3 Hit Songs Barry Gibb and The Bee Gees Wrote for Other Artists

The Bee Gees were the band of the 70s pop scene. During their heyday, Gibb and the band garnered nine No. 1 hits, five Grammy Awards, and two No. 1 albums. Needless to say, the 70s belonged to them, but they didn’t keep their talents all to themselves, as they wrote countless songs for other artists. That being so, The Bee Gees crafted some of the most iconic songs of the 70s. And as a result, they were major contributors to the pop sound of the decade.

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The most notable songs The Bee Gees have written for other artists include “Grease”, “Islands In The Stream”, and “Woman In Love”. However, those are far from the only tracks The Bee Gees have songwriting credits on, as they also wrote these three hit ’70s classics.

“Emotion” by Samantha Sang

Samantha Sang’s biggest hit is, without a doubt, her 1977 single, “Emotion”. Sang would not have acquired that hit if it weren’t for Barry and Robin Gibb, who wrote, produced, and sang background vocals for the song. After its 1977 release, the song became a hit in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Following the release of “Emotion”, the single peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 on the Australian charts, and at No. 11 on the UK charts. While the song did garner tons of success for Sang, it also made her a one-hit wonder in the US. Regardless, a hit is a hit, and this one was created by the legendary hit makers, Robin and Barry Gibb.

“If I Can’t Have You” by Yvonne Elliman

One of The Bee Gees’ most notable works is the collaborative Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. The soundtrack features 70s greats such as Kool & The Gang, KC and The Sunshine Band, David Shire, and Yvonne Elliman. Matter of fact, Elliman’s only No. 1 hit was written by The Bee Gees for the film.

Released with the film in 1977, Elliman’s single became one of the most popular singles from the infamous soundtrack. Specifically, Elliman’s single peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. It was the soundtrack’s fourth consecutive No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Love Me” by Yvonne Elliman

In addition to gifting Elliman her No. 1 hit, The Bee Gees also gifted her the top 25 hit, “Love Me”. Released in 1977 on her album, Love Me, Elliman, with the help of the Gibbs, further cemented herself as a major player of the 70s.

Following the singles release, Elliman’s single peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It was also an international success, as it reached No. 6 in the UK and No. 3 in New Zealand.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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