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Robin Gibb / Saved by the Bell: Collected Works 1969-70

By Paul Sinclair

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Saved By The Bell: The Collected Works of Robin Gibb 1969-1970 is a new three-CD set that captures the entire musical output of Robin Gibb over a 12-month period from 1969 to 1970 and includes the previously unreleased album Sing Slowly Sisters.

Ten years in the making, this set originated with the idea of Robin completing the ‘lost’ album, but with Gibb’s passing in 2012 the project stalled. However, compilation producer Andrew Sandoval drove this forward and was able to create the best approximation of a Sing Slowly Sisters album (a full album was never actually previously compiled) with the help of fans who provided material on cassette and rare acetates. This music, combined with original masters that were available, helped to create this new Saved By The Bell collection.

Sing Slowly Sisters was to be the follow-up to Gibb’s 1970 album Robin’s Reign which although not a commercial success, did contain the big hit single from which this new compilation gets its name. Robin’s Reign is included here (disc one) along with nine bonus tracks. The Sing Slowly Sisters material (20 tracks in total) is on disc two and Saved By The Bell finishes with a third CD, Robin’s Rarities which hosts a collection of 23 alternate takes, demos, BBC sessions and unissued songs including Janice, and Alexandra Good Time (the original withdrawn B-side of Saved By The Bell). See full track listing below.

St. Etienne’s Bob Stanley has written the sleeve notes for this set which will be released on 1 June 2015.

Track listing

DISC 1: Robin’s Reign… Plus

  • 1. AUGUST OCTOBER (STEREO)
  • 2. GONE GONE GONE (STEREO)
  • 3. THE WORST GIRL IN THIS TOWN (STEREO)
  • 4. GIVE ME A SMILE (STEREO)
  • 5. DOWN CAME THE SUN (STEREO)
  • 6. MOTHER AND JACK (STEREO)
  • 7. SAVED BY THE BELL (STEREO)
  • 8. WEEKEND (STEREO)
  • 9. FARMER FERDINAND HUDSON (STEREO)
  • 10. LORD BLESS ALL (STEREO)
  • 11. MOST OF MY LIFE (STEREO)

Bonus Material

  • 12. ONE MILLION YEARS (STEREO) *
  • 13. HUDSON’S FALLEN WIND *
  • 14. SAVED BY THE BELL (MONO)
  • 15. MOTHER AND JACK (MONO)
  • 16. ONE MILLION YEARS (MONO)
  • 17. WEEKEND (MONO)
  • 18. AUGUST OCTOBER (MONO)
  • 19. GIVE ME A SMILE (MONO)
  • 20. LORD BLESS ALL (ALTERNATE TAKE) *

DISC 2: Sing Slowly Sisters – Sessions

  • 1. SING SLOWLY SISTERS *
  • 2. LIFE *
  • 3. C’EST LA VIE, AU REVOIR *
  • 4. EVERYTHING IS HOW YOU SEE ME *
  • 5. I’VE BEEN HURT *
  • 6. SKY WEST AND CROOKED *
  • 7. IRONS ON THE FIRE *
  • 8. COLD BE MY DAYS *
  • 9. AVALANCHE *
  • 10. ENGINES AEROPLANES *
  • 11. THE FLAG I FLEW *
  • 12. RETURN TO AUSTRIA *
  • 13. IT’S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE *
  • 14. ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL *
  • 15. A VERY SPECIAL DAY *
  • 16. GREAT CAESAR’S GHOST *
  • 17. ANYWHERE I HANG MY HAT *
  • 18. LOUD AND CLEAR *
  • 19. RETURN TO AUSTRIA (DEMO) *
  • 20. WHY NOT CRY TOGETHER (DEMO *

DISC 3: Robin’s Rarities

  • 1. ALEXANDRIA GOOD TIME *
  • 2. JANICE *
  • 3. LOVE JUST GOES *
  • 4. AUGUST OCTOBER “AGOSTO OTTOBRE” (ITALIAN) *
  • 5. ONE MILLION YEARS “UN MILONE DE ANI” (ITALIAN) *
  • 6. SAVED BY THE BELL (BBC) *
  • 7. ROBIN TALKS WITH BRIAN MATTHEW (BBC) *
  • 8. AUGUST OCTOBER (BBC) *
  • 9. WEEKEND (BBC) *
  • 10. GIVE ME A SMILE (BBC) *
  • 11. ROBIN TALKS WITH DAVID WIGG (BBC) *
  • 12. THE BAND WILL MEET MR. JUSTICE (DEMO) *
  • 13. THE PEOPLE’S PUBLIC POKE SONG (DEMO) *
  • 14. INDIAN GIN AND WHISKEY DRY (DEMO) *
  • 15. THE GIRL TO SHARE EACH DAY (DEMO) *
  • 16. COME SOME HALLOWEEN OR CHRISTMAS DAY (DEMO) *
  • 17. HEAVEN IN MY HANDS (DEMO) *
  • 18. MOST OF MY LIFE (DEMO) *
  • 19. GOODBYE GOOD WORLD (DEMO) *
  • 20. DOWN CAME THE SUN (DEMO) *
  • 21. DON’T GO AWAY (DEMO) *
  • 22. MOON ANTHEM – Robin Gibb Orchestra & Chorus *
  • 23. GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST – Robin Gibb Orchestra & Chorus *

* Previously unissued recording

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14 Comments

14 thoughts on “Robin Gibb / Saved by the Bell: Collected Works 1969-70”

  1. While waiting for my 3-CD set to arrive from amazon.co.uk, I sought out an unofficial download so that I could hear the set NOW. I’m delighted with the set and its overall sound quality. Those who were concerned (after hearing bootlegs of the unreleased “Sing Slowly Sisters” album) that the official release would be snowed under by acetate crackles, have nothing to fear. Apparently better sources(or cleaner acetates) have been found. The only selections with any remaining trace of acetate noises are tracks 19 & 20 on Disc Three, though I suspect(due to distortion levels) that a few of the mono singles mixes on Disc One may be derived from vinyl.
    After some incorrect speculation(on another forum) it has been established that the brief left channel volume drop at 0:58 during the stereo mix of “Weekend”(Disc One/Track 8) is a fault in the recording which has been there from the outset. I have confirmed this by listening (via headphones) to the original U.S.A. ATCO vinyl L.P. of “Robin’s Reign”. The left channel doesn’t actually go silent(it is not a full drop-out), but it is a drop-out of the orchestral instruments on the left side, apparently a damage or defect on the multitrack that no remix could remedy. However, to fans in the UK & Europe(and people hearing the song for the first time) it will seem disconcerting. In Europe, where “Robin’s Reign” was originally released in the 1960’s by Polydor(and in the 1990’s on CD via Universal’s budget-priced label “Spectrum”), Polydor had tried to conceal this fault by momentarily switching the sound from stereo to mono for a second. Fans can be assured that what they hear in the new 3-CD set at 0:58 on the song “Weekend” is not a mastering fault. Andrew Sandoval & his engineers decided to present the recording(and its imperfection) “As Is”.

  2. I don’t know why there’s a few tracks on the Sing Slowly … boot no issued. It’s also a shame that none of My Own Work have been discovered. I await this CD package for my birthday in a few weeks (GW)

    It has to be said: this CD is for aficionados of 1960’s Bee Gees. Robin’s creative juices were certainly flowing and while there are certainly standouts to this fan they are outweighed by some ideas that didn’t work.

    I expect these albums were the product of a mentally fragile, confused, insecure and drug-induced mind combined with a weak management and company looking for a quick.

    1. But, remember, 2 of the 3 Bee Gees were still teenagers at the time. They WERE doing some drugs at the time, and additionally Maurice Gibb was beginning a long struggle with alcoholism. The Bee Gees(and Robin Gibb) songs during the late 1960’s could be more correctly described as being products of an adolescent mentality. Still, the previously unreleased “Sing Slowly Sisters” songs show growth (in compositional quality & production polish) over the “Robin’s Reign” album.
      A dark, brooding, somewhat self-pitying lyrical viewpoint is simply an inherent part of the Gibb Brothers songwriting during that period; an inherent part of their music.

  3. This should arrive with me tomorrow, can’t wait. Is there a reason why Barry Gibb has allowed the demo of Islands In The Steam to be released via iTunes? it’s great. A collection of their demos for other artists would be a dream release.

  5. Phil – good to hear from an informed fan. I will likely pre-order / keep an eye on the price. Definitely interested to hear this, AND long-time fans views on how this compares to the bootlegs.

  6. Why are we jumping around, They did an awesome job on the first 3 Albums in the box set (Bee Gees 1st, Idea & Horizontal) Stereo/Mono and bonus tracks. Then an awesome job on Odessa. So what happened to Trafalgar, Cucumber Castle, 2 Years On, Life In A Tin Can & To Whom It May concern?? Then we get the PITIFUL UNREMASTERED 1974-1979 Set (yes, I compared them to what i’ve had for years and they are exactly the same mastering.) The Warner Bros. set was good and now we just jump into the Robin Gibb material? It’s like watching the Godfather out of order or playing Dark Side Of The Moon out of order. What gives?

    1. The reason why we’re not getting any more Bee Gees vault material is this: Robin Gibb was the prime mover behind the archival projects(though Andrew Sandoval was the actual compiler). After Robin passed away, Barry(who is adamantly opposed to the release of vault material) asserted himself. And why is Barry opposed? Who knows? Perhaps to have the vault material as a bargaining chip when launching the next multimillion dollar licensing deal when Warner Music’s 10 year license expires….in 2016. But it appears that the Bee Gees recordings won’t immediately be removed from Warner Music, but that, instead, recordings will be licensed to Warner Music on a project by project basis. Warner Music took an extreme monetary loss on the 2006-2016 $10 million deal. And there are only two other conglomerates where Barry (and the two estates) can take the recordings. Neither Warners, Sony or Universal will pay substantial amounts of money without vault material. I have mixed feelings about having to criticize Barry Gibb, having met the man roughly a dozen times in 2003 & 2004, and I also met Maurice once.

      On the positive side, Barry has finally entered the studio(“The Hit Factory” in North Miami,Florida…formerly “Criteria Studios”) to record his first post-Bee Gees solo album.

  7. This looks very interesting. Been reading about (but never heard), ‘Robin’s Reign’ & ‘Sing Slowly Sisters’ for years. To some of us this is MUCH more interesting than another comp of their later ‘SNF’ and big hits era. Well done (again!) Andrew Sandoval.

    1. “Robin’s Reign” was originally released on vinyl by ATCO in the U.S.A., and Polydor elsewhere.(I’ve got the ATCO vinyl). It has appeared on CD once, on a German CD from a Universal Music budget-price label. By the time that I knew it had appeared on CD, the Gibb/Bee Gees catalog had been taken off of Universal Music, and the CD was deleted. I’ve made do with an unofficial download of it.

      “Sing Slowly Sisters” has never been officially released, and all of the bootlegs of it are from badly deteriorated acetates. Whether Andrew Sandoval has found any better acetates(or some tapes), we will soon know. It has long been believed that Polydor lost/misplaced all of the tapes, and, indeed, because of that missing tapes situation, Robin Gibb once spoke of possibly recording new versions of the songs. Whether he ever did is unknown.

      I’ve now ordered the forthcoming Robin Gibb 3-CD set from amazon.co.uk

  8. Finally, something for outtake-starved Bee Gees fans! Fortunately, Barry Gibb’s rigid opposition to the release of Bee Gees or Barry Gibb solo outtakes doesn’t stop the release of Robin Gibb(or Maurice Gibb) vault material. Perhaps Rhino could follow up this set with a set based around Robin Gibb’s three 1980’s solo albums(and the archival tracks & rarities from that era). And there’s Maurice Gibb unreleased material in the vaults too, including a 1970 solo album, and some 1980 music intended(but not used) as film soundtrack music. Fortunately, the unreleased 1970 Barry Gibb solo album circulates unofficially with full fidelity. Unfortunately, it’s a very bland M.O.R. country music effort.

  9. Not my bag musically, but I love seeing people put so much effort into these archival type of releases, looking forward to the new Dusty Springfield album from 1971, the year I was born.

    1. But despite record company hype about the Dusty Springfield “Faithful” CD, the material has all been released before on other CD compilations. I would think that, excepting more alternate vocal takes(of already released songs), that the Dusty Springfield vaults have been totally strip-mined by Rhino & Universal’s archival projects.

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