To Love Somebody (song)

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"To Love Somebody"
BGSToLoveSomebody.gif
Single by Bee Gees
from the album Bee Gees' 1st
B-side"Close Another Door"
ReleasedJune 1967
RecordedApril 1967
GenreBlue-eyed soul[1][2]
Length3:02
LabelPolydor (United Kingdom)
Atco (United States)
Spin (Australia)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Bee Gees UK singles chronology
"New York Mining Disaster 1941"
(1967) 		"To Love Somebody"
(1967) 		"Massachusetts"
(1967)
Bee Gees US singles chronology
"New York Mining Disaster 1941"
(1967) 		"To Love Somebody"
(1967) 		"Holiday"
(1967)
Alternative cover
Japanese cover for "To Love Somebody"
Japanese cover for "To Love Somebody"
Music video
"To Love Somebody" on YouTube

"To Love Somebody" is a song written by Barry and Robin Gibb. Produced by Robert Stigwood, it was the second single released by the Bee Gees from their international debut album, Bee Gees 1st, in 1967.[3] The single reached No. 17 in the United States and No. 41 in the United Kingdom. The song's B-side was "Close Another Door".[4] The single was reissued in 1980 on RSO Records with "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" as its flipside. The song ranked at number 94 on NME magazine's "100 Best Tracks of the Sixties".[5] It was a minor hit in the UK and France. It reached the top 20 in the US. It reached the top 10 in Canada.

In a 2017 interview with Piers Morgan's Life Stories, Barry was asked "of all the songs that you've ever written, which song would you choose?" Barry said that "To Love Somebody" was the song that he'd choose as it has "a clear, emotional message".[6] The song has been recorded by many other artists, including Janis Joplin, Lulu, the Sweet Inspirations, Nina Simone and Jimmy Somerville.

Origins and lyrics[]

At the request of Robert Stigwood, the band's manager, Barry and Robin Gibb wrote "To Love Somebody", a soulful ballad in the style of Sam & Dave or The Rascals, for Otis Redding.[7] Redding came to see Barry at the Plaza in New York City one night. Robin claimed that "Otis Redding said he loved our material and would Barry write him a song".[8]

The Bee Gees recorded "To Love Somebody" at IBC Studios, London with "Gilbert Green" and "End of My Song" in April 1967 and released it as a single in mid-June. Redding died in a plane crash later that year, before having a chance to record the song.

Robin said, "Everyone told us what a great record they thought it was, Other groups all raved about it but for some reason people in Britain just did not seem to like it." Barry said, "I think the reason it didn't do well here was because it's a soul number, Americans loved it, but it just wasn't right for this country".[9]

Barry Gibb explained in a June 2001 interview with Mojo magazine:

It was for Robert (Stigwood). I say that unabashedly. He asked me to write a song for him, personally. It was written in New York and played to Otis but, personally, it was for Robert. He meant a great deal to me. I don't think it was a homosexual affection but a tremendous admiration for this man's abilities and gifts.[10]

Reception[]

Billboard described the single as a "smooth, easy beat ballad" that "should put them right back up there at the top of the Hot 100."[11]

Personnel[]

Charts[]

Michael Bolton version[]

"To Love Somebody"
Tolovesomebodybolton.jpg
Single by Michael Bolton
from the album Timeless: The Classics
B-side"Now That I Found You"
ReleasedSeptember 1992 (1992-09)
Recorded1992
GenreSoft rock
Length4:08
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Michael Bolton singles chronology
"Steel Bars"
(1992) 		"To Love Somebody"
(1992) 		"Drift Away"
(1992)

American singer Michael Bolton covered and released it as a single from his 1992 album Timeless: The Classics. His version reached number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became his fourth single to peak at number two in Canada, his highest position in that country. It is also his highest-charting single in France, where it reached number seven.

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1992–1993) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[19] 39
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[20] 2
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[21] 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[22] 31
France (SNEP)[23] 7
Germany (Official German Charts)[24] 61
Ireland (IRMA)[25] 13
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[26] 36
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[27] 35
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[28] 32
UK Singles (OCC)[29] 16
US Billboard Hot 100[30] 11
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[31] 1
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[32] 6
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[33] 31

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1992) Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[34] 55
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[35] 26
Chart (1993) Position
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[36] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[37] 83
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[38] 33

Movie and TV appearances[]

"To Love Somebody" has been used in several movies including I Love You Phillip Morris, Y Tu Mamá También, Melody, The Wrong Man, My Entire Life, 50/50, and Joy.

The Bee Gees' version appears in a 2019 TV commercial for Facebook Groups.

The Bee Gees' version also appears in a 2019 McDonald's television commercial.

The Bee Gees’ version also appears in the newly released, Baker 4 video.

Other cover versions[]

  • 1967: Lulu included on her album Love Loves To Love Lulu. The album reached number 24 on the US charts.
  • 1968: The Sweet Inspirations recorded the song, which reached number 30 on the R&B charts.
  • 1969: James Carr released this song as a single and reached number 44 on the R&B Charts.
  • 1969: Nina Simone covered "To Love Somebody" released on her album To Love Somebody, which reached number five in the UK and became her second British hit single after "Ain't Got No-I Got Life".
  • 1977: Narvel Felts released the song, reaching number 22 on the Hot Country Singles chart.
  • 1979: Hank Williams Jr included the song on his Family Tradition album.
  • 1989: Billy "Crash" Craddock from Back on Track; peaked at number 91 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.[39]
  • 1990: Jimmy Somerville released a version that reached number eight in the United Kingdom, becoming his most recent top-ten entry in the UK.[40] It also charted highly in several other countries, reaching number seven in Ireland[41] and attaining top-five positions in Austria, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.[42]
  • 2005: Billy Corgan released the song on his album TheFutureEmbrace.
  • 2013: Michael Bublé covered this song for his eighth studio album To Be Loved, the album's fifth single. It reached number 13 in Poland.[43]

References[]

  1. ^ Sullivan, Steve (2013). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings. Scarecrow Press. p. 240. ISBN 978-0-8108-8296-6.
  2. ^ Stanley, Bob (2014). Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!: The Story of Pop Music from Bill Haley to Beyoncé. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 345. ISBN 978-0-393-24270-6.
  3. ^ Gilliland, John. "Show 49 - The British are Coming! The British are Coming!: With an emphasis on Donovan, the Bee Gees and the Who. [Part 6]". Digital Library. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  4. ^ Discogs.com. "Bee Gees - To Love Somebody (original issue)".
  5. ^ "100 Best Songs of the 1960s". NME. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  6. ^ Piers Morgan's Life Stories: Barry Gibb YouTube - Interview
  7. ^ Melinda Bilyeu, Hector Cook, Andrew Môn Hughes (2004). The Bee Gees: Tales of the Brothers Gibb Omnibus Press, ISBN 978-1-84449-057-8, p. 134.
  8. ^ David N. Meyer (9 July 2013). The Bee Gees: The Biography. ISBN 9780306821578. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  9. ^ Hughes, Andrew (2009). Bee Gees: Tales Of The Brothers Gibb. ISBN 9780857120045. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  10. ^ Songfacts.com. "To Love Somebody - Bee Gees".
  11. ^ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. 8 July 1967. p. 18. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts" (PDF). brothersgibb.org. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts - part 1" (PDF). brothersgibb.org. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  14. ^ "Bee Gees - To Love Somebody". officialcharts.de. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b "Bee Gees - To Love Somebody". Dutch Charts. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  16. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  17. ^ "Bee Gees - Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  18. ^ "Bee Gees - Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  19. ^ "Australian-charts.com – Michael Bolton – To Love Somebody". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  20. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1840." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  21. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1853." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  22. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9 no. 47. 21 November 1992. p. 23. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  23. ^ "Lescharts.com – Michael Bolton – To Love Somebody" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  24. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Michael Bolton – To Love Somebody" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  25. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – To Love Somebody". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  26. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 46, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  27. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Michael Bolton – To Love Somebody" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  28. ^ "Charts.nz – Michael Bolton – To Love Somebody". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  29. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  30. ^ "Michael Bolton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  31. ^ "Michael Bolton Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  32. ^ "Michael Bolton Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  33. ^ "Michael Bolton Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  34. ^ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 56 no. 25. 19 December 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  35. ^ "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  36. ^ "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  37. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  38. ^ "The Year in Music 1993" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105 no. 52. 25 December 1993. p. YE-46. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  39. ^ "RPM Country Tracks". RPM. 3 March 1990. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  40. ^ "Jimmy Somerville". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  41. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know - Jimmy Somerville". IRMA. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  42. ^ "Charts.nz – Jimmy Somerville – To Love Somebody". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  43. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 15 April 2019.

External links[]

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