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From album
One Night Only
Bee Gees · 1998 · Track 3
Details
Duración3:10
ÁlbumOne Night Only
Año1998
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The story behind
When brothers Barry and Robin Gibb sat down to write To Love Somebody, they weren't necessarily looking for a hit for their own group. The song was born out of a commission from Robert Stigwood, their manager, who asked Barry for a personal piece. Although the idea was for it to be performed by Otis Redding, who even met with Barry in New York to express his interest, the song's story took another turn. Redding passed away in a plane crash that same year, before he could record his version. The composition, described as a soul ballad, was recorded by the Bee Gees in April 1967 at IBC Studios in London, along with other tracks, and released as their second international single, forming part of their debut album, Bee Gees 1st.
Despite the song not having a massive reception in the United Kingdom, reaching number 41, it did resonate in the United States, climbing to number 17. Barry even commented that, while Americans embraced it for its soul character, it perhaps didn't quite fit with Great Britain's local taste at the time. The musical arrangement, handled by Bill Shepherd, gave it an orchestral touch that complemented the lyric's emotiveness. To Love Somebody has proven to have a life of its own, being covered by a large number of artists over the years, from Nina Simone to Michael Bolton, who took it to number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1992. Even Jimmy Somerville achieved worldwide success with his interpretation in 1990. The song, with its direct and emotional message, has been chosen by Barry Gibb as one of those that best encapsulate what he considers a clear expression of feeling.