Too Much Heaven
Encyclopedia
"Too Much Heaven" is a song by the Bee Gees
, which was the band's contribution to the "Music for UNICEF
" fund. They performed it at the Music for UNICEF Concert
on 9 January 1979. The song later found its way to the group's thirteenth original album, Spirits Having Flown
. In the United States and Canada, it became the latest in a long line of chart-toppers, and rose to the top three in the United Kingdom, as well.
Imbued with their falsetto style, it is also notable for being one of two songs on the album featuring the Chicago
horn section (James Pankow
, Walt Parazaider and Lee Loughnane
)--the other track with the Chicago members being "Search, Find".
The horn section from the band Chicago
play on the song, in return for the brothers’ appearance on the Chicago song "Little Miss Lovin".
in New York City
. All of the publishing royalties on their next single would go into UNICEF, to celebrate the International Year of the Child
, which was designated to be 1979. The song earned over $7 million dollars in publishing royalties. Then-United Nations Secretary-General
Kurt Waldheim
heralded the move as "an outstanding and generous initiative."
The Bee Gees were later invited to the White House
, where President Jimmy Carter
thanked the group for their donation. At the ceremony, the brothers presented Carter with one of their black satin tour jackets. Carter remarked that he was "not a disco fan" but knew enough about their music because his daughter Amy
was a big fan.
". At the time, this had been the longest gap in The Bee Gees' distribution of singles since 1975.
The single "Too Much Heaven" was released in the late autumn of 1978 (it had originally been intended for use in the John Travolta
movie Moment By Moment, but was pulled before the film's release reportedly because Barry Gibb thought the movie was awful when he was shown a rough cut.), and started a slow ascent up the music charts. In the first week of 1979, preceding the Music for UNICEF Concert
, the single first topped the charts in both the United States and Canada. In the United Kingdom, the single peaked at number three late in 1978. A slow ballad
that was unlike the previous two singles off the Saturday Night Fever
soundtrack, Barry Gibb noted that the group wanted to "move in an R&B direction, still maintaining our lyric power, and our melody power as well."
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 was the band's contribution to the "Music for UNICEF
United Nations Children's Fund
United Nations Children's Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II...
" fund. They performed it at the Music for UNICEF Concert
Music for UNICEF Concert
The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song was a benefit concert of popular music held in the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on January 9, 1979. It was intended to raise money for UNICEF world hunger programs and to mark the beginning of the International Year of the Child. The...
on 9 January 1979. The song later found its way to the group's thirteenth original album, Spirits Having Flown
Spirits Having Flown
Spirits Having Flown is the Bee Gees' fifteenth original album, released in 1979. It was the group's first album after their collaboration on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. The album's first three tracks were released as singles which all went to no.1 in the US...
. In the United States and Canada, it became the latest in a long line of chart-toppers, and rose to the top three in the United Kingdom, as well.
Imbued with their falsetto style, it is also notable for being one of two songs on the album featuring the Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
horn section (James Pankow
James Pankow
James Carter "Jimmy" Pankow is an American trombone player, songwriter and brass instrument arranger best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago.-Early life:...
, Walt Parazaider and Lee Loughnane
Lee Loughnane
Lee Loughnane , born 21 October 1946 in Elmwood Park, Illinois to Juanita Wall and Philip Louis Loughnane, is an American trumpeter, flugelhorn player, vocalist, and songwriter, best known for being a founding member of the rock band Chicago.- Biography :...
)--the other track with the Chicago members being "Search, Find".
Recording
The recording process was the longest of all the tracks on Spirits Having Flown as there are nine layers of three-part harmony creating 27 voices, though the high falsetto voices are the most pronounced in the final mix:- Barry on falsetto lead three times
- falsetto high harmony three times
- falsetto low harmony three times
- Barry on natural voice lead three times
- high harmony three times
- low harmony three times
- Barry, Robin and Maurice together on lead three times
- high harmony three times
- low harmony three times.
The horn section from the band Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
play on the song, in return for the brothers’ appearance on the Chicago song "Little Miss Lovin".
UNICEF plan
In the summer of 1978, the Gibb brothers announced their latest project at a news conference at the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. All of the publishing royalties on their next single would go into UNICEF, to celebrate the International Year of the Child
International Year of the Child
* Maureen Millicent Bomford founded International Year of The Child and it was endorsed by the United Nations. Maureen was born in Canterbury Punchbowl in 1930 and had four brothers. Her father was a Mayor and she always learned to appreciate the value of leadership. As the wife of a prominent...
, which was designated to be 1979. The song earned over $7 million dollars in publishing royalties. Then-United Nations Secretary-General
United Nations Secretary-General
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat of the United Nations, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also acts as the de facto spokesperson and leader of the United Nations....
Kurt Waldheim
Kurt Waldheim
Kurt Josef Waldheim was an Austrian diplomat and politician. Waldheim was the fourth Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981, and the ninth President of Austria, from 1986 to 1992...
heralded the move as "an outstanding and generous initiative."
The Bee Gees were later invited to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, where President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
thanked the group for their donation. At the ceremony, the brothers presented Carter with one of their black satin tour jackets. Carter remarked that he was "not a disco fan" but knew enough about their music because his daughter Amy
Amy Carter
Amy Lynn Carter is the fourth child and only daughter of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter. She entered the limelight as she lived as a child in the White House during the Carter presidency.-Early life:...
was a big fan.
Release
"Too Much Heaven" was released nine months after "Night FeverNight Fever
"Night Fever" is a disco song, written and performed by The Bee Gees. It first appeared on the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever. Producer Robert Stigwood wanted to call the film Saturday Night, but singer Robin Gibb expressed hesitation at the title. Stigwood liked the title Night Fever but was...
". At the time, this had been the longest gap in The Bee Gees' distribution of singles since 1975.
The single "Too Much Heaven" was released in the late autumn of 1978 (it had originally been intended for use in the John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
movie Moment By Moment, but was pulled before the film's release reportedly because Barry Gibb thought the movie was awful when he was shown a rough cut.), and started a slow ascent up the music charts. In the first week of 1979, preceding the Music for UNICEF Concert
Music for UNICEF Concert
The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song was a benefit concert of popular music held in the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on January 9, 1979. It was intended to raise money for UNICEF world hunger programs and to mark the beginning of the International Year of the Child. The...
, the single first topped the charts in both the United States and Canada. In the United Kingdom, the single peaked at number three late in 1978. A slow 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...
that was unlike the previous two singles off the Saturday Night Fever
Saturday Night Fever
Saturday Night Fever is a 1977 drama film directed by John Badham and starring: John Travolta as Tony Manero, an immature young man whose weekends are spent visiting a local Brooklyn discothèque; Karen Lynn Gorney as his dance partner and eventual friend; and Donna Pescow as Tony's former dance...
soundtrack, Barry Gibb noted that the group wanted to "move in an R&B direction, still maintaining our lyric power, and our melody power as well."
Chart performance
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Argentina | 1 |
| Australia | 5 |
| Austria | 13 |
| Brazil | 1 |
| Canada | 1 |
| Chile | 1 |
| China | 5 |
| Finland | 4 |
| France | 2 |
| Germany | 10 |
| Ireland | 2 |
| Italy | 1 |
| Netherlands | 2 |
| New Zealand | 1 |
| Norway | 1 |
| South Africa | 1 |
| Spain | 1 |
| Sweden | 1 |
| United Kingdom | 3 |
| United States | 1 |
Covers
- In 1979 Cantonese singer Alan Tam covered & released it as 唱一首好歌 (Sing A Good Song).
- German boy band US5US5US5 are a multinational pop boy band. The band originated in 2005 on the German RTL II television reality show Big in America and debuted in June of the same year on Lou Pearlman’s Transcontinental label...
released a cover of "Too Much Heaven" in 2007 as a duet with Robin GibbRobin GibbRobin 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....
. "Too Much Heaven" was their first single with new member Vincent. - Norwegian pop duo M2MM2M (band)M2M was a pop music duo formed by two Norwegians, Marion Elise Raven and Marit Elisabeth Larsen. They released three albums under Atlantic Records and Warner Music: Shades of Purple, The Big Room, and The Day You Went Away: The Best of M2M, a greatest hits album released by their record label after...
used the chorus from "Too Much Heaven" in the chorus of their own song "Our Song" - "Nobody gets too much heaven no more / It's much harder to come by/ I'm waiting in line / Nobody gets too much love any more / It's as high as a mountain / And harder to climb". The song can be found on their debut album Shades of PurpleShades of Purple-Singles:# "Don't Say You Love Me" # "Mirror Mirror" # "The Day You Went Away"# "Pretty Boy"# "Girl in Your Dreams"# "Everything You Do"...
. - British soul singer Beverley KnightBeverley KnightBeverley Knight MBE is a British soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released six studio albums to date...
released a cover version of "Too Much Heaven" in 2009 on her album 100%. Knight's version featured backing vocals at the request of Robin GibbRobin GibbRobin 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....
, as they had previously collaborated on the song live. - Nana (darkman), german rapper and DJ used the chorus from "Too Much Heaven" in the song "Too Much Heaven" (1997)
- Rebecca Conklin, an avant garde gypsy funk sound stylist based in Bucharest, performed a stirring electronic rendition at the Romanian Pavilion of the Shanghai World Expo 2010.