Bee Gees Comforts - The 80s! (Yes)

Comforting Bee Gees Eighties, Oddities, and Hits, Oh Yes.

by Kristin Battestella

Contrary to popular belief, The Bee Gees did not disappear after the disco demolition backlash. After going underground for several years and writing for the likes of Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, and Dionne Warwick, The Brothers Gibb embarked on various solo efforts before reuniting under the house name for more international hits.

Paradise – “He's a Liar” is one of three Gibb songs I really dislike, and this ballad should have been the single for Living Eyes instead. Rather than falsetto run amok like Spirits Having Flown, here the classic lyrics and harmonious crescendos in many ways return to the pre-disco sound. Sadly, the tired market didn't want to hear it.

Guilty – Guilty was the first Gibb-related record I actually bought, and the catchy scandalous is superbly arranged for Barbra Streisand's highs and Barry's accompaniment. The dual story telling and culminating chorus showcase Barry's award winning behind the scenes work, and this session is an important staple in appreciating their songwriting catalog.

Woman in Love – Likewise, this moody, desperate ode isn’t like anything else Barbra had done. It's soulful and mellow in emotion with Gibb echoes rising to a grand, epic feeling, and the duet “What Kind of Fool” bookends the love eyes fall out splendidly.

The Love Inside – This track written by just Barry might be my favorite on Guilty. Barbra’s delivery takes its time as the swells escalate to tearful understanding and bittersweet mood. It's okay to need a pause and take a few minutes to step back and reflect on our hurt.

Chain Reaction – This Gibb track for Diana Ross's Eaten Alive is a Motown throwback with deliciously naughty hooks to contrast the familiar finger snapping beat. Combined with Diana's notes and Barry's harmony, I'm still surprised this was not a stateside hit in 1985.

Islands in the Stream – Anyway you cut it this Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton duet from Kenny's Eyes That See in the Dark is just a superb song. I loved this song then and had no clue it was really those dreaded Bee Gees! The Brothers themselves do a wonderfully catchy rendition live, and you can't help but sing along with the perfect melody, rhythm, lyrics, and harmony.

Heartbreaker – Dionne Warwick's effortless rendition is fine sublime, but it's a treat to hear the nuances in The Brothers' versions live or recorded in full on Love Songs.The amazing lyrical refrains and relatable, snappy chorus are perfectly imperfect. There are wording changes, wispy notes, and swaying beats to echo the gone wrong sentiments.

In and Out of Love – This ballad from Robin' solo How Old Are You has an eighties sound, but it's smooth, with time to pay attention to what Robin is saying as he stretches his range. Before disco, Robin always lead the melancholy songs, but with the falsetto gone, he returns to the group with the stronger, confident voice heard here.

The Longest Night – Robin continues the eighties five o'clock shadow mood with this complex ode of dark verses and serious feeling. It's a seedy, stream of consciousness ballad with intriguing notes and solid delivery. Indeed ESP coupled with Robin's Walls Have Eyes represents deeper, mature material that everyone seemed to miss. Pity.

You Win Again – This global hit from ESP has oh babies, booming drums, and fun word play to bop your head and stomp your feet. Hot damn. That is all.

One – Likewise brimming with effortless power, enchanting lyrics, and delicious riffs, this is another fun song live, remaining fresh and tropical as The Bee Gees returned to the American charts at the end of the decade with this timeless topper.

Bodyguard – And now onto what may be one of the steamier Gibb songs from One, even the then shocking slightly soft core music video here was very naughty. Robin’s delivery is again in romantic form with moaning words every woman wants to hear amid Barry's crescendos and objections. Let The Brothers Gibb take care of you, oh yes.

Bonuses:

Man on Fire – This eighties Andy Gibb torch song builds up more Gibb heat with saucy lyrics, juicy vocals, and sexy pleas. It's strong, validating the yes please with solid escalation and climax. Despite the echoing touch of Barry's post-production, it's bittersweet to hear Andy return to form in material just before his untimely death, but what a steamy swan song it is.

The One for All Tour – Once elusive, this 1989 Australian concert video is now freely available with its unique session line up including less often performed live tracks. Most of those are slightly dated rockers from One, but live the grooves are excellent. The acid wash jeans, maybe not so much.

Please visit our Bee Gees tag or our Music label for more analysis, but do excuse any empty codes, broken links, format errors, and beloved bias in our decades old Bee Gees reviews!

Motown Soul Sweetness Volume 2!

Motown, Soul and Sweetness Volume 2!

by Kristin Battestella

I dare say everyone and anybody can name at least one song by the stars in this quartet. So go ahead and sing a long or stuff everyone's stocking with more of these timeless classics and divine essentials.

The Best of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles: 20th Century Masters Millennium Collection – Other than the somewhat tacked on “Just to See” and later day “Love Machine featuring Billie Griffith” included over the absent “Going to a Go-Go,” there's not much to dislike about this greatest hits compilation featuring “Tears of a Clown,” “Cruisin,” and every Motown hit in between. Distinctions between single versions, album editions, mono or single tracks, and various billings as The Miracles, Smokey Robinson, and Smokey Robinson and The Miracles may irk expert completists. However, the ever smooth “Ooo Baby Baby,” irresistible “Tracks of My Tears,” and my favorite “You Really Got a Hold on Me” more than make up for the series' lengthy title or other any other quibbling technicalities in this quick thirty-eight minutes. You simply don't hear catchy hits like “Shop Around” or “I Second That Emotion” and the grooving “Mickey's Monkey” or “More Love” on the radio anymore – sacrilege! Downsizing soul lovers may not have the room or equipment for poor sounding records, either, and these tracks certainly sound better than my scratchy 45s! This set is a great, affordable download for an old school newcomer's Motown education as well as the perfect nostalgic stocking stuffer for older, reminiscing relatives.

The Definitive Collection: Diana Ross and The Supremes – On one hand, the chronological order here belies The Supremes somewhat, as the incredibly catchy “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” and “Come See About Me” are intentionally orchestrated hits with similar rhythms and hooks. If you like one Supremes song, you will immediately recognize every other one, and that was the Motown plan. However, as this 2008 session progresses, the power of the group emerges with increasingly toe tapping and singing along staples like “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Back in My Arms Again,” “Nothing but Heartaches,” and “I Hear a Symphony.” Grand dame Diana Ross' vocals strengthen amid the hallmark harmonies of Mary and Flo in “My World is Empty without You,” “Love is Like an Itching in My Heart,” and the indispensable “You Can't Hurry Love.” It's quite fascinating to open with a packaged cookie cutter girl group and over an hour hear a decade's worth of musical growth becoming the bittersweet pinnacle of “You Keep Me Hangin' On” and “Love is Here and Now You're Gone.” Mature, psychedelic touches raise “Reflections” and the then saucy of “The Happening,” “Love Child,” and “I'm Living in Shame” – replacing the early happy go lucky beats with scandals and sophistication before the co - Temptations titan “I'm Gonna Make You Love Me” and my ironic finale favorite “Someday We'll Be Together.” This set is indeed a definitive, superb encapsulation of everything a new Supremes fan needs as well as the tunes for which longtime listeners yearn – because alas, sometimes one's Supremes A Go Go record just won't play anymore. And yes, I did have a cat named Baby Love, what of it?

The Drifters Golden Hits – Glory! This compilation originally from 1968 has that elusive original songs by the original artists – an essential adherence when one is seeking the delicious strings of my favorite “There Goes My Baby,” the sweet “If You Cry True Love,” effortless “Dance with Me,” forever dynamite “This Magic Moment,” and perennial last call “Save the Last Dance for Me.” And that's not to mention “I Count the Tears,” “Up on the Roof,” and “On Broadway.” Hot diggity I'm running out of superlatives! Yippee “Under the Boardwalk” and its often overlooked sequel “I've Got Sand in My Shoes” round out the happy listening here alongside “Saturday Night at the Movies.” However, knowing The Drifters' penchant for revolving door membership do overs, “Some Kind of Wonderful” does sound like a CD reissue re-record, and there are other similarly named but inferior compilations to beware. Though already packing a musical education if there ever was one in just a half hour, I suppose you can't win them all as this set obviously lacks singles from the Clyde McPhatter era. “Please Stay” and “Sweets for My Sweets” are also missing, but fortunately, the original essentials of the Ben E. King, Rudy Lewis, and Johnny Moore leads are here. Did I say glory? Glory! When you need a quality Drifters release, this is the one to get. 
 

Sam Cooke Portrait of a Legend: 1951-1964 – This extensive, exceptional, much-lauded seventy-seven minute 2003 collection combines classic hits and soulful gospel tunes alongside a plethora of memorable Cooke gems including “You Send Me,” “Only Sixteen,” “Cupid,” “What a Wonderful World,” “Chain Gang,” “Another Saturday Night,” and “Having a Party.” Whew! There are quality cutting a rug hits, too, such as “Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha,” “Meet Me at Mary's Place,” “Good Times,” “Twistin' the Night Away,” and “Shake” amid ballads like “I'll Come Running Back to You,” “You Were Made for Me,” “Sad Mood,” “Nothing Can Change This Love,” “That's Where It's At,” and my impeccable fave “Bring It on Home to Me.” But wait, there's still more catchy romantic smooth and sway with “Lovable,” “Just for You,” “Win Your Love for Me,” “Sugar Dumpling,” and “(Aint' That) Good News.” Updated covers including “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons,” “Little Red Rooster,” “Summertime,” and “Tennessee Waltz” are peppered among the inspiring breezy “Touch the Hem of his Garment” and spiritual “Jesus Gave Me Water” before the humming “Soul” thirty second hidden track and the ever important posthumous “A Change is Gonna Come.” Indubitably, this is much more exhaustive than the shorter, now more elusive The Best of Sam Cooke – a fine set that was one of my first over-played and chewed up cassettes. From grooves to bittersweets and all the pop and balladry in between, this set is a jam-packed present with a little bit of everything one needs to love this tragic soul pioneer.

Motown and Soul Gift Goodness!

Motown, Soul, and Sweetness!

By Kristin Battestella

What's not to love about these great gentleman – and some of their special lady compatriots – when there are such sweet compilations like this to gift, enjoy, and sing along again and again? That's what I thought!

The Best of The Temptations Millennium Collection Volume 1: The 60s – The title is a mouthful and this decade leg is not nearly as exhaustive as my beloved Temptations Anthology LP set, but the big Motown tunes such as “My Girl,” “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” and “Get Ready” are here. However, I won't lie, my sole purpose in picking up this CD was for the Diana Ross and the Supremes powerhouse duet “I'm Gonna Make You Love Me.” Hot Diggity! The staples are generally in chronological order from “Beauty is Only Skin Deep,” “Ain't Too Proud to Beg,” and “You're My Everything” to “I Wish It Would Rain,” “(I Know) I'm Losing You,” and “Can't Get Next to You.” Regardless of who's singing lead, if you like one tune, you like 'em all! I can't believe I had almost forgotten some of the songs I hadn't heard in a long time, but then it's all the nicer when you hear them again without any vinyl hiss. It's sad that this half hour session goes by quick, as there is certainly enough material and disc space to have something longer. The track list here isn't totally comparable to the group's first 1966 Greatest compilation, either, so why skimp customers into a Volume 2 and leave an early hits set incomplete without “The Girl's Alright with Me” and “Since I Lost My Baby”? Although “Cloud Nine” feels slightly psychedelic soul tacked on, I can accept the fact that my favorite “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)” doesn't meet the inclusion criteria – for the title does indeed do what it says in capturing the classic Smokey Robinson produced era of the group. This is an affordable download or easy gift for the nostalgic audience to revisit some excellent music.

The Greatest Hits of Jackie Wilson – Can you imagine the media frenzy that would follow him if Jackie Wilson had lived today? There are indeed numerous compilations featuring the late star, but this 1998 CD is quite complete with 16 songs including everything from the catchy brass of “Reet Petite” and simply dreamy “To Be Loved” to us all trying to sing along with “Lonely Teardrops” and of course, “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher.” The foot tapping doesn't let up with “That's Why (I Love You So),” “I'll Be Satisfied,” and “Talk That Talk,” and the sweeping romance blossoms with “Night,” “Doggin' Around,” and “A Woman, a Lover, a Friend.” That's already all the magic for most albums, but “Am I the Man” and “Baby Workout” add more grooving while “Danny Boy” provides mellow high notes. Later career hits “Whispers (Getting Louder),” “I Get the Sweetest Feeling,” and “You Got Me Walking” conclude this quick moving session, and with most all tracks under three minutes, a lot is packed in to this 43 minute set. A similar song listing is on the earlier 1994 The Very Best of Jackie Wilson, however neither has a companion download edition compared to the more recent two disc Ultimate Jackie Wilson release. Smooth sounds at the office or accenting dinner for two – this is a great starter gift for newfound fans as well as an essential for any classic soul lover.

Marvin Gaye 15 Greatest Hits – Talk about some more turbulence in which TMZ would revel! This 1990 hour starts with “How Sweet It Is to be Loved by You,” ends with the twelve minute “Got to Give It Up,” and has quite a bit of pleasure and commentary in between with “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby,” “Let's Get It On,” “What's Going On,” and “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology).” While hits such as “I Heard it through the Grapevine” and the “Your Precious Love” and “You're All I Need to Get By” duets with Tammi Terrell are here, “Ain't Nothing like the Real Thing” and “Ain't No Mountain High Enough” also with Terrell are unfortunately absent, as is “Sexual Healing.” Thankfully, the Diana Ross duet “My Mistake (Was to Love You)” is included, and there are several other duets-alone compilations to be had. There's such a goldmine of Marvin both with and without his girls, I guess there had to be a cut off somewhere, and some of the tracks here are the shorter, single edits rather than the full album versions. “Ain't That Peculiar,” “That's the Way Love Is,” “Trouble Man,” and “I Want You” provide more swanky, smooth, and grooving hits while “Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)” continues the social statements. Again, some of the glaring absences leave a slightly incomplete feeling. However, I don't want to call this a 'budget' CD edition simply because this is still a lengthy session brimming with such sweet sounds – making for a delightful fix for mind and body.

These be skippers!

The Drifters 20 Greatest Hits (1993) and The Drifters Greatest Hits (1991) – I have to say, it is a right major pain in the fricking arse being a fan of The Drifters – a group that has had no less than fifty band members in its revolving door line up. Seriously, go have a look at the who's who chart on their wikipedia page! New or returning incarnations either attempt to differentiate as 'so and so with The Drifters' or 'The Drifters featuring who' billings while other same name line ups feel like they are trying to trick you with their inferior remakes, deceptive covers, and sound alike re-recordings of the classic Clyde McPhatter, Ben E. King, and Rudy Lewis fronted tunes. Often, it feels like unless you have the original LPs or 45s, you don't know what you're going to get on a CD or download, and like other classic rock and roll listeners, it is those R&B paragon originals that I want to hear. So, I've attempted to discern the tunes here to save us some trouble. Unfortunately, outside of poorly remastered, seemingly spliced up combinations, or live cover versions of “Ruby Baby,” Money Honey,” “When My Little Girl Is Smiling,” “Saturday Night at the Movies,” “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover,” “Another Saturday Night” “My Girl,” “I'll Take You Home,” and “Honey Love,” the remaining 11 of the tracks on 20 are copycat editions. On the 1991 compilation, gasp only my favorite “There Goes My Baby” and “Sweets for My Sweet” are the 'original recordings by the original artist.' I dearly love the mid-century heyday of this group and consider them one of my most beloved essentials in early rock studies, but my word the studio controlled or management owned rights battles and rocky rivalries make it nearly impossible for today's new listeners – and resentful classic fans – to appreciate The Drifters' impeccable catalog thanks to mash ups like the two here.

Dr. Goldfoot, The Bikini Machine, and The Girl Bombs!

First Dr. GoldFoot Film Great Camp Fun – The Second, Not So Much!

By Kristin Battestella

Mad Scientist Dr. Goldfoot (Vincent Price) uses his Bikini Machine to create robot ladies in the near perfect 1965 spy spoof Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine. He trains his mechanical gals to conquer elite gentleman around the globe and marry into position as needed in his quest for world domination, further seen in the inferior but still fun 1966 sequel Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs.

Austin Powers certainly took a hint from director Norman Taurog (Boys Town) and his AIP produced Bikini Machine, and the “San Francisco, the Day after Tomorrow” title card tells the audience what kind of fun to expect, indeed.  Great visual cues set up numerous backhand quips, puns, and double entendres from Louis M. Heyward (Witchfinder General), Elwood Ullman (The Three Stooges), Robert Kaufman (Ski Party), and producer James H. Nicholson’s snappy, smart script – as one man from Goldfoot’s Secret Intelligence Command nemesis reminds another, “You’re a SIC man!” Spot on comedic timing and quality slapstick helps the laughs, too, not to mention lots of girls in gold bikinis filling in between the goofy. Varying film speeds, camera tricks, and backwards footage are certainly obvious and even stupid looking today, yet these simplistic efforts add to the camp charm. The plot may seem straightforward enough, but these extras work on all levels thanks to the great dialogue, fun performances, and even a twist or two. Although there are a few cemetery scenes, some ghoulish humor, and references to Price’s previous AIP Poe movies along with the Beach Party jokes, Price laymen may should definitely not expect anything scary here. Similar in camp to the sixties Batman series, Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine has a skill and maturity in its goofy rather than just being juvenile, and the hair brained chase finale caps off all the humorous action.

Vincent Price of course, plays the titular diabolical wonderfully – from the cliché golden slippers and smoking jacket to his totally casual and subtle style of being so over the top. I dare say he could have been a Bond villain back in the day, as despite the comic tone, Dr. Goldfoot does indeed make one consider this sinister possibility. Dr. G. kills the lady competition with “wife disposing devices” – opera glasses with hidden poison daggers or laser lipsticks! It’s so absurd that it’s good. Price is clearly having fun with all the onscreen incompetence around Goldfoot, and Jack Mullaney (Tickle Me) is smart foil as Igor, Dr. G.’s “dug up grave digger” assistant who often wishes he had stayed dead.  He’s a fun little shadow and provides some great physical gags for Big V at his own expense. Understated moments where Igor must drive Goldfoot’s Cadillac even though the Doctor is riding up front to chastise him add quirky charm, and their motorcycle and sidecar scenes are simply classic!

Surprisingly, crooner turned Beach Party alum Frankie Avalon is quite good as Double O and a Quarter SIC man Craig Gamble. He’s cheap and dorky rather than his hep cat self, and the tiptoeing, breaking of the fourth wall, and physical comedy elements work wonderfully along side his Uncle Donald foil Fred Clark (How to Marry a Millionaire). Susan Hart (The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini) as Diane aka Number 11 also fits the bill whether she’s an over the top southern belle robot or spouting French – whatever’s needed for her next manly conquest. All the chicks in Bikini Bombs are more kinky and on the prowl than the bumbling boys, but they have some great, goofy expressions.  Dwayne Hickman (The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) as Todd Armstrong is slightly run of the mill or a bit of a step down from Avalon, but thankfully, the boys are similar enough for a few solid gags and hi jinks. Likewise, the cameo from the late Annette Funicello is delightful.  

Naturally, to go along with all the babes and humor, Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine has some spiffy, catchy music from The Supremes and several other sixties tunes. A few club scenes and onscreen concerts make one wonder what might have been had they developed musical plans for Dr. G as intended, but the  Claymation titles, great ladies clothes, suave men’s suits, San Fran trolleys, cool cars, and fun gadgets keep the camp mid century flavors intact.  The then high tech looking mad scientist lab, oversized machinery, lots of blinking lights, and fun sounds top off the mod décor and perfectly bad visual effects. Nods to AIP’s Poe series surface again thanks to reused footage and sets, and Dr. G’s secret funeral parlor lair full of gothic colors and décor adds some fun macabre, too. Despite the diabolical mission and sexuality of Bikini Machine, even tongue in cheek separate marital beds make an appearance!

Unfortunately, the local flavors and somewhat cardboard set designs for Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs aren’t as magical as the real San Fran scenery peppering the first film. A quick refresher and clips montage from Bikini Machine introduces Girl Bombs, but the visuals just don’t match up.  While there are still big old gadgets and futuristic sixties gizmos, Girl Bombs has less goofy effects and camera tricks. Even the gold bathing suits and bikinis have more fabric, and surprisingly, the period European fashions are less than stellar. Though there are some dynamite record players and mod décor, without any titular tunes, Girl Bombs just feels as if it has less zing and personality as the not so dearly departed Dr. G again takes on the world one NATO general at a time.

Oft-horror director Mario Bava (Black Sunday) helms the 1966 AIP Italian produced Girl Bombs, but the Paris plots and intrigue in Rome somehow don’t live up to their Dr. Goldfoot predecessor. The idea of Goldfoot taking on Europe should be rife with all sorts of foreign humor or jet setting hi jinks, but the 80 minutes here feels smaller, as if the ante was not upped when it almost always should be for a sequel.  The slapstick also isn’t as good, and the slowed pace drags more in the Price-less scenes (I had to do it!) Big V’s campy fans can still find some merit here, but the mainstream catchy, funny, and sexy seem absent. Girl Bombs simply does not have enough gags per minute nor a taught script to carry the overlong chase finale.  Every overused trick– including silent moving hamming and inter titles – happens too late and it’s laid on thick for the rushed, nonsensical, and confusing finish.

Thankfully, the eponymous Doc remains ever irrepressible. Price is the only returning cast member for Girl Bombs, but he’s having globe hopping fun as several bemusing and contrasting characters. There’s a class to his camp, and when he breaks the fourth wall, it proves that all we really need to keep a presentation interesting are Price and an audience – even in these outlandish Dr. Goldfoot films. Without a doubt, his scenes are the best ones in Girl Bombs, and I’m amazed he can get those zingers out with a straight face! Sadly, the former pop sensation turned actor Fabian (North to Alaska) comes off as a bit lame in his scenes with Price, and most of the dames aren’t that dynamic. I feel like the Girl Bombs actually don’t have that much to do! Likewise, Italian comedy stars Franco Franchi and Ciccio Ingrassia suffer in translation.  A lot of their dubbed quips and Italian gags or mannerisms simply don’t come across, and their set ups seem awkward – almost as if they are playing in a separate film spliced with Girl Bombs. 

 

It’s a pity really that Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs had such an inferior production, for if the quality of the original Bikini Machine had remained, it would have been great to see more of Dr. G. The AIP television episode entitled The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot gives hints of the musical possibilities, but alas, it and Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs are not currently available on video.  The DVD of Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine is also elusive, even on Netflix, but a dual edition is apparently available on Amazon.These print pursuits aside, young, old, or young at heart fans of Austin Powers, straight spy films, or action spoofs can delight in the stupidity and campy charm of Vincent Price and Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine.