Bee Gees 3/25/78

[80sfan]

I enjoyed all the Bee Gees song from Saturday Night Fever whenever they came on the radio. They are one of my favorite groups. I don't consider an act as a favorite unless they have at least 3 songs I liked, so they fit the bill immediately. 'How Deep Is Your Love' is still being played all the time on AC stations. I also remember 'More Than A Woman' being played all the time on the radio like it was a top 10 song even though it never was released as a single.

Being new to pop music in 1978, I was a little surprised when I went to the store and saw their picture on the SNF album. My thought was "Where is the female singer in the group?" (the pictures of the Bee Gees showed only three guys, lol) ;D I didn't buy the soundtrack because double albums cost a fortune and the good songs were all on side 1. Too bad you can't just buy side 1 of disk 1. I did buy "Spirits Having Flown" and was glad they had 3 more #1 songs from it. I foolishly bought their next album "Living Eyes" right when it came out thinking it would be a sure bet, but turns out that I bought a dud.

I would have loved to see them on their "Spirits Having Flowin" tour in 1979, but the show in Houston, Tx was sold out in 1 day. They were the hottest act at that time. Even the local radio station had live news reports from the show and played an reenactment of their concert after it was over. (Anybody remember 96.5 KAUM?) John Travolta was filming "The Urban Cowboy" nearby at the time and he showed up as a guest on stage for that show. It was a real pleasure watching their "One Night Only" concert video 20 years later to see that they still got it. It's sad that Maurice has passed away and Barry won't perform as the Bee Gees anymore because the Bee Gees had died when Maurice died.

[albe]

The BEE GEES hands down are the best...dare I say it even better than the Beatles

[Deleted]

Last week Ryan Secreast compared 3/25/78 show with last week show of AT40 Hot AC chart, having Pink with 2 songs in the top 3.

[jgve1952]

80s fan--the SNF soundtrack was a double album but if I remember correctly sold at the single album price, which now being 33 years ago, I honestly can't remember the cost. I have purchased SNF in record form, 8-track, cassette and CD! They made their money on me for sure! ;D

[mstgator]

The Bee Gees version of "More Than A Woman" hit #21 on the Radio & Records chart (which is airplay only). Likely it would have been even bigger had it been an official single, so I'd go with Top Five at a minimum.

[reachinforthestars]

Mar 24, 2011 13:32:52 GMT -5 jgve1952 said:

80s fan--the SNF soundtrack was a double album but if I remember correctly sold at the single album price, which now being 33 years ago, I honestly can't remember the cost. I have purchased SNF in record form, 8-track, cassette and CD! They made their money on me for sure! ;D

I worked at a record store during this time. The SNF album did not sell at a single album price. Back then double LPs were sold at a price lower than if you would add two single LPs together. But never at a single LP price. I believe most single LPs had around a $7.98 list price and popular double albums (SNF, Grease, etc) were generally a $12.98 list price. Sale prices would range from $5.99 for a single LP and $10.99 for a double LP. The best deal was the "Thank God It's Friday" soundtrack. Two LPs and a 12'' single for around that same $12.98 double LP list price.

[reachinforthestars]

"How Deep Is Your Love" rode the popularity of SNF through spring mainly through airplay and credit from album sales. "Stayin' Alive" was the single that really deserves the credit for the SNF phenomenon and the mass popularity of disco. It sold like crazy, from both a singles perspective and launching the album into the stratosphere of unit sales per week. "Night Fever" rode on the coattails of that popularity. It's really deceiving because people who didn't live through that period and didn't work in the record/radio industry believe that "Night Fever" was the most popular song of the three just because it spent the most weeks at #1. Not the case.

Also keep in mind that just because the single was certified platinum does not mean it sold two millions copies. Back then it meant two million copies were pressed and distributed to stores and jukeboxes. From what I observed, "Night Fever" did not sell nearly as many copies as "Stayin' Alive", even though both were certified platinum. Part of that can be attributed to the fact that millions of people had already purchased the SNF album by the time the third single was released. So no need to buy a single when you have it on the album.

[bestmusicexpert]

I lived throgh it and I have lots of music knowledge stored up. Something made it number one for double the time of Stayin Alive. And it was either radio play or sales of 45's. And maybe they bought the 45 to have it? Maybe the flipside people wanted? who knows.

[jgve1952]

I just googled Google Books for the chart for this week in 1978 and on the albums chart SNF which of course was at #1--list price was $12.98 but I paid way less for it. Good memory reachingforthestars and yes single records were $7.98 so we'll compromise that it's about 1 and a half times the price :-) I also like the instrumentals: Manhattan Skyline, Night on Disco Moluntain, Salsation and K-Jee.

[bestmusicexpert]

I also like the instrumentals. Calypso Breakdown gets a bit tedius but Manhattan Skyline and Salsation are faves!

[jgve1952]

Here's a little more trivia (taken from jacket of CD of SNF by John Tobler): Before Thriller, SNF was the best selling album of all-time. I guess it is the best selling double album of all-time? The jacket cover states also that a Bee-Gees single was #1 for 15 out of 20 weeks (from Christmas 1977 to mid-May 1978). Also stated, More Than a Woman by Tavares was a Top 10 hit in England. And last, Night Fever won a Grammy as Best Group Vocal Performance.

[adam31]

All three from the 3/25/78 show are fantastic. I'll never get tired of hearing them. It was incredible how all three went back UP the chart after being on their way down.

[adam31]

Mar 24, 2011 11:34:17 GMT -5 @jcaragon said:

Last week Ryan Secreast compared 3/25/78 show with last week show of AT40 Hot AC chart, having Pink with 2 songs in the top 3.

Amazing didn't know Ryan Seacreast ever commented on songs that far back. Good to know he is trying to keep AT40 history alive.

[reachinforthestars]

Mar 31, 2011 21:18:38 GMT -5 adam31 said:

All three from the 3/25/78 show are fantastic. I'll never get tired of hearing them. It was incredible how all three went back UP the chart after being on their way down.

If you are referring to the three Bee Gees songs, I don't believe "Night Fever" ever made a move back up the chart after being on its way down.

[marv101]

Barry Gibb was the hottest songwriter on the planet back then, as evidenced by the fact that he wrote or co-wrote eight songs which hit #1 that year. breaking the record of seven set by (who else?) John Lennon & Paul McCartney in 1964.

I thought I heard Casey say that 'How Deep Is Your Love?' spent nineteen weeks in the top ten, breaking the record set by 1959's #1 single of the year, 'Mack The Knife'.

I also recall that the 'SNF' soundtrack came out well before the movie was released on 12-16-77, and immediately shot to #1 where it stayed for six months until it was dethroned in the summer of 1978 by either 'Some Girls' by the Rolling Stones or Gerry Rafferty's scintillating 'City To City'.

I remember purchasing another humungous-selling double LP in 1976, 'Frampton Comes Alive', and I don't believe that I paid more than $6.00 for it, so I'm inclined to think that the 'SNF' soundtrack didn't cost much more than that when it was released.