The Gibb Midas Touch
By Eric Grigs | March 29, 2020
The recent passing of country pop legend Kenny Rogers recalls a time during his long legacy that belongs among a string of hit 80s LPs helmed by the same production juggernaut: Barry Gibb.
Consisting of brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice, the Bee Gees were an unstoppable force in the 70s. However, right on the heels of their ubiquitous 16x-platinum-selling Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, disco crashed hard. Radio formats moved on, and record sales plummeted for artists identified as disco acts. Many other bands would celebrate their run in the sun, pack it up, and live off the royalty checks—unable to translate their music to the new decade’s sound.
Instead, the Gibbs’ soon-to-be second act would only enhance their reputation—as songwriters, producers, and backing vocalists—rather than seeking the spotlight for themselves. At the start of the decade and for the following few years, Barry would take the lead in producing albums for several legacy acts. His handiwork would reverse the downward slope for many beloved artists—not only returning them to radio airwaves, but also to the top of the charts by securing some of the biggest hits of their careers. After this time, these icons of pop largely have not seen similar Billboard success that Gibb delivered.
Let’s take a look at the incredible creative output from the golden years of Barry Gibb’s skilled production and the Gibb brothers’ songwriting talent—in a sequence of four collaborations that deserve acknowledgement in the pop trash pantheon.
Barbra Streisand, Guilty (1980)
Delivering the biggest number one of her career with “Woman in Love,” this album introduced Streisand to a new generation, while getting heavy rotation on Adult Contemporary radio that catered to older fans too. Barry appeared on the cover of the album and duetted with Streisand on two of the tracks, “Guilty” and “What Kind of Fool,” both singles charting in the top 10. Out of all the records on this list, it feels the most cohesive from start to finish; arguably a perfect album. (Unfortunately, that can’t be said for its sequel Guilty Pleasures—titled Guilty Too in the UK—arriving 24 years later.)
Dionne Warwick, Heartbreaker (1982)
After years of successful collaboration with Burt Bacharach and Hal David, hits began to dry up for Warwick in the late 70s under her Warner Brothers contract. Dionne rebounded from the career slump by signing with Arista, guided by the legendary Clive Davis. During these comeback years, Davis made the Gibb connection and she scored a certified Gold record in Heartbreaker, becoming an international smash. The title track seems tailor-made for Warwick; her smooth vocals enrich the song with a cool detachment, floating above the story of heartache.
Kenny Rogers, Eyes That See in the Dark (1983)
Few realize Gibb is the mastermind that gave us the instant classic “Islands in the Stream.” Now the most well-known track from this album, Rogers wasn’t feeling the song, and almost cut it. Barry countered that what it needed was a duet partner to deliver on the song’s lyrics—someone like Dolly Parton who happened to be recording her own material in the studio below them at the time. It worked and sent them to the top of the charts, beginning a lifelong friendship between Parton and Rogers. There are plenty of standouts here, including “This Woman,” which reached the top 20 on both the pop and country charts. Oddly enough, due to copyright and licensing issues between Capitol Records Nashville and Sony Music, the digital release of the album doesn’t include “Islands,” its most popular track.
Diana Ross, Eaten Alive (1985)
The Gibb Renaissance couldn’t continue forever, but the party wasn’t quite over yet by the mid-80s. This album was a moderate success in America, but fared much better internationally. For example, the single “Chain Reaction” didn’t crack the top 20 in the US, but Ross landed a #1 in the UK. Now, it’s mostly remembered for the Michael Jackson-penned title track that also features his backing vocals, not to mention the campiest album cover art of Ross’ career.
Dig Deeper Into the Music From This article
Spin the best tracks from these albums, and a few additional hit Gibb productions, in our Spotify playlist “Barry Gibb Gold.”
Eric Grigs is a pop culture writer, artist, and co-host of the Pop Trash Podcast.