The Ultimate Bee Gees – The Bee Gees have had a target on their backs from rockers ever since Saturday Night Fever. Their songs from the soundtrack of that movie ushered Disco into the mainstream of radio playable music. Even though they were around for years (and Jive Talkin is kind of disco-y), they get credited for Disco. Now back in the day I liked to go to discos, it was nice to get dressed up and go out. I had this cool silvery shirt that I liked to wear and kept in my closet for years, even when a retreated back to flannel. Back then every hotel lounge and restaurant that had the space had a disco, which cheapened the whole experience considerably. Saturday Night Fever and the Bee Gees were the gateway (there I go using that word again) into disco for the common folk (Read: anyone who didn’t live in Manhattan).
The Bee Gees (the bald guy, the bearded guy who sang with Streisand, and the other guy) pre-dated the Beatles and had some great songs pre-Disco like Massachusetts, I Started a Joke, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, etc. They even had a few hits after disco. I bought the 2 set CD at Target (it was on sale) and honestly, I can say that I like the majority of the songs in small doses and once there on the Ipod mixed with thousands of other songs, they’re bearable.
Greatest Hits (The Monkees) – First of all, RIP Davy Jones. Second, the Monkees had a place in my then 8 year old life and I’ll always have room for some Monkees’ songs. Thirdly, I absolutely hate The Monkees Theme. Gah.
The Monkees have had more Greatest Hits packages than regular albums and this is a decent one. It has Goin Down, a Mickey Dolenz take on James Brown and most of the good hits. I miss Daily Nightly, Shades of Grey (or is it Gray) and some of Nesmith’s better songs. The last few tracks on this album document the Monkees as a trio, duo and re-united band. Needless to say, I did not include these on my Ipod. In memory of Davy Jones I’ll play Day Dream Believer and I Want to Be Free.
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