Trafalgar (album)

Last updated

Trafalgar
Bgs trafalgar.jpg
Studio album by
the Bee Gees
ReleasedSeptember 1971 (US)
November 1971 (UK)
Recorded28 January – April 1971
Studio IBC (London)
Genre
Length47:28
Label Polydor (UK)
Atco (US)
Producer Robert Stigwood, Bee Gees
The Bee Gees chronology
2 Years On
(1970)		Trafalgar
(1971)		 To Whom It May Concern
(1972)
Singles from Trafalgar
  1. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"
    Released: May 1971
  2. "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself"
    Released: November 1971 (US)
  3. "Israel"
    Released: May 1972 (Europe)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Tom Hull – on the Web C− [4]

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?" 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.

Contents

Trafalgar is included in Robert Dimery's book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [1]

Recording

In December 1970, barely more than two months after the group recorded their last session for the 2 Years On 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, who would play on the majority of their subsequent albums. Several songs were recorded around this time which have not officially been released.[ citation needed ] All of the songs chosen for release were ballads. Recording began on 28 January 1971 with "We Lost the Road", "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. [5]

Release

Advertisement and tour schedule Trafalgar advertisement.jpg
Advertisement and tour schedule

With "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" as the lead single from the album, "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" was released as the second single but only reached No. 57 on the US charts. "Israel" was released as a single in the Netherlands and reached No. 22. The album's cover depicts the battle of Trafalgar. Bridgford was credited on the sleeve notes on the original vinyl release as "Jeoff Bridgford". [6]

In support of the album, The Bee Gees toured the US in the fall of 1971, playing such cities as Boston, Asbury Park, New York City (7 shows), Memphis, Kansas City, and Indianapolis.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocal(s)Length
1."How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb Robin and Barry3:58
2."Israel"Barry GibbBarry3:54
3."The Greatest Man in the World"Barry GibbBarry4:18
4."It's Just the Way" Maurice Gibb Maurice2:34
5."Remembering"Barry Gibb, Robin GibbRobin4:02
6."Somebody Stop the Music"Barry Gibb, Maurice GibbBarry and Maurice3:31
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocal(s)Length
1."Trafalgar"Maurice GibbMaurice3:53
2."Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself"Barry GibbBarry5:25
3."When Do I"Barry Gibb, Robin GibbRobin3:58
4."Dearest"Barry Gibb, Robin GibbBarry and Robin3:52
5."Lion in Winter"Barry Gibb, Robin GibbBarry and Robin3:59
6."Walking Back to Waterloo"Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice GibbRobin and Barry3:51

Alternate version

Side one

  1. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"
  2. "Israel"
  3. "The Greatest Man in the World"
  4. "It's Just the Way"
  5. "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself"
  6. "Country Woman"
  7. "Somebody Stop the Music"

Side two

  1. "Trafalgar"
  2. "We Lost the Road"
  3. "Dearest"
  4. "When Do I"
  5. "Lion in Winter"
  6. "Remembering"
  7. "Walking Back to Waterloo"

Personnel

Additional personnel and production staff

Charts

ChartPeak
position
Australian Kent Music Report [7] 8
Canadian RPM Albums Chart [8] 17
Japanese Oricon LPs Chart [9] 57
Spanish Albums Chart [10] 9
US Billboard 200 [11] 34
US Cashbox [12] 18

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bee Gees</span> British-Australian music group (1958–2012)

The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in the disco music era in the mid- to late 1970s.

<i>Mr. Natural</i> (Bee Gees album) 1974 studio album by the Bee Gees

Mr. Natural is the twelfth studio album by the Bee Gees, released in 1974. It was the first Bee Gees release produced by Arif Mardin, who was partially responsible for launching the group's later major success with the follow-up album Main Course. The album's rhythm and blues, soul, funk, and hard rock sounds initiated the group's reinvention as a disco and blue-eyed soul act, which would solidify on subsequent albums. However, Barry Gibb has said that the album was "whiter" than Main Course. The cover photograph was taken at 334 West 4th Street, Greenwich Village, New York City by Frank Moscati, which is today known as The Corner Bistro tavern.

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

Odessa is the sixth studio album by the Bee Gees, a double vinyl LP released in February 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>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 the 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.

<i>To Whom It May Concern</i> (Bee Gees album) 1972 studio album by the Bee Gees

To Whom It May Concern is the tenth album by the Bee Gees. Released in October 1972, it is the follow-up to, and continues the melancholic and personal sound of its predecessor, Trafalgar. The album was recognised as "a farewell to the old Bee Gees" as the album marked the end of an era for the group in several ways: it was their last album to be recorded solely at IBC Studios, in London, their last with conductor and arranger Bill Shepherd, who had guided them since 1967, and their last under their first contract with Robert Stigwood. Some of the songs were old ones finished or rewritten for the occasion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Can You Mend a Broken Heart</span> 1971 song by Barry and Robin Gibb

"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 Cashbox magazine for two weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lonely Days</span> 1970 single by Bee Gees

"Lonely Days" is a ballad written and performed by the Bee Gees. It appeared on their album 2 Years On, and was released as a single, becoming their first Top Five hit in the US, peaking at number three in the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number one in the Cashbox and Record World charts. Barry Gibb later re-recorded the song with country quartet Little Big Town for his 2021 album Greenfields.

<i>Best of Bee Gees, Volume 2</i> 1973 compilation album by Bee Gees

Best of Bee Gees Vol. 2 is a compilation album of hits by the Bee Gees released in 1973. The album, briefly revived on CD in the late 1980s, went out of print, but was reissued by Rhino in November 2008.

<i>Bee Gees 1st</i> 1967 studio album by the Bee Gees

Bee Gees' 1st is the third studio album by the Bee Gees, and their first international full-length recording after two albums distributed only in Australia and New Zealand. Bee Gees' 1st was the group's debut album for the UK Polydor label, and for the US Atco label. Bee Gees 1st was released on 14 July 1967 in the UK. On 9 August it entered the UK charts; on that same day, the album was released in the US, and it entered the US charts on 26 August.

<i>Love Songs</i> (Bee Gees album) 2005 compilation album by the Bee Gees

Love Songs is the Bee Gees' third compilation album in four years, though the first to cover a specific musical style. A proposed album of love songs was in the works around 1995 when the Bee Gees recorded their own versions of "Heartbreaker" and "Emotion", but that project was soon shelved and those recordings remained unavailable until the release of Their Greatest Hits: The Record in 2001.

<i>Here at Last... Bee Gees... Live</i> 1977 live album by the Bee Gees

Here at Last... Bee Gees... Live is the first live album by the Bee Gees. It was recorded on December 20, 1976 at the LA Forum and was released in May 1977 by RSO Records. It reached No. 8 in the US, No. 8 in Australia, No. 1 in New Zealand, and No. 2 in Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself</span> 1971 single by Bee Gees

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My World (Bee Gees song)</span> 1972 single by Bee Gees

"My World" is a 1972 single released by the Bee Gees. It was originally released as a non-album single on 14 January 1972 worldwide. but was later included on the compilation Best of Bee Gees, Volume 2 in 1973. The flip side of the single was "On Time", a country rock number composed by Maurice Gibb. "My World" reached the Top 20 in both US and UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Run to Me (Bee Gees song)</span> 1972 single by Bee Gees

"Run to Me" is a song by the Bee Gees, the lead single from the group's album To Whom It May Concern (1972). The song reached the UK Top 10 and the US Top 20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)</span> 1976 single by Bee Gees

"Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)" is a song written and performed by the Bee Gees for their Main Course album in 1975. It was the third single release from the album, peaking at number 12 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 chart and number two in Canada. According to Maurice Gibb, producer Quincy Jones called "Fanny" one of his favorite R&B songs of all time.

<i>The Loner</i> (Maurice Gibb album) Studio album by Maurice Gibb

The Loner is an album recorded in late 1969 by Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees. An album master was compiled on 14 November 1970, but to date The Loner remains unreleased. Bootleg releases with the same title collect additional recordings unrelated to this album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Country Woman</span> 1971 single by Bee Gees

"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 were released as a double A-side in Germany, France, Japan and Canada.

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israel (Bee Gees song)</span> 1972 single by Bee Gees

"Israel" is a ballad track written by Barry Gibb. It appeared on the Bee Gees' 1971 album, Trafalgar.

References

  1. 1 2 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . New York, NY: Universe, 2006. pg 165. ( ISBN   0-7893-1371-5)
  2. ↑ Allmusic review
  3. ↑ Cross, Charles R. (2004). "The Bee Gees". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  58. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  4. ↑ Hull, Tom (22 June 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  5. ↑ Joseph Brennan. "Gibb Songs: 1971".
  6. ↑ Hughes, Andrew (2009). The Bee Gees - Tales of the Brothers Gibb. ISBN   9780857120045 . Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  7. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  8. ↑ "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 16, No. 10". RPM . 23 October 1971. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  9. ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  10. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  11. ↑ "Allmusic: Trafalgar : Charts & Awards : Billboard Albums". allmusic.com. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  12. ↑ "Cashbox Album Charts" (PDF). Retrieved 30 July 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.