High Civilization

1991 studio album by the Bee Gees

High Civilization

Studio album by

the Bee Gees

Released| 25 March 1991 (U.K.)
14 May 1991 (U.S.)
Recorded| August – December 1990
Studio| Middle Ear Studios (Miami Beach, Florida)
Genre|

* Pop rock
* synth-pop
* dance-pop
* dance-rock

Length| 60:12
Label|

* Warner Bros.
* Warner Music

Producer| Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb
The Bee Gees chronology
| The Very Best of the Bee Gees
(1990)  | High Civilization
(1991)  | Size Isn't Everything
(1993)

|
|

Singles from  High Civilization

1. "Secret Love"
Released: 18 February 1991
2. "When He's Gone"
Released: May 1991
3. "The Only Love"
Released: August 1991
4. "Happy Ever After"
Released: 1991

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [1]
Calgary Herald| C−[2]
Chicago Tribune| [3]
NME| 6/10[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide| [5]

High Civilization is the nineteenth studio album by the Bee Gees, released on 25 March 1991 in the U.K., and 14 May 1991 in the U.S. It was their last album recorded for Warner Bros. Records, after a four-year contract (they would return to WB through subsidiary Reprise Records in 2006: after gaining the rights to their previously released material, they reissued each album through Reprise). Possibly in reaction to firm resistance from U.S. radio to the previous two albums, E.S.P. (1987) and One (1989), which had done well in other countries, the U.S.-based Warner Bros gave this one less promotion and did not issue remixes. They recorded this album and their next album Size Isn't Everything with engineer Femi Jiya.

In the U.S., the album was available only on the CD and cassette, but the LP version was released in limited quantities in some countries. While it did not chart in the U.S., it reached No. 6 in Switzerland, No. 2 in Germany (reaching platinum certification in both countries), No. 24 in the U.K.

## Background[edit]

The songs as sequenced on the "High Civilization mixes" tell a story of "secret love" that might be all in the singer's head and secret from the girl too. He hesitates one moment and speaks explicitly the next, but is he telling her what he feels. The contradictions give the story a dreamlike effect of details shifting while the singer's feelings remain consistent. The only song that does not fit is the dystopian political title song, unless it expresses the singer's anger and confusion with the world as he feels things are all falling apart. He then casts it all as a romantic tragedy, before finally proposing that maybe even the girl being in love with someone else does not mean the end of it.[6]

High Civilization found a new change for the Bee Gees sound, with heavier use of drum programming and electronic effects, giving a more modern dance feel to the production. Highlights from the album included the first single, "Secret Love", an up-tempo ballad, which was a top five hit in the U.K.; "When He's Gone", a heavier pop song, issued as the album's second single, featuring Alan Kendall's guitar solo ending on that song; and the sentimental ballad "The Only Love", released as the third and final single from the album. The soft ballad "Happy Ever After" was released as a cassette-only single. "True Confessions" was the bonus cut available only on the CD version; it was also issued only in the U.S. as the B-side of "When He's Gone". The album's length was 60 minutes for only eleven songs.

Both High Civilization and Size Isn't Everything were the only post-RSO era albums not to feature concert dates in the U.S., presumably due to health issues with Barry Gibb and lackluster record sales. The band did play three dates in the U.K. and toured Europe.

Despite the album's failure in the U.S., the brothers would work with Femi Jiya again on the follow-up, Size Isn't Everything.

## Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb

No.| Title| Lead vocal(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "High Civilization"| Robin and Barry| 5:27
2.| "Secret Love"| Barry and Robin| 3:36
3.| "When He's Gone"| Robin and Barry| 5:53
4.| "Happy Ever After"| Barry| 6:15
5.| "Party With No Name"| Barry| 4:50
6.| "Ghost Train"| Barry and Robin| 6:02
7.| "Dimensions"| Maurice| 5:25
8.| "The Only Love"| Barry| 5:32
9.| "Human Sacrifice"| Barry| 5:37
10.| "True Confessions"| Barry| 5:14
11.| "Evolution"| Barry| 5:36

### Alternate release[edit]

1. "Human Sacrifice"
2. "When He's Gone"
3. "Secret Love"
4. "Ghost Train"
5. "Evolution"
6. "Party With No Name"
7. "True Confessions"
8. "High Civilization"
9. "The Only Love"
10. "Happy Ever After"
11. "Dimensions"

## Personnel[edit]

Bee Gees

* Barry Gibb – vocals, guitars
* Robin Gibb – vocals
* Maurice Gibb – keyboards, guitars, vocals, lead vocals (7)

Additional personnel

* Tim Moore – keyboards, programming
* Alan Kendall – guitars
* George "Chocolate" Perry – bass guitar
* Scott F. Crago – drums (3, 8) (uncredited)
* Lenny Castro – percussion
* Julia Waters – backing vocals
* Maxine Waters – backing vocals

### Production[edit]

* Bee Gees – producers, mixing
* Femi Jiya – engineer, mixing
* John Merchant – assistant engineer
* Howie Weinberg – mastering at Masterdisk (New York, NY)
* Jeff Lancaster – art direction, design, illustration
* Lou Beach – illustration
* Dick Bouchard – illustration
* Diego Uchitel – photography
* Gary Borman – management

## Charts and certifications[edit]

### Weekly charts[edit]

| Chart (1991)  | Peak
position

|

Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[7] | 4
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8] | 21
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[9] | 2
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[10] | 15
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[11] | 50
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] | 6
UK Albums (OCC)[13] | 24

### Year-end charts[edit]

| Chart (1991)  | Position

|

Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[14] | 18
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[15] | 18
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] | 17

### Certifications[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Austria (IFPI Austria)[17] | Gold  | 25,000*
Germany (BVMI)[18] | Platinum  | 500,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[19] | Platinum  | 50,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

## References[edit]

1. ^ High Civilization at AllMusic
2. ^ King, Frank (19 May 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald.
3. ^ Caro, Mark (19 September 1991). "Review: Bee Gees – High Civilization". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
4. ^ Quantick, David (13 April 1991). "Long Play". New Musical Express. p. 33.
5. ^ Cross, Charles R. (2004). "The Bee Gees". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 58. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
6. ^ Gibb Songs 1990
7. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Bee Gees – High Civilization" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
8. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Bee Gees – High Civilization" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
9. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Bee Gees – High Civilization" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
10. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1991. 30. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
11. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Bee Gees – High Civilization". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
12. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Bee Gees – High Civilization". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
13. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
14. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1991". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
15. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
16. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1991". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
17. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Bee Gees – High Civilization" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
18. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Bee Gees; 'High Civilisation')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
19. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('High Civilization')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 February 2012.

* v
* t
* e

Bee Gees

* Barry Gibb
* Robin Gibb
* Maurice Gibb

* Colin Petersen
* Vince Melouney
* Alan Kendall
* Dennis Bryon
* Blue Weaver

Studio albums|

* The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs
* Spicks and Specks
* Bee Gees' 1st
* Horizontal
* Idea
* Odessa
* Cucumber Castle
* 2 Years On
* Trafalgar
* To Whom It May Concern
* Life in a Tin Can
* Mr. Natural
* Main Course
* Children of the World
* Spirits Having Flown
* Living Eyes
* E.S.P.
* One
* High Civilization
* Size Isn't Everything
* Still Waters
* This Is Where I Came In

Extended plays|

* The Bee Gees
* New York Mining Disaster 1941

Soundtracks|

* Melody
* Saturday Night Fever
* Staying Alive

Live albums|

* Here at Last... Bee Gees... Live
* One Night Only

Compilation albums|

* Turn Around, Look at Us
* Rare, Precious and Beautiful
* Rare, Precious and Beautiful, Volume 2
* Best of Bee Gees
* Inception/Nostalgia
* Best of Bee Gees, Volume 2
* Bee Gees Gold
* Bee Gees Greatest
* Tales from the Brothers Gibb
* The Very Best of the Bee Gees
* Their Greatest Hits: The Record
* Number Ones
* Love Songs
* The Ultimate Bee Gees
* Mythology
* Timeless: The All-Time Greatest Hits

Videography|

* Idea
* Cucumber Castle
* The Bee Gees Special
* One for All Tour
* One Night Only
* The Ultimate Bee Gees
* In Our Own Time
* The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart

Tours|

* The Bee Gees' concerts in 1967 and 1968
* Spirits Having Flown Tour
* One for All World Tour

Related|

* Discography
* List of songs recorded
* List of unreleased material
* A Kick in the Head Is Worth Eight in the Pants
* "The Barry Gibb Talk Show"
* The Rattlesnakes
* Humpy Bong
* The Fut
* The Bloomfields
* Tin Tin
* The Groove
* Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs
* Toe Fat
* Amen Corner
* One World Project
* Robert Stigwood
* Hugh Gibb
* Andy Gibb
* Steve Gibb
* Spencer Gibb
* Statue of Bee Gees
* Douglas, Isle of Man
* Redcliffe, Queensland

* Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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