Like the Beach Boys’ three Wilson brothers, the three Gibb brothers shared a bedroom as young kids. But because the Gibb family (drummer and bandleader father, band vocalist mother) was so poor, the three Gibb brothers had to share a bed as well. When Maurice and Robin were five and Barry eight, they discovered that they could harmonize effortlessly and instinctively (with that ESP quality again, like the Boswell sisters I discussed in Part I), all three having perfect pitch, a wide vocal range, and a fascination with music. When their parents overheard them singing, they thought it was the radio, and discovered to their surprise it was the three little boys.
They made a pact at a very early age that they would write their own songs, sing as a trio, and become famous. Unlike most childhood pacts, this one was fulfilled.
And for those of you who don’t think the Bee Gees are essential to life, let me recall my very up close and personal experience with this song…
When I fell out of life my angels came at the run with a siren and roar and restored me with two inches of compression at a hundred beats a minute to the tune of “Staying Alive.” My angels do 24-hour shifts over at Engine 8 on the top of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle. Six months after I died I shook their hands.
That said you can just play the song and get up and dance around the room. Nobody’s watching and nobody cares. Besides, if anybody catches you dancing to Stayin Alive and they don’t join it, they’re dead.
We followers here at AD are so blessed to have found you Gerard!
AnneFebruary 7, 2021, 9:27 PM
One of the first confrontation I had as a young mother. What to do about a baby sucking their thumb?
My ancient grandmother told me “don’t let her do that”–and, I didn’t listen. 10 years later I did whatever I could to get her to an orthodontist. It worked. Years of braces finally undid the damage that early age thumb sucking had done. Whenever I see these young men–two have poorly developed jaw/teeth protrusions. I so, so wish that their parents had taught them to not suck their thumbs. If they had not done that they might have been good looking and all of their lives would have been very different. I grieve for those boys every time I watch their video.
On a second note: when the film came out my dear daughter (complete with braces) begged me to come see the movie. She had already seen it against my orders. But, because I was a “moderne mother” I finally relented and took her to see it (again for her). What a joy! Pure delight. Dear daughter and I came out of that theater dancing and singing together as mothers and daughters should do. Thanks for the memories!
Hulu has the documentary on the Bee Gees. We watched it, very good.
I feel like I missed that whole epoch, was working …W A Y … too much back then. Saw the movie SA but that’s about it. No clubing, definitely no disco.
Real World Address for Donations, Mash Notes and Hate Mail
Gerard Van der Leun
1692 MANGROVE AVE
APT 379
Chico, Ca 95926
Green Pants Interior by Klahn
Who Am I? by Carl Sandburg
My head knocks against the stars.
My feet are on the hilltops.
My finger-tips are in the valleys and shores of universal life.
Down in the sounding foam of primal things I reach my hands and play with pebbles of destiny.
I have been to hell and back many times.
I know all about heaven, for I have talked with God.
I dabble in the blood and guts of the terrible.
I know the passionate seizure of beauty
And the marvelous rebellion of man at all signs reading “Keep Off.”
My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive in the universe.
Duty, Beauty, Liberty, Country, Honor, Family, Faith — Plus a few simple easy to follow rules for guys
Men saw the stars at the edge of the sea
They thought great thoughts about liberty
Poets wrote down words that did fit
Writers wrote books
Thinkers thought about it
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
Many’s the road I have walked upon
Many’s the hour between dusk and dawn
Many’s the time
Many’s the mile
I see it all now
Through the eyes of a child
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
And close your eyes
Leave it all for a while
Leave the world
And your worries behind
You will build on whatever is real
And wake up each day
To a new waking dream
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Change, change come over
Change come over
Talkin’ about a change
Change, change
Change come over, now
Change, change, change come over
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
Gerard Van der Leun
Comments on this entry are closed.
We followers here at AD are so blessed to have found you Gerard!
One of the first confrontation I had as a young mother. What to do about a baby sucking their thumb?
My ancient grandmother told me “don’t let her do that”–and, I didn’t listen. 10 years later I did whatever I could to get her to an orthodontist. It worked. Years of braces finally undid the damage that early age thumb sucking had done. Whenever I see these young men–two have poorly developed jaw/teeth protrusions. I so, so wish that their parents had taught them to not suck their thumbs. If they had not done that they might have been good looking and all of their lives would have been very different. I grieve for those boys every time I watch their video.
On a second note: when the film came out my dear daughter (complete with braces) begged me to come see the movie. She had already seen it against my orders. But, because I was a “moderne mother” I finally relented and took her to see it (again for her). What a joy! Pure delight. Dear daughter and I came out of that theater dancing and singing together as mothers and daughters should do. Thanks for the memories!
Hulu has the documentary on the Bee Gees. We watched it, very good.
I feel like I missed that whole epoch, was working …W A Y … too much back then. Saw the movie SA but that’s about it. No clubing, definitely no disco.
Okay, boomer.