Main Course

A must-have for any Bee Gees fan, Main Course is a perfect slice of 70s pop and R&B. The album was recorded in Miami, Florida, a suggestion made to the group by Eric Clapton. Its number one hit, “Jive Talkin,” was originally called “Drive Talking,” has a rhythm inspired by the sound their car made on the 163^rd St Causeway Bridge as they drove to and from Criteria Studio. With Main Course, producer Arif Mardin and the Gibb brothers continued to expound upon themes first explored in Mr. Natural—the use of synthesizers as opposed to sweeping strings, and smooth pop numbers. This is also the first album where Barry Gibb’s hallmark falsetto is prominent, showcasing the impressive depth of the his vocal range.

The album made it to no. 14 on the U.S. Billboard charts, while singles “Jive Talkin”, “Nights on Broadway,” and “Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)” reached no. 1, 7, and 12, respectively. The rest of the album is a delight, as well. The Bee Gees revisit their ballad roots on the tender “Country Lanes” and “Baby as You Turn Away,” and psychedelia with the synth-heavy “Edge of the Universe.” “All This Making Love” is an infectious number that marches along with fuzzy guitar, while “Come on Over” is the album’s sunny country dalliance.