Jive Talkin'
Encyclopedia
"Jive Talkin'" is a song by the Bee Gees
, which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100
and reached the top-five on the UK singles chart
in the summer of 1975. Largely recognized as the group's "comeback" song, it was their first U.S. top ten hit since "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" in 1971.
to Criteria Studios
in Miami.
While hearing this rhythmic sound, "Barry didn't notice that he's going "Ji-Ji Jive Talkin'", thinking of the dance, "You dance with your ass"...that's all he had...exactly 35mph...that's what we got." Maurice goes on to say "We played it to Arif (producer Arif Mardin
), and he went "Do you know what "Jive Talkin'" means? And we said, well yeah, it's, ya know, you're dancing. He says NO...it's a black expression for bullshitting. And we went OH, REALLY?!?" Maurice goes on to describe how Arif gave them "the groove, the tempo, everything." Robin then goes on to mention that, because they were English, they were less self-conscious about going into the "no go areas", referring to musical styles that were more black in styles, etc. He then said "We didn't think that there was any "no go" areas, it's music!"
Upon its release to radio station
s, the single was delivered in a plain white cover
, with no immediate indication of what the song's name was or who sang it. The DJs would only find out what the song was and who played it when it was placed on the turntable; RSO
did provide the song with a label on the record itself. It was the second time in the band's career that this strategy had been employed to get airplay for their music, after a similar tactic had popularized their debut US single New York Mining Disaster 1941
in 1967.
. Boogie Box High was a musical project by Andros Georgiou in the late 1980s, that featured a range of vocal collaborations such as his relative George Michael
(of Wham!
) and Nick Heyward
(of Haircut One Hundred). A cover of the Bee Gees song Jive Talkin' was their biggest hit in 1987.
On Iron Maiden
's song "More Tea Vicar", towards the end, Bruce Dickinson
sings a bit of the song in a voice imitating The Bee Gees as a joke, then follows it up with "No, no no! You got the wrong track, you have to go in the studio next door." Then sings "Okay" in a Bee Gees voice.
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...
, which hit number one on the 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...
and reached the top-five on the 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 ...
in the summer of 1975. Largely recognized as the group's "comeback" song, it was their first U.S. top ten hit since "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" in 1971.
History
The song was originally called "Drive Talking". The song's rhythm was modeled after the sound their car made crossing the Julia Tuttle Causeway each day from Biscayne BayBiscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles long and up to 8 miles wide located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida, United States. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts: North Bay, Central Bay, and South Bay. Its area is...
to Criteria Studios
Criteria Studios
Criteria Studios is a music-recording studio in Miami, Florida, started in 1958 by Mack Emerman.In 1999, The Hit Factory purchased Criteria Studios, revamping and reopening the studios under the new name The Hit Factory Criteria Miami.-Notable artists:...
in Miami.
While hearing this rhythmic sound, "Barry didn't notice that he's going "Ji-Ji Jive Talkin'", thinking of the dance, "You dance with your ass"...that's all he had...exactly 35mph...that's what we got." Maurice goes on to say "We played it to Arif (producer Arif Mardin
Arif Mardin
Arif Mardin was a Turkish-American music producer, who worked with hundreds of artists across many different styles of music, including jazz, rock, soul, disco, and country...
), and he went "Do you know what "Jive Talkin'" means? And we said, well yeah, it's, ya know, you're dancing. He says NO...it's a black expression for bullshitting. And we went OH, REALLY?!?" Maurice goes on to describe how Arif gave them "the groove, the tempo, everything." Robin then goes on to mention that, because they were English, they were less self-conscious about going into the "no go areas", referring to musical styles that were more black in styles, etc. He then said "We didn't think that there was any "no go" areas, it's music!"
Upon its release to radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s, the single was delivered in a plain white cover
White label
White label records are vinyl records with adhesive plain white labels affixed. Test pressings, usually with Test Pressing written on the label, with catalogue number, artist and recording time or date, are produced in small quantities to evaluate the quality of the disc production...
, with no immediate indication of what the song's name was or who sang it. The DJs would only find out what the song was and who played it when it was placed on the turntable; RSO
RSO Records
RSO Records was a record label, formed by rock and roll and musical theatre impresario Robert Stigwood in 1973. The "RSO" stands for the Robert Stigwood Organisation. The company's main headquarters were at 67 Brook Street, in London's Mayfair...
did provide the song with a label on the record itself. It was the second time in the band's career that this strategy had been employed to get airplay for their music, after a similar tactic had popularized their debut US single New York Mining Disaster 1941
New York Mining Disaster 1941
"New York Mining Disaster 1941" was the first song to be released by the Bee Gees in the United States , and their first song to hit the charts in the US or UK...
in 1967.
Cover versions
In 1987 this song was covered by the Boogie Box HighBoogie Box High
Boogie Box High were a musical project headed by Andros Georgiou in the late 1980s, that featured a range of musical collaborations such as his cousin George Michael, guitarist Nick Heyward , keyboardist Mick Talbot , guitarist–songwriter David Austin, bassist Deon Estus and others.Released in 1987...
. Boogie Box High was a musical project by Andros Georgiou in the late 1980s, that featured a range of vocal collaborations such as his relative George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
(of Wham!
WHAM!
Wham! were a short-lived British musical duo formed by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in the early 1980s. They were briefly known in the United States as Wham! UK due to a naming conflict with an American band....
) and Nick Heyward
Nick Heyward
Nick Heyward is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for being the frontman of the early 1980s band Haircut One Hundred, and also had a briefly successful solo career after he left the band in 1983.-Haircut One Hundred:Nick Heyward formed Haircut One Hundred after the...
(of Haircut One Hundred). A cover of the Bee Gees song Jive Talkin' was their biggest hit in 1987.
On Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
's song "More Tea Vicar", towards the end, Bruce Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson
Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
sings a bit of the song in a voice imitating The Bee Gees as a joke, then follows it up with "No, no no! You got the wrong track, you have to go in the studio next door." Then sings "Okay" in a Bee Gees voice.
Chart performance
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| United States | 1 |
| Canada | 1 |
| New Zealand | 4 |
| United Kingdom | 5 |
| Ireland | 5 |
| Australia | 14 |
| Germany | 20 |
| Netherlands | 23 |
| Belgium | 24 |
| Spain | 26 |