To Love Somebody (song)

At the request of Robert Stigwood, the band's manager, Barry and Robin Gibb wrote "To Love Somebody", a soulful ballad in the style of Sam & Dave or The Rascals, for Otis Redding. ^[8] Redding came to see Barry at the Plaza in New York City one night. Robin claimed that "Otis Redding said he loved our material and would Barry write him a song". ^[9]

The Bee Gees recorded "To Love Somebody" at IBC Studios, London with "Gilbert Green" and "End of My Song" in April 1967 and released it as a single in mid-June. Redding died in a plane crash later that year, before having a chance to record the song.

Robin said, "Everyone told us what a great record they thought it was, Other groups all raved about it but for some reason people in Britain just did not seem to like it." Barry said, "I think the reason it didn't do well here was because it's a soul number, Americans loved it, but it just wasn't right for this country". ^[10]

Barry Gibb explained in a June 2001 interview with Mojo magazine:

It was for Robert (Stigwood). I say that unabashedly. He asked me to write a song for him, personally. It was written in New York and played to Otis but, personally, it was for Robert. He meant a great deal to me. I don't think it was a homosexual affection but a tremendous admiration for this man's abilities and gifts. ^[11]

Release and reception

"To Love Somebody" was first released in Britain on 30 June 1967. ^[12] Billboard described the single as a "smooth, easy beat ballad" that "should put them right back up there at the top of the Hot 100." ^[13] Record World said that it "is well written; the group, the Gee Bees [sic], sing it well." ^[14]

Personnel

• Barry Gibb – lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar
• Robin Gibb – harmony and backing vocals
• Maurice Gibb – backing vocals, bass guitar
• Vince Melouney – lead guitar
• Colin Petersen – drums
• Bill Shepherd – orchestral arrangement

"To Love Somebody"
Single by the Bee Gees
from the album Bee Gees' 1st
B-side	"Close Another Door"
Released	30 June 1967
Recorded	April 1967
Genre	Blue-eyed soul [1] [2] pop [3]
Length	3:02
Label	Polydor (United Kingdom) Atco (United States) Spin (Australia)
Songwriters	Barry Gibb Robin Gibb
Producers	Robert Stigwood Ossie Byrne
The Bee Gees UKsingles chronology
"New York Mining Disaster 1941" (1967) "To Love Somebody" (1967) "Massachusetts" (1967)
The Bee Gees USsingles chronology
"New York Mining Disaster 1941" (1967) "To Love Somebody" (1967) "Holiday" (1967)

Weekly charts Chart (1967) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report) [15] 6 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [16] 8 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [16] 9 France (SNEP) [16] 65 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [17] 13 South Africa (Springbok) [18] 10 UK Singles (OCC) [19] 41 US Billboard Hot 100 [20] 17 US Cash Box Top 100 [16] 24 US Record World Singles [16] 18 West Germany (Media Control Charts) [21] 19

Year-end charts Chart (1967) Position Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [17] 20

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [22]	Silver	200,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Michael Bolton version

"To Love Somebody"
Single by Michael Bolton
from the album Timeless: The Classics
B-side	"Now That I Found You"
Released	September 1992 (1992-09)
Length	4:08
Label	Columbia
Songwriters	Barry Gibb Robin Gibb
Producers	David Foster Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton singles chronology
"Steel Bars" (1992) "To Love Somebody" (1992) "Drift Away" (1992)
Music video
"To Love Somebody" on YouTube

American singer Michael Bolton covered and released "To Love Somebody" as a single in September 1992, by Columbia Records, from his 1992 album Timeless: The Classics . His version was produced by him with David Foster and reached number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming his fourth single to peak at number two in Canada, his highest position in that country. It is also his highest-charting single in France, where it reached number seven.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1992–1993)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA) [23]	39
Canada Retail Singles ( The Record ) [24]	5
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [25]	2
Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [26]	1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [27]	31
France (SNEP) [28]	7
Germany (GfK) [29]	61
Ireland (IRMA) [30]	13
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [31]	36
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [32]	35
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [33]	32
UK Singles (OCC) [34]	16
US Billboard Hot 100 [35]	11
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [36]	1
US Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [37]	6
US Rhythmic ( Billboard ) [38]	31

Year-end charts

Chart (1992)	Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM) [39]	55
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) [40]	26

Chart (1993)	Position
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) [41]	9
US Billboard Hot 100 [42]	83
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) [43]	33
US Cash Box Top 100 [44]	49

Other cover versions

• 1968: Nina Simone covered "To Love Somebody" released on her album To Love Somebody , which reached number 5 in the UK and became her second British hit single after "Ain't Got No, I Got Life". ^[45] It also reached number 10 in the Dutch Charts, ^[46] and number 17 in Ireland. ^[47] Cash Box called her version an "excellent performance." ^[48]
• 1968: The Sweet Inspirations recorded the song as part of their album What the World Needs Now Is Love . ^[49] They also recorded it as a single, which reached number 30 on the R&B charts. ^[50]
• 1969: James Carr released this song as a single and reached number 44 on the R&B Charts.
• 1977: Narvel Felts released the song, reaching number 22 on the Hot Country Singles chart.
• 1979: Hank Williams Jr. covered the song on his album Family Tradition, released on 17 April 1979. It reached number 49 on Billboard's U.S. Hot Country Songs.
• 1989: Billy "Crash" Craddock from Back on Track ; peaked at number 91 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada. ^[51]
• 1990: Jimmy Somerville released a version that reached number 8 in the United Kingdom, becoming his most recent Top 10 entry in the UK. ^[52] It also charted highly in several other countries, reaching number 5 in Luxembourg, ^[53] number 7 in Ireland, ^[54] and attaining high positions in Austria, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. ^[55]
• 2013: Michael Bublé covered this song for his eighth studio album To Be Loved , the album's fifth single. It reached number 13 in Poland. ^[56]

References

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