The Battle of the Blue and the Grey

1963 single by Bee Gees

"The Battle of the Blue and the Grey"

Single by Bee Gees
B-side| "The Three Kisses of Love"
Released| 22 March 1963
Recorded| February 1963
Festival Studios, Sydney, Australia
Genre| Country pop[1]
Length| 2:05
Label| Leedon
Songwriter(s)| Barry Gibb
Producer(s)| Col Joye
Bee Gees singles chronology
|  | "The Battle of the Blue and the Grey"
(1963)  | "Timber!"
(1963)

|
|

"The Battle of the Blue and the Grey" is a debut single by the Bee Gees, backed by "The Three Kisses of Love" and released on March 22, 1963.[2] Like all the Bee Gees' output prior to 1967 (with the notable exception of Spicks and Specks) it was only released in Australia. It was performed in Australian television Bandstand, the footage of that performance still exists. It reached #93 in Australia.

In September 1963, it was included as the third track on their first EP The Bee Gees.[3] Neither song appeared on an album until the mop-up compilation Turn Around, Look at Us in 1967 but both are included on the 1998 compilation Brilliant from Birth[4] which collects all of the Australian material.

## Composition, recording and release

[edit]

It was written by Barry Gibb when he was only 16 years old.[2] Col Joye recalls producing the sessions and using his backing band the Joy Boys, the members were Kevin Jacobsen, John Bogie, Laurie Erwin, Norm Day, Dave Bridge, Bruce Gurr and Ron Patton.[5] As was the norm for the Gibb brothers at the time, Barry sang the vocal solos while Robin and Maurice harmonised around him. It was recorded in February 1963 in Festival Studio, Sydney. Robert Iredale was the engineer in charge.[6]

"The Battle of the Blue and the Grey" was released on 22 March 1963. The song failed to become the hit that their record company had hoped for. In the words of Robin Gibb: "We recorded our first flop based on the story of the American Civil War. Now this record was very hot with one guy 2SM in Sydney. He was playing all this time and, of course, it didn't do anything". The song did reach the top twenty in the local Sydney chart. While the song achieved a reasonable amount of publicity, the music press also made mention of one other member of the household. Tucked away in small print, was news that their sister Lesley Evans had also embarked on a show business career in Surfer's Paradise as a snake-dancer.[2]

The song's length is 2:05 like most of their Australian releases. In an attempt to promote the single, stories appeared in Sydney newspapers about the new 'singing group' and its young songwriter.[2]

## Song lyrics

[edit]

The song is about war. It bore a resemblance to Johnny Horton's 1959 hit "The Battle of New Orleans" albeit somewhat more violent with references to shooting people 'full of lead'. The story was of a retired soldier remembering his fighting experiences including dealings with the real historical figure Stonewall Jackson.[7]

## Personnel

[edit]

* Barry Gibb — lead vocals
* Robin Gibb — harmony and backing vocal
* Maurice Gibb — harmony and backing vocal
* Kevin Jacobsen — bass, piano
* John Bogie — drums
* Laurie Erwin — saxophone
* Norm Day — guitar
* Bruce Gurr — keyboards
* Ron Patton — saxophone
* Robert Iredale — engineer

## Charts

[edit]

Chart | Year | Peak
position

|
|

Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] | 1963 | 98

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Molanphy, Chris (September 28, 2018). "The Nights on Broadway Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
2. ^ a b c d Andrew Hughes (2009). The Bee Gees - Tales Of The Brothers Gibb. ISBN 9780857120045. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
3. ^ Discogs.com (1964). "Bee Gees - The Bee Gees (EP)". Discogs.
4. ^ Discogs.com (1998). "Bee Gees - Brilliant from Birth". Discogs.
5. ^ "Albums by the Joy Boys". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
6. ^ Joseph Brennan. "Gibb Songs: 1963".
7. ^ "Bee Gees - The Battle of the Blue and the Grey Lyrics". Metrolyrics. Archived from the original on 2018-02-01. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
8. ^ "Songs written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts" (PDF). Brothersgibb.org. Retrieved 4 December 2014.

* 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

* v
* t
* e

Bee Gees singles

Discography

1960s|

| 1963|

* "The Battle of the Blue and the Grey" / "The Three Kisses of Love"
* "Timber!" / "Take Hold of That Star"

|

1964|

* "Peace of Mind" / "Don't Say Goodbye"
* "Turn Around, Look at Me" / "(Theme From) The Travels of Jamie McPheeters"

1965|

* "Everyday I Have to Cry" / "You Wouldn't Know"
* "Wine and Women" / "Follow the Wind"
* "I Was a Lover, a Leader of Men" / "And the Children Laughing"

1966|

* "I Want Home" / "Cherry Red"
* "Monday's Rain" / "All of My Life"
* "Spicks and Specks" / "I Am the World"

1967|

* "Born a Man" / "Big Chance"
* "New York Mining Disaster 1941" / "I Can't See Nobody"
* "To Love Somebody" / "Close Another Door"
* "Holiday" / "Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You"
* "Massachusetts" / "Barker of the UFO"
* "World" / "Sir Geoffrey Saved the World"

1968|

* "Words" / "Sinking Ships"
* "Jumbo" / "The Singer Sang His Song"
* "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" / "Kitty Can"
* "I Started a Joke" / "Kilburn Towers"

1969|

* "First of May" / "Lamplight"
* "Tomorrow Tomorrow" / "Sun in My Morning"
* "Don't Forget to Remember" / "The Lord"

1970s|

| 1970|

* "If Only I Had My Mind on Something Else" / "Sweetheart" (US)
* "I.O.I.O." / "Sweetheart"
* "Lonely Days" / "Man for All Seasons"

|

1971|

* "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" / "Country Woman"
* "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" / "Walking Back to Waterloo"

1972|

* "My World" / "On Time"
* "Run to Me" / "Road to Alaska"
* "Alive" / Paper Mache, Cabbages and Kings"

1973|

* "Saw a New Morning" / "My Life Has Been a Song"
* "Wouldn't I Be Someone" / "Elisa"

1974|

* "Mr. Natural" / "It Doesn't Matter Much to Me"
* "Charade" / "Heavy Breathing"

1975|

* "Jive Talkin'" / "Wind of Change"
* "Nights on Broadway" / "Edge of the Universe"

1976|

* "Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)" / "Country Lanes"
* "You Should Be Dancing" / "Subway"
* "Love So Right" / "You Stepped into My Life"

1977|

* "Boogie Child" / "Lovers"
* "Edge of the Universe (live)" / "Words (live)"
* "How Deep Is Your Love" / "Can't Keep a Good Man Down" (live)
* "Stayin' Alive" / "If I Can't Have You"

1978|

* "Night Fever" / "Down the Road (live)"
* "Too Much Heaven" / "Rest Your Love on Me"

1979|

* "Tragedy" / "Until"
* "Love You Inside Out" / "I'm Satisfied"

1980s|

| 1981|

* "He's a Liar"
* "Living Eyes" / "I Still Love You"

|

1983|

* "The Woman in You" / "Stayin' Alive"
* "Someone Belonging to Someone" / "I Love You Too Much" (instrumental)

1987|

* "You Win Again" / "Backtafunk"
* "E.S.P." / "Overnight"

1989|

* "Ordinary Lives" / "Wing and a Prayer"
* "One" / "Flesh and Blood"

1990s|

| 1990|

* "Bodyguard" / "Will You Ever Let Me"

|

1991|

* "Secret Love" / "Party with No Name"
* "When He's Gone" / "True Confessions"
* "The Only Love" / "You Win Again" (live)

1993|

* "Paying the Price of Love" / "My Destiny"
* "For Whom the Bell Tolls" / "Decadance"

1994|

* "How to Fall in Love, Part 1" / "Fallen Angel"

1997|

* "Alone" / "Rings Around the Moon"
* "I Could Not Love You More" / "Love Never Dies" (EUR)
* "Still Waters (Run Deep)" / "Love Never Dies"

2000s|

| 2001|

* "This Is Where I Came In" / "Just in Case"

|

Other countries|

| 1968|

* "And the Sun Will Shine" / "Really and Sincerely" (France)

|

1970|

* "Let There Be Love" / "Really and Sincerely" (Netherlands)

1971|

* "When the Swallows Fly" / "Give Your Best" (Netherlands)
* "Morning of My Life" / "To Love Somebody"

1972|

* "Israel" / "Dearest" (Netherlands)

1988|

* "Crazy for Your Love" / "You Win Again (Remix)"
* "Angela" / "You Win Again (Remix)" (Germany, Netherlands)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

|

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