"Lonely Days" is a ballad written and performed by the Bee Gees. It appeared on their album 2 Years On, and was released as a single, becoming their first Top Five hit in the US, peaking at number three in the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number one in the Cashbox and Record World charts. Barry Gibb later re-recorded the song with country quartet Little Big Town for his 2021 album Greenfields.
The Bee Gees disintegrated throughout 1969 as brothers Robin and Maurice Gibb and drummer Colin Petersen quit the group in succession due to interpersonal conflicts, leaving Barry Gibb as the sole remaining member. Aside from overseeing a few single releases and finishing the television film and accompanying albumCucumber Castle, the group were effectively disbanded for the first months of 1970.
On Friday, 21 August 1970, the three Gibb brothers announced they would reunite and start recording together, nearly 16 months after Robin quit the group. They said later that they wrote "Lonely Days" and "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" at their first reunion session, but the exact day they recorded the song is unknown. However, a tape of stereo mixes received at Atlantic in October bears the notation "August 20, 1970", which, if true, means the brothers announced the reunion the day after it happened.[2] According to Robin Gibb in a 2001 Billboard interview with the Bee Gees, "That was written on Addison Road in Holland Park in London, in the basement of Barry's place".[3]
This song was sung by all three together to Maurice's piano and bass and Bill Shepherd's string and horn arrangement, the slow verses contrasting with the pounding chorus. "'Lonely Days' was written in ten minutes. It was that quick. I was at the piano ten minutes". Barry revealed later in 1998, "A manager we had about five years back heard 'Lonely Days' in a restaurant and he said to a friend, 'That's one of my favorite Beatles songs'. And he was managing us!"[4]
"I heard that song ['Lonely Days'] and I went crazy. I thought it was going to be an amazing number one record. In those days we had our own recording studio, right down the hall from the main offices. Now the record was pressed and ready to go, but what I did was, I made up about 30 tape copies, just put the song on a tape on a regular plastic reel, and I called up a bunch of my promotions department friends."[4]
Greenberg continues:
"I said, 'The Bee Gees just came out of the studio and they cut this record, and I don't even have time to press it up yet, but I wanted you guys to hear it, and I'm going to send you, you're the only one I'm sending, this tape, right from the studio'. I mailed it out special delivery and I have to tell you, within a week, thirty radio stations were all over 'Lonely Days', and it busted the record wide open. I was very proud of that. Ahmet [Ertegun] and Jerry [Wexler] were both talking about it. In those days, you had to come up with some creative ideas, how to promote a record. That record took off!"[4]
The song incorporated the innovative structure and knack for changing tempos exemplified by the second side of The Beatles' Abbey Road album, released the previous year and a clear influence on this single. "Lonely Days" shifts back and forth between a piano-and-strings-dominated verse reminiscent of "You Never Give Me Your Money" and "Golden Slumbers," and an up-tempo stomping chorus that echoes "Carry That Weight"; perhaps as an acknowledgment of the debt, as the record approaches its fade-out, the lead singer's voice is filtered to sound like John Lennon's.[2]
Releaseedit
In the United States, Atco released "Lonely Days" on 6 November 1970. As in other territories, "Man for All Seasons", also taken from 2 Years On, featured as the B-side.[4][5] Atco also issued a promotional single featuring the mono and stereo mixes on the disc's respective sides.[6] A music video of the song was made following the release of the song. The first scene features Maurice playing a Fender Malibu acoustic guitar and sitting next to the window. The second scene features Barry walking his dog in a London park and the third scene features Robin showing loneliness and wanting to go outside driving his car.[7]
Cash Box described the song as a "slow building ballad [which] aims at the creation of atmosphere before it breaks into its chant-like body."[9]Record World said that the song "goes through several engrossing changes which should keep listeners (and buyers) on their toes."[10]
^ abMolanphy, Chris (September 28, 2018). "The Nights on Broadway Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
^"The Bee Gees: 35 Years of Music". Billboard: 20. March 24, 2001. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
^ abcdHughes, Andrew (2009). The Bee Gees - Tales of the Brothers Gibb. ISBN9780857120045. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
^"Bee Gees - Lonely Days". 45cat.com. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
^"Bee Gees - Lonely Days". 45cat.com. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
^"Bee Gees - Lonely Days (1970)". YouTube. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
^Melinda Bilyeu; Hector Cook; Andrew Môn Hughes (January 2011). The Bee Gees - Tales of the Brothers Gibb. ISBN9780857128942. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
^"CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. November 28, 1970. p. 20. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
^"Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. November 28, 1970. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
^Nimmervoll, Ed (5 June 1971). "National Top 60". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
^"Bee Gees - Lonely Days". Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
^"Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca.
^"Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1971". Tropicalglen.com. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
January 01, 1970
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For the Beach Boys song see Hawthorne CA album Lonely Days is a ballad written and performed by the Bee Gees It appeared on their album 2 Years On and was released as a single becoming their first Top Five hit in the US peaking at number three in the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number one in the Cashbox and Record World charts Barry Gibb later re recorded the song with country quartet Little Big Town for his 2021 album Greenfields Lonely Days Single by Bee Geesfrom the album 2 Years OnB side Man for All Seasons Released6 November 1970Recorded21 August 1970 IBC Studios LondonGenreOrchestral pop 1 blue eyed soul 1 Length3 45LabelPolydor Atco US CA Songwriter s Barry GibbRobin GibbMaurice GibbProducer s Robert Stigwood Bee GeesBee Gees singles chronology I O I O 1970 Lonely Days 1970 How Can You Mend a Broken Heart 1971 Audio sample source source Lonely Days filehelpMusic video Lonely Days on YouTube Contents 1 Writing and recording 2 Musical structure 3 Release 4 Reception 5 Personnel 6 Charts 6 1 Weekly charts 6 2 Year end charts 7 ReferencesWriting and recording editThe Bee Gees disintegrated throughout 1969 as brothers Robin and Maurice Gibb and drummer Colin Petersen quit the group in succession due to interpersonal conflicts leaving Barry Gibb as the sole remaining member Aside from overseeing a few single releases and finishing the television film and accompanying album Cucumber Castle the group were effectively disbanded for the first months of 1970 On Friday 21 August 1970 the three Gibb brothers announced they would reunite and start recording together nearly 16 months after Robin quit the group They said later that they wrote Lonely Days and How Can You Mend a Broken Heart at their first reunion session but the exact day they recorded the song is unknown However a tape of stereo mixes received at Atlantic in October bears the notation August 20 1970 which if true means the brothers announced the reunion the day after it happened 2 According to Robin Gibb in a 2001 Billboard interview with the Bee Gees That was written on Addison Road in Holland Park in London in the basement of Barry s place 3 This song was sung by all three together to Maurice s piano and bass and Bill Shepherd s string and horn arrangement the slow verses contrasting with the pounding chorus Lonely Days was written in ten minutes It was that quick I was at the piano ten minutes Barry revealed later in 1998 A manager we had about five years back heard Lonely Days in a restaurant and he said to a friend That s one of my favorite Beatles songs And he was managing us 4 Atlantic Records president Jerry L Greenberg recalled I heard that song Lonely Days and I went crazy I thought it was going to be an amazing number one record In those days we had our own recording studio right down the hall from the main offices Now the record was pressed and ready to go but what I did was I made up about 30 tape copies just put the song on a tape on a regular plastic reel and I called up a bunch of my promotions department friends 4 Greenberg continues I said The Bee Gees just came out of the studio and they cut this record and I don t even have time to press it up yet but I wanted you guys to hear it and I m going to send you you re the only one I m sending this tape right from the studio I mailed it out special delivery and I have to tell you within a week thirty radio stations were all over Lonely Days and it busted the record wide open I was very proud of that Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler were both talking about it In those days you had to come up with some creative ideas how to promote a record That record took off 4 Musical structure edit nbsp Lonely Days source source An excerpt from the first chorus Problems playing this file See media help The song incorporated the innovative structure and knack for changing tempos exemplified by the second side of The Beatles Abbey Road album released the previous year and a clear influence on this single Lonely Days shifts back and forth between a piano and strings dominated verse reminiscent of You Never Give Me Your Money and Golden Slumbers and an up tempo stomping chorus that echoes Carry That Weight perhaps as an acknowledgment of the debt as the record approaches its fade out the lead singer s voice is filtered to sound like John Lennon s 2 Release editIn the United States Atco released Lonely Days on 6 November 1970 As in other territories Man for All Seasons also taken from 2 Years On featured as the B side 4 5 Atco also issued a promotional single featuring the mono and stereo mixes on the disc s respective sides 6 A music video of the song was made following the release of the song The first scene features Maurice playing a Fender Malibu acoustic guitar and sitting next to the window The second scene features Barry walking his dog in a London park and the third scene features Robin showing loneliness and wanting to go outside driving his car 7 The Bee Gees performed Lonely Days on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson The Johnny Cash Show The Dick Cavett Show and The Ed Sullivan Show On their performance of this song in The Andy Williams Show they also performed Man for All Seasons 8 Reception editCash Box described the song as a slow building ballad which aims at the creation of atmosphere before it breaks into its chant like body 9 Record World said that the song goes through several engrossing changes which should keep listeners and buyers on their toes 10 Personnel editBarry Gibb lead and harmony vocals acoustic guitar Robin Gibb lead harmony and backing vocals Maurice Gibb lead harmony and backing vocals piano bass acoustic guitar Geoff Bridgford drums Bill Shepherd orchestra and strings arrangementCharts editWeekly charts edit Chart 1970 1971 Peakposition Australia Kent Music Report 11 8 Austria O3 Austria Top 40 12 15 Belgium Ultratop 50 Flanders 13 7 Brazil 14 2 Canada Top Singles RPM 15 1 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary 16 4 Denmark Danish Top 40 14 3 France SNEP 14 48 Germany Media Control Charts 17 25 Netherlands Dutch Top 40 18 3 New Zealand Recorded Music NZ 19 10 UK Official Charts Company 20 33 US Billboard Adult Contemporary 14 28 US Billboard Hot 100 21 3 US Cash Box 22 1 US Record World 14 1 Year end charts edit Chart 1971 Position Australia 23 57 Belgium Ultratop 50 Flanders 13 23 Canada 24 24 Netherlands Dutch Top 40 18 29 US Cash Box 25 39References edit a b Molanphy Chris September 28 2018 The Nights on Broadway Edition Hit Parade Music History and Music Trivia Podcast Slate Retrieved August 9 2023 a b Brennan Joseph Gibb Songs 1970 Columbia edu Retrieved 13 January 2014 The Bee Gees 35 Years of Music Billboard 20 March 24 2001 Retrieved 8 February 2015 a b c d Hughes Andrew 2009 The Bee Gees Tales of the Brothers Gibb ISBN 9780857120045 Retrieved 25 January 2015 Bee Gees Lonely Days 45cat com Retrieved 25 January 2015 Bee Gees Lonely Days 45cat com Retrieved 25 January 2015 Bee Gees Lonely Days 1970 YouTube Retrieved 25 January 2015 Melinda Bilyeu Hector Cook Andrew Mon Hughes January 2011 The Bee Gees Tales of the Brothers Gibb ISBN 9780857128942 Retrieved 7 February 2015 CashBox Record Reviews PDF Cash Box November 28 1970 p 20 Retrieved 2021 12 09 Picks of the Week PDF Record World November 28 1970 p 1 Retrieved 2023 04 23 Nimmervoll Ed 5 June 1971 National Top 60 Go Set Waverley Press Retrieved 13 January 2013 Bee Gees Lonely Days Austriancharts at Retrieved 25 January 2015 a b Bee Gees Lonely Days Ultratop be Retrieved 25 January 2015 a b c d e Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts Part 2 PDF Brothersgibb org Archived from the original PDF on 21 December 2018 Retrieved 25 January 2015 Canadian Albums RPM Canada Retrieved 2014 11 09 Item Display RPM Library and Archives Canada Collectionscanada gc ca 2020 02 06 Retrieved 2020 01 27 Bee Gees Lonely Days Officialcharts de Archived from the original on August 8 2014 Retrieved 25 January 2015 a b Bee Gees Lonely Days Dutchcharts com Retrieved 25 January 2015 New Zealand Albums charts nz Retrieved 2014 11 09 UK Albums Official Charts Company Retrieved 2014 11 09 US Albums AllMusic Retrieved 2014 11 09 Cashbox Top 100 Singles Cashbox Magazine Archives January 30 1971 Archived from the original on 1 October 2019 Retrieved 25 January 2015 Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 doc Australian Chart Book St Ives N S W ISBN 0 646 11917 6 Item Display RPM Library and Archives Canada Collectionscanada gc ca Cash Box YE Pop Singles 1971 Tropicalglen com Retrieved 31 May 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lonely Days amp oldid 1192471304, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
