Main Course

Have loved these songs for years. Play this one a lot

I know they would sell more copies with the upcoming SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER soundtrack and it's follow up SPIRITS HAVING FLOWN both of which I love. However, MAIN COURSE may be the finest moment of what I call the 2nd phase of their brilliant career. The had moved to the U.S. and began recording in Miami, Florida with legendary producer Arif Mardin. He began to move them away from their previous soft rock & pop early career to a more R&B based sound that would soon lead to them topping the charts and releasing a string of albums and songs that would put them in the conversations about the greatest of all time.I have heard people dog their supposed "Disco" era as being something to be embarrassed about, during this time the wrote some of the most incredible songs the world has ever heard, sold out shows across the world and topped the charts in ways that no one had come close to doing before. The "critics" always had a hard time trying to fit them into a particular category or box. They were multifaceted and multitalented artists who took the music world by storm and more than once which is something you can't really say about most of their contemporaries.There is absolutely nothing for this band to be ashamed of as a matter of fact, at one point in 1978, the Gibb brothers were responsible for writing and/or performing 9 of the songs in the Billboard Hot 100. In all, the Gibbs placed 13 singles onto the Hot 100 in 1978, with 12 making the Top 40. They also had a string of 6 consecutive number 1 hits at one period from 1978 to 1979.Now to the proper review of this album, "Main Course" is the beginning of what would be called "Disco" by many in just a few short years. It truly was what is termed "Blue Eyed Soul" from the area I grew up in and truly displayed fantastic songwriting, musicianship and singing. Barry and Robin Gibb are the main songwriters with Maurice co-writing some of the songs and the melodies as well as playing multiple instruments. The albums first 2 tracks, "Nights On Broadway" and " Jive Talkin" were two of the biggest hits of the era and played in clubs and discotech's around the world both then and now.The album also showcases the variety of their songwriting with ballads such as "Songbird" and "Baby As You Turn Away"; Soft Rock classics like "Fanny: Be Tender With My Love" and "Wind of Change" and even Country influenced songs "Country Lanes" and "Come On Over". One of my personal favorites is "All This Making Love", I love the interplay between Barry and Robin's vocals and Alan Kendall's guitar on that song is gritty and fantastic.This is a complete album from beginning to end and was a main catalyst to opening up doors for Barry and Robin in particular to start writing for other artists in just about every genre known at that time. This is truly an outstanding display of talent and musical knowledge and this album would solidify their move away from their Robert Stigwood influenced years and they would start taking more control over the direction of their careers.This album is one of the greatest examples of what made this band great and one of the most influential bands of all time. And let's be clear, they were a band and not just a singing group who all played instruments, wrote and produced songs and sang with a passion that few have ever reached. I read recently that at least 2,500 different artists had recorded their songs. This is the truest testament to the greatness of this band and one of many examples of why they deserve all the praise they have received and in this reviewers opinion, are deserving of so very much more.

Before I review this great album, I feel that I need to get something off my chest. I'm sick and tired of not only so-called "music lovers and experts" bashing the Bee Gees but all of American radio. It is my sincere hope that everybody will give the Brothers Gibb's new CD This Is Where I Came In a fair chance. People who think that the Bee Gees are nothing but disco need to listen to their first 4 albums especially Odessa or some of their later stuff like One and Size Isn't Everything. Then they would realize how stupid and ignorant they really are when they "discovered" that the Bee Gees did other types of music besides disco. Well, enough about that--on to Main Course. This is without question their most consistent and endearing album that they ever did. While Saturday Night Fever (which is technically not a Bee Gees album)and Spirits Having Flown had the bigger hits, Main Course has the better songs. Here's a track listing and my thoughts on each: 1) Nights On Broadway -- One of my all-time favorite Bee Gees songs! It is criminal that this song only reached #7! I love the bridge! 2) Jive Talkin' -- The song that really started their comeback as it became their second #1 in the US. Personally, it's okay, but there are other songs on this CD that I listen to more. 3) Wind of Change -- A pretty popular B-side that would later show up on their double CD, Greatest. It has a good funky beat to it. 4) Songbird -- The first slow song or ballad on this album. It features a harmonica and great harmonies. 5) Fanny (Be Tender With my Love) -- Another one of my all-time favorite songs by them! Only reached #12 on the singles chart which I thought was a joke compared to what else was out there. Very complex harmonies that featured many layers. 6) All This Making Love -- A bizarre song which is okay but is probably my least favorite on the album. 7) Country Lanes -- Another of one of my all-time favorite Bee Gees songs! This has to rank right up there with And the Sun Will Shine and For Whom the Bell Tolls as one of their most underrated songs. Robin's performance always sends chills down my spine. 8) Come On Over -- A solid song that would later become a minor hit for Olivia Newton-John and a country hit for Conway Twitty. A great song for the musical ignoramuses who think the Bee Gees are nothing but disco to listen to. 9) Edge of the Universe -- A song that would become a minor hit but only when it was done live. The lyrics to this song doesn't make any sense. However, I like it over some of the other songs on this CD. 10) Baby As You Turn Away -- A great song to close out a great album. All 3 brothers do a good job in harmonizing on this ballad. All in all, get this album because of Nights On Broadway, Wind of Change, Fanny, Country Lanes, Come On Over, Edge of the Universe, and of course, Jive Talkin. If you decided to get only 1 of the 20+ Bee Gees CDs, this one would have to be your choice. If you like great music like me, I guarantee that you won't be sorry if you buy this.

An all time classic, their music evokes emotions and pictures in your head. Nobody does a better love song. Always loved their R&B type sound. Of course I love all 5 decades of The Bee Gees music. They could never be pigeon holed into any one genre, it was just the Bee Gee sound and those killer harmonies!

This album contains so many songs which I recall fondly from the mid-1970's. Many of these songs are just breathtaking! This album showcases just a part of the immense talent of these three brothers - their voices and hearts are felt deeply in these songs. I highly recommend this CD!

I still have this Bee Gees 1975 album, but the new pressing was featured at a super price so I couldn't resist buying the new version. Same packaging and inside printed sleeve as original and the vinyl sounds great - like it's 1975 all over again. The Bee Gees are great.

I bought this album for my granddaughter. She recently got into vinyl. She liked the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever. I had originally bought this album when it first came out. I liked Jive Talkin. My granddaughter loves Main Coursr..

The quality of the cover and the album are even better than the seller described. It is in excellent condition. Very reliable seller.

Excelente

Die beste Platte der Bee Gees. Tanzen und mitsingen. So muss das sein. :)

wonderful music and great CD

自分の生まれた頃の音楽に最近すごくはまって購入したのですが、良い曲ばかりで大変満足しました‼️メロディーがキレイな曲が結構ありますね。癒されました‼️

Als Bee Gees Fan gehört auch diese CD dazu. Es gibt immer was Neues von den Gibb Brüdern zu entdecken. Ich liebe die Musik, aber das muß jeder für sich entscheiden