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Barry Gibb: 13 Essential Tracks

Beyond the dance floor: hear the best songs from the Bee Gee’s discography

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As a songwriter, singer and all-around rainmaker, Barry Gibb has left his fingerprints on every style of pop music. Has any other songwriter gotten their tunes turned into hits by Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Barbra Streisand and Beyoncé? Doubt it. So here’s a baker’s dozen of the man’s greatest musical moments.

Editor’s Note: A version of this list was originally published May 2014

From Rolling Stone US

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Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton, “Islands in the Stream” (1983)

The classic duet, celebrating silver-fox romance with intense sexual imagery. (How exactly do you use that “fine tooth comb,” Kenny?) This song lives on in every karaoke bar on earth. And here’s to Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Pras and Mya for turning it into the 1998 hip-hop classic “Ghetto Supastar.”

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Barry Gibb, “Shine Shine” (1984)

A neglected gem in Barry’s songbook, from his 1984 solo joint Now Voyager. This has new wave synth-pop bounce, a hopped-up reggae beat and tortured lyrics about watching the woman you love marry some other guy.

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The Bee Gees, “Alone” (1997)

A latter-day ballad of midlife melancholy, chronicling grown-up loneliness – complete with bagpipes.

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Destiny’s Child, “Emotion” (2001)

The Gibbs wrote this 1978 hit for Samantha Sang, with Barry singing all over the original track. But it sounds even sadder with Beyonce and the ladies weeping over it – proof that a great song never goes out of style.