Happy Birthday to Mike and Davy

I can't believe I almost forgot this but I just wanted to wish Mike Nesmith and Davy Jones of the Monkees a happy birthday. I hope you both had a happy day and will have a happy new year.
Mike today is 64 and Davy is 61.

The Legend The Illustrated Story of The Bee Gees

I was looking at some of my old albums this week. In the double album Bee Gees Greatest that came out around 1979 or 1980 I came across this advertisment that I had forgotten about. On the other side is the typical ad for posters, tour books, T-shirts etc. On this side was an ad for the story of the Bee Gees called The Legend. It is written by David English and Illustrated by Alex Brychta in the form of a children's story. This was the first and so far only time I have seen a pop band's story told in this form. I think it is rather inventive of them to tell their story with funny animal characters who look like them. I would imagine the one behind the drums is their Father since he was a big band musician. No I have never read it and I don't have the book. I was a huge Bee Gee fan back then and am surprised that I didn't order it. If any readers to this site would like a copy you can click here to purchase the book.

This Day in Music History: The Beatles and Hello Goodbye

On this day in music history Hello Goodbye by the Beatles was the #1 song on the charts and would stay there for 3 weeks in the USA. In England it was #1 for 7 weeks and tied From Me to You as their longest chart-topping record.
Paul wrote the song while they were producing their TV movie and soundtrack Magical Mystery Tour. It was not suppose to be part of the soundtrack but part of it is heard at the end.
While some have just seen this as an up-tempo pop record, others have read into it a little bit more. This came about during the time that people were starting to say that Paul is really dead and was replaced by a double named Billy Shears. They said that Paul is the main character in the song and he doesn’t know that he is dead. Paul is saying hello to his three friends and they are saying goodbye. Thus come the lines in the song “You say goodbye but I say hello…I don’t know why you say goodbye. I say hello.”
While many TV shows and movies can help make a hit record Hello Goodbye apparently didn’t need any help. Magical Mystery Tour was shown on December 26 1967 in England and critics hated it. It was so bad that it was not shown in the USA for years. When it was it only showed up in art theaters. To the best of my knowledge it is the only Beatles movie that has never been shown on American television. With no help from the film the song became the 15th #1 song on the Billboard charts in the USA for the Beatles.

This Day in Music History: Jim Croce and Time in a Bottle

On this day in music history, December 29, 1973, Jim Croce had a number one hit with Time in a Bottle. Time in a Bottle was a track on his first album called You Don’t Mess Around With Jim. From the first album Mr. Croce had hits with the title track and Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels). Operator was a hit at #17. You Don’t Mess Around With Jim was a hit at #8. Time in a Bottle was not considered for release as a single.
Croce released his second album Life and Times. The hit from that was Bad, Bad Leroy Brown when it was Jim Croce’s first #1 hit in July of 1973. With the second album doing so well there were no plans to go back to the first album to release more singles. That is until the producer of an ABC television movie called She Lives asked to use Time in a Bottle in his movie. It was about a woman dying of cancer and it starred Dezi Arnaz Jr. and Season Hubley. The movie was aired on September 12, 1973 as the Movie of the Week. Calls came into ABC affiliates from all over the country. It was now in demand to be released as a single.
That same night Jim had finished recording his third album I Got a Name. Eight days later he finished a concert at Northwestern Louisiana University. He chartered a flight to take him to his next concert 70 miles away. After aborting take off his plane crashed into a tree. Croce and five others were killed. After his death Time in a Bottle was released and became his second #1 single. It was the third posthumous #1 in the rock and roll era. Later I Got a Name was also released as a single and reached #10 on the Billboard charts.

Happy Birthday Stan "the Man" Lee good ole' Smiley Himself

I have never met Stan Lee. I have never seen him at any conventions or any other personal apperances that he has made. But he is one of the people who opened the eyes to my imagination. His writing and editing of almost every Marvel comic book gave me hours of happiness and showed me as a young child how to read. At that time only a select few (comic book fans) knew who he was. So when I would tell people that Stan Lee was one of my favorite writers I was always asked Stanly who? Back in the 70's I was embarrassed to tell people that I read comic books. I was a teenager and comic books were seen as kiddie liturature. On rare occassions when I worked up the courage to tell someone that I would sometimes find that they still read comic books too. However, they would usually throw the books away once it was read. Not me. I cherished them and kept them in a box in my bedroom.
Now comic books are hot. Millions go see movies based on the comic books at local theaters. People who weren't comic book fans before are slowly becoming fans and more adults are either starting to read them or admiting with pride that they have read them all the time. All this has come about because of Stan Lee and his creative, inventative mind and his talent for promotion. He has even gotten a second career as an actor and MC out of it. Marvel movies almost always seem to have a cameo by Stan. He has sort of become the Hitchcock of the comic book movies. It is always fun looking for Stan in the movies. I nearly missed him in the first X-Men film. He even had speaking roles in Marllrats and Princess Diary 2. Now he has a hit cable reality show with Who Wants to be a Superhero? on the Sci-Fi channel. Now when I say Stan Lee is one of my favorite writers I am not asked Stanly who? Although with his acting career taking off I may one day hear "You mean he can write too!" Anyway, if you are reading this Stan, we may have never met but I wish you a happy birthday and I hope we have many more years of entertainment from you.

Buyer Beware

Perhaps I should have written this before Christmas but it didn’t occur to me till now. This is a warning for anyone out there who likes the extras with the movies that you watch on DVD. I for one love to watch the extras but like many people times are tough for me and I have to watch every dollar I spend. When I got Polar Express I notice that they had two different prices. One said it was a wide screen special edition and cost $19.21. The second said it was full screen and cost $12.49. Thinking the only difference was the wide screen I thought I should buy the $12.49 and save myself $6.72. To my dismay this was not the only difference. The full screen version had virtually no extras. Nothing behind the scenes on how they made the movie and this is one movie that I wanted to see how it was done. Actually I like to see that on nearly all movies that I watch. I later found out that the wide screen edition had all of the extras. I know some of you might be saying that the words “special edition” should have tipped me off. Well I would have thought that too at one time but I have seen special editions that the only thing special about it was that it was wide screen. From the 1980’s to today most movies are filmed to look good on TV. Meaning, that they try to film them like they were made for TV movies. That way they can make more money off the video rights. Shoot them this way made sure that they don’t cut off anything important on the side. So I thought I wasn’t really missing anything. Turns out I was wrong. Here is what was extra on the wide screen special edition:
Region (unknown)
Double Amaray Case
Widescreen 2.40
Audio:Dolby Surround 5.1
EnglishDolby Surround 5.1
FrenchDolby Surround 5.1
SpanishStereo 2S
EnglishAdditional Release Material:
Deleted Scenes
Featurette Interviews
Music Video
Behind-the-Scenes
Interactive Features:
Challenges
Now here is what came extra on the edition that I bought.
Region (unknown)
Keep Case
Full Frame
Audio:Dolby Surround 5.1
EnglishDolby Surround 5.1
FrenchDolby Surround 5.1
Spanish
Last year I waited to buy the Fantastic Four DVD as I heard that they were going to release another edition with more extras like interviews with the creators and people who knew Jack Kirby. So I waited till this Christmas and they did release a second edition. The problem was it had virtually no extras. Yes it was cheaper but I wanted the extras. My Mom asked me for a list of what I wanted for Christmas. I put the FF edition with the extras on the list. That is what she gave me on Christmas Eve.
So if you don’t care for the extras then save some money and buy the cheaper version. If you’re like me you may find that an extra five or six dollars is worth spending to get what you want.

This Day in Music History: Helen Reddy and Angie Baby

On December 28, 1974 Helen Reddy had the #1 song in the country with Angie Baby. The song was written by Alan O’Day. He said the Beatles song Lady Madonna inspired him to write Angie Baby. Mr. O’Day is quoted as saying “The song Lady Madonna by the Beatles just killed me. I thought, well, I’m gonna write a song about somebody who’s growing up with the radio playing in the background of their life, with this rock and roll time we live in…there are songs for all of our emotions, and the radio really speaks for us in a way that nothing else does.”
However, the title character in the song was coming out sort of boring. Alan started making Angie a little bit weird. When he did that, the song started getting interesting. It was while on vacation that he showed the song to the woman who ran the motel he was staying at to get her opinion. He thought an opinion from someone not in the recording industry would count more as that was the audience who would buy the record. He said that she really liked Angie and he told her he was planning on having her pregnant to make things more complicated for her. The woman told him not to do that as Angie had been through enough.
When the song was completed his publisher asked Cher if she would record it. They thought she might as she already did Alan’s song Train of Thought on one of her albums. However, she turned it down. Eventually the song was recorded by Helen Reddy.
One of the things that made the song such a big hit was everyone wanted to know who that man was in Angie’s life and what happened to him. Alan and Helen have never given a definite answer. Some have said that he turned into a sound wave others have said he was really a DJ on her radio. Till Alan or Helen gives a definite answer we will never know.
This was the last #1 hit for Helen Reddy. She did have another top 10 hit with That Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady and was later a host on NBC’s The Midnight Special. Also she has acted in films like Airport ’75, Pete’s Dragon and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. She has plans to write a book and act in musical theater. She started recording again in 1985 but says good material is hard to find.
Alan O’Day would record a #1 hit himself in 1977. It was called Undercover Angel.
If you want the photo above you can click on the title or click here to go to its website.

Rest in Peace President Gerald R. Ford

There are times it has been hard for me to keep from giving my political point of view. I have so far been successful. With the death of President Gerald Ford I almost wanted to give it but decided not to. Let’s just say that in hind sight his Presidency was more important then we may ever know. He tried his best to get us past Watergate and WIN the war against inflation. Unfortunately both battles were too big for anyone and in many ways we are still fighting them. Especially, the one on inflation. I doubt any President will ever beat that opponent. Gerald R. Ford passed away today at the age of 93. Our country may be better off then we knew for having him for so long. Rest in peace President Gerald R. Ford.

This Day in Music History: John Lennon and (Just Like) Starting Over

On this date in music history there were two big hits that reached #1 on the charts. First up is John Lennon and (Just Like) Starting Over then you can scroll down to read about the second one. In 1975 John and Yoko Lennon welcomed the birth of their son Sean and that began a major shift in both their lives. Perhaps it was from being on the road so much as a Beatle and not being able to see much of his oldest son Julian growing up but John retired from music and became a househusband. Yoko ran the family business from an office in their Manhattan apartment.
It turned out to be a good decision for John at that point in his life. In an interview with Newsweek John is quoted as saying “What I did was discover that I was John Lennon before the Beatles and would be afterward, and so be it.”
In the summer of 1980 the Lennon family was on vacation in Bermuda. It was there that John started writing music again. In two weeks he and Yoko wrote 20 songs. When they returned on August 4th Lennon booked time in the Hit Factory recording studio and ended his five year retirement. John and Yoko recorded the whole album called Double Fantasy but had not been signed to a label. In the 60’s and 70’s if a record executive had heard John Lennon had recorded an albums worth of material and was looking for a label to sign with they would have signed him without asking to hear the album. However, it was now the 1980’s and the record industry changed during his five year hiatus. That, along with executives wondering if Lennon had lost it during his time off, made every label ask to hear the album first. Every label that is, except Geffen. David Geffen signed John and Yoko to his label without asking to hear a note.
On October 24th (Just Like) Starting Over was released and word spread quickly that Lennon was back. Lennon said about the song that “It was the fifties-ish sound because I had never really written a song that sounded like that period. Although that was my period, the music I identified with.” He continued saying, “In the Beatle days, that would have been taken as a joke. One avoided clichés. But now those clichés are not clichés anymore.” Unfortunately the song reached #1 posthumously. On December 6th 1980 the song had reached the #6 position on the Billboard charts. Two days later John Lennon was murdered just outside his home in Manhattan.
It was on December 27, 1980 that it reached #1 on the Billboard charts. I think John would have reached #1 on the charts with that song no matter what. The song stayed at the top spot in the country for 5 weeks after he bumped Lady by Kenny Rogers from the #1 position that he had occupied for 6 weeks. It seemed a hallow victory at the time. However, (Just Like) Starting Over and other songs from the Double Fantasy album, like Woman, Watching the Wheels and Nobody Told Me, proved that his legacy of music would live on for years to come.

This Day in Music History: Diana Ross and the Supremes and Someday We'll Be Together

On this day in music history, December 27, 1969 Diana Ross and the Supremes had their last #1 hit on the Billboard charts with Someday We’ll Be Together. The song was co-written by Johnny Bristol. He said he and one of the other co-writers, Jackie Beavers, were often on the road as Jackie and Johnny for the Tri-Phi label. They missed their wives and that inspired them to write the song. When Tri-Phi was absorbed by Motown Johnny signed on as a writer and producer. He kept trying to get Barry Gordy to sign up the act of Jackie and Johnny but was always told he was more valuable to Motown behind the scenes. One of those times he took a tape of them singing Someday We’ll Be Together to Mr. Gordy. Gordy said it would be a smash hit for the Supremes. Knowing Gordys instincts were usually right Johnny thought this would at least give Jackie and Johnny a hit song as writers.
The only one of the Supremes on the song is Diana Ross. The others were not asked to go into the studio to record it. So while it is billed on the record as Diana Ross and the Supremes it is really Diana’s first solo effort. A male voice is also heard on the record. That is the voice of Johnny Bristol. Near the end of the recording session Diana was getting tired and not giving as much emotion as she did in the beginning. Johnny went in to sing the rest of the song with her to give her an added spark. He was to be edited out but Barry liked it so much that he kept it on the record. So in the end Johnny Bristol did get to record a version of his song. It helped to make it a #1 hit on this day in music history.
You can get the photo if you click on the title above. It will take you to the site where it can be purchased.

This Day In Music History: George Harrison and My Sweet Lord/Isn't It A Pity

On December 26 1970 George Harrison was the first Beatle after the group broke up to have a #1 record on the Billboard Charts. He is so far the only Beatle to have a solo double sided hit. The songs were “My Sweet Lord” and “Isn’t It A Pity” and the battle that ensued over “My Sweet Lord” has become a legend. Originally My Sweet Lord was to be recorded by Billy Preston. Billy had his all set for release when suddenly Apple records changed their mind and release Mr. Harrison’s version instead. It preceded the release of his triple record All Things Must Pass album.
George said that his inspiration for the song came from hearing the Edwin Hawkins Singers perform “Oh Happy Day.” While there are similarities between those two songs the publisher of the Chiffons song “He’s So Fine” thought that the similarities with his song were even closer. If you play the songs back to back you would have to admit the tunes sound exactly alike. George Harrison was sued for copyright infringement. Billboard magazine reported at the time that royalties from the song to Mr. Harrison were stopped all over the world till there was a resolution. That didn’t come for five years. The Judge in the case ruled that Mr. Harrison was guilty but that it was not done on purpose. However, it was still a crime even thought it was done subconsciously.
George said when people started talking about how the two songs sounded like each other he thought “Why didn’t I realize?” If he had he could have changed a note here and there to make it a bit different.
Even after the case was settled Allen Klein, the Beatles former manager, bought the rights to “He’s So Fine” and the right to continue to sue for further damages. George said he tried to give the song away to completely settle the whole thing. The song has spent much of it’s time in escrow. Mr. Harrison hardly got any money out of the song. He said that the good that it has done far outweighed any money or the complaining that was going on between the copyright people. It’s just all greed and jealousy.
A few novelty songs were inspired by the legal battle. The Chiffons recorded their version of “My Sweet Lord” and Jonathan King did a version of “He’s So Fine” with the arrangement that George had for “My Sweet Lord.” Harrison himself did a novelty song called “The Pirate Song.” It starts out sounding like it’s “My Sweet Lord” then the tune completely changes and George starts singing about how he would like to be a pirate.
The flip side, “Isn’t It A Pity”, was also a hit under its own strength. George said it was about relationships. He said “It was a chance to realize that if I had felt somebody had let me down, then there’s a good chance I was letting someone else down.”
The lyrics to the song say
“Isn’t it a pity?
Now isn’t it a shame?
How we break each others hearts and cause each other pain.”
Isn’t it ironic that a song with those lyrics would be on the flip side of a song that caused Mr. Harrison so much pain and heartbreak?

The Birth of Christ is the Reason for the Season

Luke 2:1-52 KJV
Chapter 2
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, Unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife; being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying.
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord.
23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord.)
24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27 And he came by the Spirit to the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the customs of the law.
28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,29 Lord, not lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Isreal.
33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Isreal; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daugther of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried beind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
46 Ans it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, they father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye shought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was sbject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

TV Guide Week of December 23 1961

For fans of the magazine TV Guide here is what the cover of the Christmas edition looked like in 1961

This Day in Music History: Melanie and Brand New Key

Typecasting is a bittersweet thing and it happens in all parts of show business. For Melanie Safka when her song Brand New Key became a source of her greatest pride and her biggest headache when on this date in music history on December 25th 1971 it was the #1 song on the Billboard charts and stayed there for 3 weeks. She began her musical career when she started performing at New Jersey nightclubs and Greenwich Village coffee shops. She also studied acting at the Academy of Fine Arts in New York. Rumor has it that it was while she was trying to find an audition that she was misdirected to the office of Buddah Records. Label President Neil Bogart took one look at the teenager carrying her guitar and decided to introducer her to Peter Schekeryk. He became her producer and later her husband.
Her folk singing career didn’t really take off till she preformed at Woodstock in 1969. One night she saw the crowd light hundreds of candles. As they glowed in the darkness she became inspired and later wrote the song “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain).” It became a hit on the Billboard charts in 1970 when she recorded it with the Edwin Hawkins Singers. After two more records for Buddah Melanie and Peter decided to leave Buddah and start their own label. They named it Neighborhood Records.
When Melanie wrote “Brand New Key” it was not meant for release. She only meant it for an up-tempo interlude between her folk songs that told about the troubles in society.
Still she made it the first song she recorded and released for her new label. Most radio stations understood the song was a 30’s-sounding song of nostalgia of a girl with a brand new pair of roller skates. Some read sexual references into it and banned it from their airwaves.
This didn’t stop her image from being seen as a sweet innocent girl who loved her childhood. While that is not a bad image to have it can become a bit tiresome for a serious artist who wants to make mature songs. Because of this “Brand New Key” was her last hit song. She quit performing and decided to raise their children in their Jersey home. Still in 1975 she came out of retirement and recorded her more adult songs for Atlantic Records and later for Midsong International and Tomato Records. During her time off the times had changed and she had trouble getting back her fans who left their innocent age behind them.

This Day in Music History: the Bee Gees and How Deep is Your Love

Starting today there will be a This Day in Music History each day until January 1st 2007. On December 24th 1977 the Bee Gees had the #1 song on the Billboard charts with How Deep is Your Love. It all started when their manager Robert Stigwood was contacted by writer Nik Cohn. He said he wanted to write a film or a story that could be made into a film and Stigwood could produce it. He told him to come up with an idea and get back in touch with him.
Six months later Stigwood was reading New York magazine. In it was an article called “Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night.” It was written by Nik Cohn. Stigwood called him and said, “You’re crazy. You come to me about writing a story for a picture. This is it.” Mr. Stigwood called Mr. Cohn’s agent and bought the rights for a film version. I don’t know if it was an accident or on purpose but Mr. Cohn was not crazy. He just made money twice off of the same story.
During this time the Brothers Gibb were in Paris trying to record a follow up album to their Children of the World LP. Stigwood called up and said to forget a studio album he wanted a live album he also called a second time asking for four new songs for a film he was producing. The first song they wrote for the film was How Deep is Your Love. They had Yvonne Elliman in mind to record it. When Stigwood heard the song he insisted the Bee Gees record it instead. Yvonne Elliman was given another song in the film, If I Can’t Have You.
Stigwood flew to Paris and gave the Bee Gees a rough idea for the film. He said it was about a guy who lives for Saturday night, when he can spend his paycheck and go dancing. He also said they had already hired John Travolta, who was a famous television actor on Welcome Back Kotter, to play the part. Maurice Gibb said they thought “Wow! A disco film. Let’s get into some good disco songs.” Two and a half week later the songs were written and a demo was sent to Robert Stigwood. When he heard them he said they were perfect.
How Deep is Your Love was the first single released from the soundtrack before the film was released. It was in the top ten for 17 weeks. Three of those weeks it was #1. At that time it had the longest run of any song in the top 100 on the Billboard charts. Like some people I had always heard the songs of the Bee Gees like New York Mining Disaster, Words, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?, but I never paid attention at that time who the group was. When Saturday Night Fever came out I had never heard the name Bee Gees mentioned. I first saw the famous trailer with Travolta walking down the street to the high falsetto singing of Staying Alive when I worked as an usher at the local Showcase Cinema. When I heard the song I thought “Gosh those girls are good singers.” A few weeks later I saw a stand up of three guys and the words Saturday Night Fever. I asked a fellow usher who the three men were. He told me it was the group who was singing the song on the movie trailer. My reaction was “Its guys who are singing that high???!!!” My outlook on music changed a little bit that night.