are some vastly different lyrics in the verses. [5]

Robin Gibb would return to the same lyrical theme for the song Diamonds on his 1984 album Secret Agent.

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>Odessa</i> (Bee Gees album) 1969 studio album by Bee Gees

Odessa is the sixth studio album by the Bee Gees, a double vinyl LP released on 30 March 1969, initially in an opulent red flocked cover with gold lettering. Despite reaching the UK Top Ten and the US Top 20, the album was not particularly well-received, though now is regarded by many as the most significant of the group's Sixties albums. An ambitious project, originally intended as a concept album on the loss of a fictional ship in 1899, it created tension and disagreements in the band regarding the work's direction; finally, a dispute over which song to release as a single led to Robin Gibb temporarily leaving the group.

<i>Horizontal</i> (album) 1968 studio album by Bee Gees

Horizontal is the fourth studio album by the Bee Gees, and their second album to receive an international release. The LP was released in early 1968, and included the international hit singles "Massachusetts" and "World". On 5 February 2007, Reprise Records reissued Horizontal with both stereo and mono mixes on one disc and a bonus disc of unreleased songs, non-album tracks, and alternate takes. The album was released in Polydor in many countries and on Atco only in the US and Canada. "And the Sun Will Shine" was released as a single only in France. The influences displayed on the album range from the Beatles to baroque pop.

<i>Idea</i> (album) 1968 studio album by The Bee Gees

Idea is the fifth album by the Bee Gees. Released in September 1968, the album sold over a million copies worldwide. The album was issued in both mono and stereo pressings in the UK. The artwork on the Polydor release designed by Wolfgang Heilemann featured a "beehive" neon lightbulb with a group photo in its base, while the North American ATCO release designed by Klaus Voormann featured a composite head made from each band member. It was their third internationally released album – the first two albums being released only in the Australian market.

<i>2 Years On</i> 1970 studio album by Bee Gees

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. 2 Years On was the first album with drummer Geoff Bridgford, who remained a full-time member of the group until 1972 although he was not pictured on the sleeve. The best-known track is "Lonely Days". Released as the first single by the reunited brothers, it charted high in the US, but peaked at No. 33 in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First of May (Bee Gees song)</span> 1969 single by The Bee Gees

"First of May" is a song by the Bee Gees with lead vocals by Barry Gibb, released as a single from their 1969 double album Odessa. Its B-side was "Lamplight". It also featured as the B-side of "Melody Fair" when that song was released as a single in the Far East in 1971 as well as in 1976 and 1980 on RSO Records. It was the first Bee Gees single to be released after lead guitarist Vince Melouney had left the group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I.O.I.O.</span> 1970 single by Bee Gees

"I.O.I.O." is a song by the Bee Gees, released on the album Cucumber Castle. It was written by 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 a relative success mainly on European charts. Its music video is taken from the film Cucumber Castle.

"Melody Fair" is a song by the Bee Gees, written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb in 1968 and released in 1969 on their album Odessa. It was not released as a single, but this song was played on many radio stations, and was a hit in Japan. Andy Gibb's 1974 group, named Melody Fayre was named after this song. It also featured as the theme to Melody, a British film featuring a number of Bee Gees songs in its soundtrack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peace of Mind (Bee Gees song)</span> 1964 single by Bee Gees

"Peace of Mind" is a song by the Bee Gees, released in Australia as their third in March 1964 and backed with "Don't Say Goodbye".

"I Can't See Nobody" is a song by the Bee Gees, released first as the B-side of "New York Mining Disaster 1941". With "New York Mining Disaster 1941", this song was issued as a double A in Germany and Japan, and included on the group's third LP, Bee Gees' 1st. "I Can't See Nobody" charted for one week at number 128 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 in July 1967.

"The Singer Sang His Song" is a song written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb and recorded by the English rock group Bee Gees, 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.

"Bury Me Down By the River" is a song written by Barry and Maurice Gibb and recorded separately by the Bee Gees and P.P. Arnold. The Bee Gees' version was recorded in May 1969 at IBC Studios and released in April 1970 on the album Cucumber Castle.

"Odessa (City on the Black Sea)" is a song by the English rock band the Bee Gees, written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb in 1968 and released in early 1969. The song opened the album of the same name. The song was recorded twice. The first version of the song (without the orchestra) was later to appear on Sketches for Odessa and has a duration to 6:40. The song was about the survivor of a shipwreck, and was originally intended to form the basis of the whole album. Musically it was dominated by strings and acoustic guitar. It was originally proposed to be the first single of the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marley Purt Drive</span> 1969 single by Bee Gees

"Marley Purt Drive" is a song recorded by the Bee Gees, It was written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb and released in March 1969 on the album Odessa. It was released in stereo in the United States in January and its mono version was released in the United Kingdom in March. The remastered version of this song was released on 27 February 2009 on Reprise Records.

"Kitty Can" is a song by the Bee Gees, composed by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb. It was released as the B-side of "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" in July 1968, and as the second track on the album Idea in September 1968. In 1973, RSO Records released a compilation called Kitty Can only in Argentina and Uruguay, and this song appeared as the first track on that album.

"Sound of Love" is a ballad number performed by the Bee Gees, It was written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb, and appeared on their album Odessa in 1969.

"I Laugh in Your Face" is a ballad performed by the Bee Gees, written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb and released in March 1969 on the album Odessa. Most of the vocals are performed by Barry Gibb except for a short central section sung by Robin Gibb. It was recorded on July 12, 1968. the same day as the band recorded their hit song "I've Gotta Get a Message to You". The mono mix made at this time, when it was presumably intended as the B-side of "Message", was released in 2009 on the Sketches for Odessa disc that accompanied the remastered edition of the album. Its demo version, recorded the same day, also featured on the Sketches disc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamplight</span> 1969 single by Bee Gees

"Lamplight" is a song by the Bee Gees, released as the B-side of "First of May", but featured as the single's A-side in Germany. It also featured on their double album Odessa in March 1969. The song was written and composed by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb and featured lead vocals by Robin Gibb. No other singles were released from the album, and the fact that the group's manager Robert Stigwood chose "First of May", which only featured Barry Gibb's voice for the A-side, that caused Robin to quit the group.

<i>New York Mining Disaster 1941</i> (EP) 1967 EP by Bee Gees

"New York Mining Disaster 1941" was released on Spin Records by the Bee Gees in 1967. It was their second EP and, like their first EP, was released only in Australia. All of the songs on this EP were originally released on their third LP Bee Gees' 1st.

"Sweetheart" is a song released by the Bee Gees, released as the B-side of "I.O.I.O." in March 1970. and released on the album Cucumber Castle in April 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When the Swallows Fly</span> 1968 single by Bee Gees

"When the Swallows Fly" is a song by the Bee Gees released on their fifth album Idea. Its promotional video was filmed in Brussels and included on the TV special Idea and was aired on 11 December 1968.

References

  1. Discogs.com. "Bee Gees – Odessa". Discogs .
  2. Discogs.com. "Bee Gees – Marley Purt Drive". Discogs .
  3. Joseph Brennan. "Gibb Songs: 2006".
  4. Joseph Brennan. "Gibb Songs: 1968".
  5. Bennett, Kevin. "Bee Gees Demos – Part 3: Bee Gees – Odessa" . Retrieved April 10, 2013.