A film with a relatively low budget spawned a soundtrack album that would dominate the charts for almost half of 1978.
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Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk
I’m a woman’s man, no time to talk
Music loud and women warm, I’ve been kicked around
Since I was born
Saturday Night Fever‘s iconic opening credits sequence of John Travolta walking down a New York City street carrying a can of paint sets the scene perfectly for the rest of the film. The Bee Gees‘ “Stayin’ Alive” pulses as the main character stops to check out some shoes in a store window. Travolta’s Tony Manero stops for two slices, checks out passing girls, and puts a shirt on layaway before returning to the reality of his job at the paint store. Pizza, women, music, and clothes just about sums it all up.
The project’s original title was Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night, which was shortened to simply Saturday Night. When producer Robert Stigwood asked the Bee Gees to create music for the movie, he asked for a song called “Saturday Night.” The Gibb brothers had recently finished a song called “Night Fever” and countered with the idea of changing the movie title to Saturday Night Fever.
As the movie was filmed, the iconic disco dance scenes were shot as the actors danced to the music of Boz Scaggs and Stevie Wonder. The Bee Gees’ music was not added until they finished principal photography.
The soundtrack album was released a month before the movie, which got a jumpstart on the charts from the first single released almost a month before. A string of successful singles fueled the 24-week run at No. 1.
“How Deep Is Your Love” by Bee Gees, written by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb
I know your eyes in the morning sun
I feel you touch me in the pouring rain
And the moment that you wander far from me
I wanna feel you in my arms again
And you come to me on a summer breeze
Keep me warm in your love, then you softly leave
And it’s me you need to show
How deep is your love
The Gibb brothers were in France working on their own album when they were contacted by Stigwood. They worked on the songs over a weekend and played them for the producer and music supervisor, Bill Oakes. It was exactly what they were looking for, with one exception. They asked for them to be a little more “discoey.”
“More Than a Woman” by Tavares, written by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb
Oh, girl, I’ve known you very well
I’ve seen you growing every day
I never really looked before
But now you take my breath away
Suddenly, you’re in my life
Part of everything I do
You got me working day and night
Just tryin’ to keep a hold on you
The Gibb brothers wrote and recorded “More Than a Woman,” but the single released was by Tavares. Both versions appeared on the soundtrack album. Tavares had a successful career before they were involved in Saturday Night Fever. The Tavares version of the song was also included on their album Future Bound, released in April 1978.
[RELATED: Barry Gibb Shares Stories Behind Bee Gees’ Biggest Hits]
“Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees, written by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb
Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother
You’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’
And we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Drummer Dennis Bryon had to leave the studio during recording due to the death of his mother. The Gibb brothers had trouble finding a suitable replacement, so they turned to a drum machine. They were unhappy with the results, so producer Albhy Galuten looped a couple of bars from the already recorded “Night Fever.” This resulted in the inside joke with the drummer being credited as Bernard Lupe. After the “song”Stayin’ Alive”‘s success, Lupe became a sought-after drummer until it was discovered he was fictitious.
“If I Can’t Have You” by Yvonne Elliman, written by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb
I can’t write one song that’s not about you
Can’t drink without thinkin’ about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can’t have you
The original plan was to have ballad singer Yvonne Elliman perform “How Deep Is Your Love” for the movie, but Stigwood stepped in and switched the song, giving the disco song to her instead. The song would go to No. 1, knocking “Night Fever” by the Bee Gees out of the top spot.
“Night Fever” by Bee Gees, written by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb
Listen to the ground
There is movement all around
There is something goin’ down
And I can feel it
Keyboardist Blue Weaver was in the studio playing “Theme from a Summer Place” by Percy Faith when Barry Gibb walked in and started singing over it. They converted the existing song into something new. The song would spend eight weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, the longest stretch for any release in 1978.
“Boogie Shoes” by KC and the Sunshine Band, written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch
Oh yeah, boogie down, boogie down
I want to put on my-my-my-my-my
Boogie shoes
Just to boogie with you, yeah
I want to put on my-my-my-my-my
Boogie shoes
KC and the Sunshine band had previously released this song as the B-side of “Shake Your Booty.”
Five of the Top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 were written by the Gibb brothers on the week of March 25, 1978. The soundtrack album went on to win five Grammy awards, including Album of the Year.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
