Free as a Breeze Not to Mention the Trees
July 3, 2019
You Can Sell Your Paintings on the Sidewalk
July 9, 2019
Standing in the dark where your eyes couldn’t see me
What’s That Song?
If you guessed Nights on Broadway by the Bee Gees, you are correct!
Today’s Bill Campbell What’s That Song made its debut in September 1975. According to Barry Gibb, Nights On Broadway came to him in a dream. “There was a request by Arif Mardin, who was like an uncle to us, he was a great record producer during the song ‘Nights On Broadway,’ for the Main Course album, which is previous to the ‘Fever’ syndrome. And he said, ‘Can any of you scream, scream in falsetto.’ So, you know, give us an ad lib or a scream at the end. So from screaming, it turned into things like blaming it all.” When Arif Mardin in an attempt to make the song more exciting asked if one of the Brothers Gibb could do some screaming during the main chorus, Barry began singing higher and higher ultimately hitting a falsetto that was startlingly powerful. Up to that point, Barry had no idea he had such an incredible ability. Barry’s falsetto became the Bee Gees trademark even Maurice has been harmonizing in falsetto for years. In a 2001 interview with Mojo magazine, Barry recalled, “Arif said to me, ‘Can you scream?’ I said, ‘under certain circumstances’. He said, ‘Can you scream in tune?’ I said, ‘well, I’ll try.'”
Did you know…
- Candi Staton covered Nights On Broadway, peaking at #6 on the United Kingdom Singles Chart in late Summer 1977 and at #4 in Ireland. However, it omitted the slow-paced middle-eight which broke up the tempo of the Bee Gees’ original.
- In 1975, Nights On Broadway topped out at #7 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and #4 on the Cash Box chart.
Nights on Broadway
Here we are in the room full of strangers,
Standing in the dark where your eyes couldn’t see me
Well, I have to follow you
Though you didn’t want me to.
But that won’t stop my lovin’ you
I can’t stay away
Blaming it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them love songs,
Singin’ them straight to the heart songs.
Blamin’ it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them sweet sounds
To that crazy, crazy town.
Now in my place
There are so many others
Standin’ in the line;
How long will they stand between us?
Well, I have to follow you
Though you didn’t want me to.
But that won’t stop my lovin’ you
I can’t stay away
Blaming it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them love songs,
Singin’ them straight to the heart songs.
Blamin’ it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them sweet sounds
To that crazy, crazy town.
I will wait,
even if it takes forever;
I will wait,
even if it takes a lifetime.
Somehow I feel inside
You never ever left my side.
Make it like it was before
Even if it takes a lifetime, takes a lifetime.
Blaming it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them love songs,
Singin’ them straight to the heart songs.
Blamin’ it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them sweet sounds
To that crazy, crazy town.
Well, I have to follow you
Though you didn’t want me to.
But that won’t stop my lovin’ you
I can’t stay away
Blaming it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them love songs,
Singin’ them straight to the heart songs.
Blamin’ it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them sweet sounds
To that crazy, crazy town.
Now in my place
There are so many others
Standin’ in the line;
How long will they stand between us?
Well, I have to follow you
Though you didn’t want me to.
But that won’t stop my lovin’ you
I can’t stay away
Blaming it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them love songs,
Singin’ them straight to the heart songs.
Blamin’ it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them sweet sounds
To that crazy, crazy town.
I will wait,
even if it takes forever;
I will wait,
even if it takes a lifetime.
Somehow I feel inside
You never ever left my side.
Make it like it was before
Even if it takes a lifetime, takes a lifetime.
Blaming it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them love songs,
Singin’ them straight to the heart songs.
Blamin’ it all on the nights on Broadway
Singin’ them sweet sounds
To that crazy, crazy town.
(Nights on Broadway lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group)
Play along with us every weekday on the Big Boss Show with John Van Camp where you will get a shout out during the show and win absolutely nothing!
What do you think about today’s What’s That Song? Tell us in the comment section.
