First of May (Bee Gees song)
Encyclopedia
"First of May" is a song recorded by the Bee Gees
with lead vocals by Barry Gibb
, released as a single from their 1969 double album Odessa
. The flip side of a single was "Lamplight" on which Robin Gibb
sang the lead. Robert Stigwood
, the Bee Gees manager chose "First of May" for the A-side. No other singles were released from the Odessa
album, as Robin Gibb
already had left the group.
The song was partially responsible for the departure of Robin Gibb
from the Bee Gees
. Robin had wanted his song, "Lamplight," to be the album's first single, while Barry preferred "First of May." In the end, Barry's judgment won, and Robin quit the band.
This song was initially taped in demo form in New York City on August 16, 1968. Later that year in London, "First of May" was remade at IBC Studios
with an orchestral arrangement from maestro Bill Shepherd. Barry Gibb
says in Tales from the Brothers Gibb
that the title of the song came from the birthday of his dog, Barnaby.
After its release, "First of May" enjoyed a resurgence several times. In 1971, the song was featured in the soundtrack to Melody
, a British motion picture about puppy love. In 1996, the song was used as a theme of the Japanese drama
Wakaba no Koro. The song reissued on CD climbed the country's chart again and gained moderate commercial success, selling more than 100,000 copies.
, Jose Feliciano
(released on 10 To 23 by RCA
in 1969) and Tony Hadley
(released as a single in 1998). In 2005 Robin Gibb
re-recorded "First of May" with the British vocal troupe G4
for their album G4 & Friends
. This song was also sung by Sarah Brightman
in her One Night in Eden
, La Luna
and Symphony
tours. The song was also covered by Irish
ballad
group The Wolfe Tones, on their album Let the People Sing.
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
with lead vocals by Barry Gibb
Barry Gibb
Barry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
, released as a single from their 1969 double album Odessa
Odessa (album)
Odessa is the sixth studio album by the Bee Gees, released in 1969. It was the group's fourth album released internationally, and their first released as a double LP. Odessa is noted in Robert Dimery's book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die....
. The flip side of a single was "Lamplight" on which Robin Gibb
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
sang the lead. Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood is an impresario and entertainment entrepreneur who relocated to England in 1954...
, the Bee Gees manager chose "First of May" for the A-side. No other singles were released from the Odessa
Odessa (album)
Odessa is the sixth studio album by the Bee Gees, released in 1969. It was the group's fourth album released internationally, and their first released as a double LP. Odessa is noted in Robert Dimery's book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die....
album, as Robin Gibb
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
already had left the group.
The song was partially responsible for the departure of Robin Gibb
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
from the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
. Robin had wanted his song, "Lamplight," to be the album's first single, while Barry preferred "First of May." In the end, Barry's judgment won, and Robin quit the band.
This song was initially taped in demo form in New York City on August 16, 1968. Later that year in London, "First of May" was remade at IBC Studios
IBC Studios
The IBC Recording Studios were recording studios in 35 Portland Place, London, England. After the Second World War it was the address of the leading independent studio in London and the British Isles...
with an orchestral arrangement from maestro Bill Shepherd. Barry Gibb
Barry Gibb
Barry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
says in Tales from the Brothers Gibb
Tales from the Brothers Gibb
**On releases of Tales outside North America, three Barry Gibb solo tracks were added to Chapter IV from the "Hawks" soundtrack right after Robin Gibb's "Toys": "My Eternal Love", "Where Tomorrow Is" and "Letting Go"....
that the title of the song came from the birthday of his dog, Barnaby.
After its release, "First of May" enjoyed a resurgence several times. In 1971, the song was featured in the soundtrack to Melody
Melody (1971 film)
Melody is a 1971 British film directed by Waris Hussein about "puppy love". It was released as S.W.A.L.K. in the United Kingdom . The film starred Jack Wild, Mark Lester and Tracy Hyde...
, a British motion picture about puppy love. In 1996, the song was used as a theme of the Japanese drama
Japanese television drama
, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...
Wakaba no Koro. The song reissued on CD climbed the country's chart again and gained moderate commercial success, selling more than 100,000 copies.
Cover versions
Cover versions of this song were recorded by Matt MonroMatt Monro
Matt Monro was an English singer who became one of the most popular entertainers on the international music scene during the 1960s...
, Jose Feliciano
José Feliciano
José Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
(released on 10 To 23 by RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
in 1969) and Tony Hadley
Tony Hadley
Tony Hadley is an English pop singer-songwriter, occasional stage actor and radio presenter who gained celebrity as the lead vocalist for the 1980s band Spandau Ballet.-Early life:...
(released as a single in 1998). In 2005 Robin Gibb
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
re-recorded "First of May" with the British vocal troupe G4
G4 (band)
G4 were a four-piece British vocal troupe who first came to prominence when they finished second in ITV's talent show The X Factor in 2004. The members met at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from which the name G4, standing for "Guildhall 4", derives.-The X Factor:G4 auditioned for the...
for their album G4 & Friends
G4 & Friends
G4 and Friends is the second album released by X Factor group, G4. It entered at #6 in the UK charts with first week sales of 97,100. The album includes the band singing with guest stars Cliff Richard, Lesley Garrett and Robin Gibb.- Track listing :...
. This song was also sung by Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
in her One Night in Eden
One Night In Eden Tour
One Night In Eden was a worldwide covering concert tour by English soprano singer Sarah Brightman. The singer embarked on the tour after success of the multi-platinum release of the 1998' album "Eden". It starts in South Africa and then continued through Europe and completed with several dates in...
, La Luna
La Luna World Tour
La Luna World Tour was a worldwide-covering concert tour by English soprano singer Sarah Brightman supporting the Brightman's 2000s' release La Luna. Brightman was Britain's top touring artist in the United States during the North American leg of the tour...
and Symphony
The Symphony World Tour
Symphony The World Tour was a concert tour by English soprano singer Sarah Brightman that started on January 16, 2008 in the city of Vienna, Austria and concluded on April 5, 2009 in Taipei, Taiwan. There were special guests that joined Brightman in the concerts: Argentinean countertenor Fernando...
tours. The song was also covered by Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
group The Wolfe Tones, on their album Let the People Sing.
Chart positions
| Charts (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| The Netherlands Singles Chart Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
2 |
| Germany Media Control Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... Singles Chart |
3 |
| Ireland Singles Chart | 4 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
6 |
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... |
15 |
| United States Cashbox Cashbox Cashbox can mean:*A box for keeping cash in; a safe or cash register*CashBox is a SaaS Marketing, Billing, Ecommerce and marketing automation / CRM solution used by digital leaders -- like Atari, Blizzard, Bloomberg, Cisco, Cryptic, Intuit, Magmic , Mind Candy , Outspark, Peanut Labs, Symantec and... |
18 |
| United States Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
37 |
| Japan Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... Singles Chart |
80 |
| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japan Oricon Singles Chart | 25 |