This week’s entry is inspired by the marvelous HBO documentary, The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart. I’ll be reviewing it in tomorrow’s Saturday post. In the documentary, Barry Gibb calls To Love Somebody the best song he’s ever written. That’s saying a lot.
Barry and Robin Gibb wrote To Love Somebody in 1967 for their first internationally released album, Bee Gees 1st. This wistful tune became a hit in both the UK and US and the Bee Gees were on their way.
We begin (where else?) with the Bee Gees original:
One of the earliest covers was by the great jazz singer Nina Simone:
Janis Joplin recorded the Gibb’s song for her first solo album:
The Flying Burrito Brothers countrified To Love Somebody turning it into a “tears in your beer” weeper:
Rod Stewart cut Barry and Robin’s song with Booker T and The MGs. It doesn’t get more soulful than that:
Rita Marley reggae-fied the song. It’s reportedly one of Barry Gibb’s favorite covers:
Finally, Little Milton with a bluesy interpretation of To Love Somebody:
That’s it for this week. Raise your glass and toast the end of another week. It’s what Bogie, Betty, and Frank would want. Never argue with them.
