When the Bee Gees' impeccably performed a medley of The Beatles songs on a TV special

21 April 2023, 11:55 | Updated: 26 September 2023, 13:53

The Bee Gees performed a medley of The Beatles songs on US television show The Midnight Special in 1973.
The Bee Gees performed a medley of The Beatles songs on US television show The Midnight Special in 1973. Picture: Getty

By Thomas Curtis-Horsfall

We all know how much influence The Beatles had on every act that followed them.

Liverpudlians Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr completely changed the landscape of music from their debut 1962 single 'Love Me Do' onwards.

Not only were they incredible songwriters who continue to push themselves and break boundaries, they were also superstars in the making.

When Beatlemania and the British Invasion took the world by storm, every young person took notice, which in itself inspired an entirely new generation of musicians.

One band in particular that were dazzled by The Beatles and their iconic songs were the Bee Gees.

Of course, they weren't inspired to write and perform songs after discovering the Fab Four: they'd been performing together since they were children.

But the boys from Liverpool opened up new avenues for where pop music could venture to and what new meaning it could have, and their music meant a lot to brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb.

After The Beatles eventually called time on the band in 1970, the Bee Gees paid homage to their impactful music in an impeccable medley on US television.

There's no two ways about it: The Beatles completely changed the landscape of popular music. (Photo by Fotos International/Getty Images)
There's no two ways about it: The Beatles completely changed the landscape of popular music. (Photo by Fotos International/Getty Images). Picture: Getty
The Bee Gees were huge admirers of The Beatles.
The Bee Gees were huge admirers of The Beatles. Picture: NBC

The Midnight Special was a late-night music variety show that aired during the 1970s which promoted mainly popular rock, pop, and folk artists of the era, some of which stemmed from the countercultural movement from the previous decade.

The Bee Gees were one of the earliest acts to perform on the show, who themselves were in a bit of a creative rut.

Although they were still incredibly successful, they hadn't had a hit record all year, with their most recent single 'Saw A New Morning' selling poorly and peaking in the charts at a meagre No.94.

So rather than perform and promote any of their recent songs which hadn't quite hit the mark, they had a stroke of genius.

Why not pay tribute to the band that influenced them the most? Especially since that band is The Beatles and they're arguably the most beloved act in the history of music.

It can be tricky covering songs from certain artists that have serious prestige, but the Bee Gees' medley was outstanding.

Beatles Medley - Bee Gees | The Midnight Special

Running through a medley of The Beatles' earlier hits, Barry, Robin and Maurice performed snippets of 'If I Fell', 'I Need You', 'I'll Be Back', and 'This Boy' before finishing off emphatically with 'She Loves You'.

Just the three brothers and two acoustic guitars, they focused on their superpower - the ability to harmonise that most artists couldn't achieve as they were a literal band of brothers.

Though the performance is immaculate, the standout moment comes when Robin takes the lead on 'This Boy' for the medley's most heartbreaking segment.

What the Bee Gees' cover versions proved is that they had the chops to perform songs that themselves have a huge reputation.

The Bee Gees later took their love of The Beatles to the next level with failed jukebox music comedy Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band alongside Peter Frampton.
The Bee Gees later took their love of The Beatles to the next level with failed jukebox music comedy Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band alongside Peter Frampton. Picture: Alamy

The band later moved away from their folk-pop beginnings into soft rock, funk, and disco, but The Beatles and their influence remained with the Gibb brothers.

When they were the undisputed 'Kings Of Disco', the Bee Gees turned their attention to the Fab Four once more with the failed jukebox music comedy Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Although it was a huge flop, they thought it was a gamble worth taking because of their affection for The Beatles.

Even comparisons flattered them, with Maurice once revealing: "The nicest compliment I ever heard about 'Lonely Days' was when a manager in a restaurant turned around and said, ‘You know, this was the best Beatles song ever.'"