"Shine, Shine" by Barry Gibb

Song#:  2035
Date:  09/01/1984
Debut:  64
Peak:  37
Weeks:  10
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  The Bee Gees' 1981 album Living Eyes didn't exactly burn up the charts and neither did their song contributions to the 1983 soundtrack to Staying Alive. With their popularity dwindled the brothers invested their time in other projects. Barry was having solid success with other artists as a songwriter/producer, so the time seemed right to do a solo album and he signed a deal with MCA Records. He recorded his debut solo album, Now Voyager, and this song was the first single released. It did well at AC getting to #8, but it could only manage a brief Top 40 showing at Pop. A second single, "Fine Line," could not do anything except a quick #50 peak at Dance. Although Gibb couldn't get a foothold on the charts as a solo artist, he remained an in-demand producer for other artists.

ReduxReview:  It had to be difficult for Gibb. Here he was writing and producing hits for others, yet he just couldn't get a break as a Bee Gee or solo artist with his songs. I think part of the problem was that he gave away some of his best material and when it came time to do his own record, the well was a bit dry. For example, if a major star had recorded this song, would it have been a hit? I don't think so. It's an okay tune, but it's just not hit material. The other issue is that around this time many folks didn't want to hear a Gibb. Get someone else to sing the songs, sure. But that weird backlash was still in effect and Gibb was going to have to create something truly stunning and magical to break through the barrier. Unfortunately, this song wasn't it. When he really needed his A-game, Gibb just didn't have gas in the tank.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Although Now Voyager was Gibb's official debut solo album, it wasn't his first attempt. Back in 1969, it was announced that the Bee Gees had broken up. Gibb later announced that he was going to embark on a solo career and the following year he began recording songs. From the sessions, one single was officially released, but then the project stalled and the album never fully materialized. It was shelved and by the end of the year Barry's focus was diverted to a reunited Bee Gees. Save for bootleg material culled from the sessions and assembled as The Kid's No Good, the songs were never officially released. Two years after Now Voyager, Gibb set out to record his second solo album, which was to be named Moonlight Madness. Again, tracks were recorded, but the project ended up getting shelved. This time, however, several of the completed tracks were officially released in 1988 on a soundtrack album to the film Hawks, a British comedy that was based on a short story that Gibb had written. It starred Timothy Dalton and Anthony Edwards. Gibb would finally issue an official second solo album in 2016 titled In the Now. Although none of that LP's singles would reach the charts, the album did get to #2 in the UK and #63 in the US, which was better than the #72 peak of Now Voyager.

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