Bee Gees 'I've Gotta Get a Message To You' (Alternate Mix)

"I've Gotta Get a Message to You" (original mix) is a song recorded by the Bee Gees in 1968, which became their second number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, and reached number eight on the US pop chart. In the United Kingdom the song was released as a single only.

"I've Gotta Get a Message to You" has appeared in five versions all made from the same recording, but heard at three different speeds, faded out at three different points, and with different elements mixed forward. As to the speed, Bill Inglot said in 1999 that the mix he made for the Tales from the Brothers Gibb box in 1990 is at the correct real tape speed. This speed is intermediate between the mono and stereo mixes released in 1968. To correct the speed, play the mono single mix at 98.8% and the LP stereo mix at 103.0%, which brings them to the correct timing.

The first mix to appear was the mono mix for the single, followed closely by a stereo mix that appeared on North American copies of the Idea album. The two sound very different. For most of the song the album mix has percussion effects and string overdubs not heard (or barely heard) in the single mix. In the ending, most of the second pass through the chorus (2:28-2:37 at the correct speed) has lead vocal in the album mix but wordless backing vocal in the single mix, until at 'hold on' they resume the same vocal tracks. The slower album mix is shorter because it fades out much sooner, 4 seconds sooner at the speed given, or 11 seconds sooner at corrected speed. At 2:45 (correct speed) fans hear a spoken 'save your voice' in the stereo album mix, and also less distinctly in the Tales from the Brothers Gibb mix.

During preparation of The Studio Albums 1967-1968 box set, another mix from 1968 was discovered, a mono mix that sounds like the 1968 stereo mix. Since the North American Idea LP was released only in stereo, this companion mono mix was never released. It plays faster than the stereo mix, but that is true of all the mono mixes for Idea.

MORE about this song from All Music Guide:
Here's a great slice of pop melodrama from the early Bee Gees. Of course, the group of brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb later became identified with the disco craze of the 1970s due to their monumental Saturday Night Fever (1977) soundtrack, but the Bee Gees always showed as much, if not more of a talent for melody as for groove. And yet, even their folk-pop songs grooved with an understanding of R&B and soul, as demonstrated here on "I've Gotta Get a Message to You."

Released on the 1968 LP Idea, "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" features the same sort of mid- to late-'60s soul shuffle as their single "To Love Somebody," released a year before. The chorus melody is particularly infectious, with the group's famous harmonies already in evidence. The tastefully orchestrated song is a great burst of British Invasion-era pop, complete with an uplifting key modulation. Barry and Robin's lead vocals flutter with emotion, while Maurice and Barry (or Robin) harmonize phonetically in the background on the verses.

This sort of once-common melodrama is sadly absent from pop music now. Sure, we have histrionics and some sort of false rage (a sort of melo-rage?), but that has displaced the goofy but compelling narratives from the likes of Bread, Gilbert O'Sullivan, and Andrew Gold, the high-drama pop/country-song story tradition that can be traced even further back than the 1960s-era "Leader of the Pack." The Gibbs sing from the perspective of a condemned prisoner. Referring to a preacher, the prisoner sings: "I told him I'm in no hurry/But if I broke her heart, then won't you tell her I'm sorry/And for once in my life I'm alone/And I gotta let her know/Just in time before I go/I've just gotta get a message to you/Hold on, hold on/One more hour and my life will be through/Hold on, hold on." But the lyric goes astray in a few of the verses, making little, if any sense, merely rhyming: "Well, I laughed but that didn't hurt/And it's only her love that keeps me wearing this dirt/Now I'm crying, but deep down inside/Well, I did it to him now it's my turn to die."

[smanders]

Another lyrical genius given to us by the loves Robin Gibb and the Bee Gees! Thank you for almost 40 plus years of great music!

[MTOOMEY]

Truly very sad, and my heart is broken! I will miss Robin, and still do Maurice. God has another great voice, and person. I cry, then remember now the twins will be reunited with Andy in Heaven where their beautiful voices will be heard, and probably over all! I can't imagine how Barry is feeling, and my heart goes out to him, along with prayers for peace and comfort to all the family. Thank you for every great song, and Bee Gees Gold Vol 1 I listen to often with great memories! Love, MT

[lynngleason]

This is my all time favourite Bee Gees song. So sad that Robin is gone. At least Andy and Maurice were there to meet him.

[senorxrey]

This is the way this song should appear on ALL of the compilation albums.  THIS was the *HIT* version of this song that made it to the top of the UK chart and #8 in the US.  It's a crime that this stereo version only exists on the "Tales of the Brothers Gibb" 4-CD box set from 1990 or 1991.  The back story is that Robert Stigwood wasn't happy with the album version (who really is?), and after a dinner break, had them go back into the IBC studios and re-record the song.  This may have been one take, I forget, but is THE one he rush-released to the world.  To actually hear this in stereo after decades of hearing that horrible album mix and the speed variations is really a treat.  Kudus to Bill Inglot for bringing this back, and RIP Robin and Maurice.

[mrmjb]

This mix, at its end, is devoid of intrusive strings and chorus, and brings out Robin's dramatic vocals way better than its Lp counterpart!

[sauquoit]

On this day in 1968 {September 7th} the Bee Gees' "I've Gotta Get A Message to You" reached #1 {for 1 week} on the United Kingdom's NME chart...
One month earlier on August 17th it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked at #8 and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100...
It reached #2 in New Zealand and #3 in Canada, Australia, & the Netherlands...
The song was the Bee Gees first Top 10 record in the U.S.A.
R.I.P. Robin and Maurice...

[SandyDeJong]

Fantastic video... R-I-P Robin your safe in your twin brothers arm's once again love you and your brothers may god bless you all. Thank you for your wonderful music over the years xx

[LuisRobertoFX]

In fact, this is a new mix that's included on the recopilation "The very best of Bee Gees". Is in stereo, but like the 'single mono' version, the bass is louder, and it didn't got the extra vocals in the moment when the song modulates the chorus key from C major to D major, near the end of the song, and it sounds better than the original stereo version.

[TheRunner]

I like this version better than the album one which has different arrangements and vocals in the end.

[valie]

Robin and the BEE GEES THE GREATEST FOREVER AND ALWAYS AND EVER !!!!

[phoebefugate]

love love the bee gees, beautiful voices, very handsome , to die for

[pedrolivecom]

He may be dead, but he will live forever in my ears.

[handyman]

Sounds as original to me! Good version!

[pippisteunkous]

Tak for fantastisk musik. Zaterday night fever gav mig en deglig ungdom. Hvil i fred. Tak for alt.

[juieandersonJHLA]

Fantastic video and I love the arrangement.  Thanks.

[mangesmichael]

another great voice silenced
rip robin

[Jimjakarta]

i'm sad..!! R.I.P Robin...u hv a special place in hy heart...

[IvaSamal]

Robin Good-bye!
Bon Voyage to the Stars... :(

[DRpokeme]

first heard this when i was a very young boy..i gussed it was about someone who did wrong and was going to be hanged for what they did, It was the saddness in the voice that i will always remember. Made me think.... have always loved this song, , , Bee Gees 4 ever!!

[diddilitli]

this might be like the mono, but this is stereo in my headphones... drums on left, rythm guitar on right with piano, lead guitar on left and the vocals are in the middle