Bee Gees – Jive Talkin’

“Jive Talkin'” Single by Bee Gees from the album Main Course
B-side “Wind of Change”
Released May 1975
Label RSO
Songwriters Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
Producer Arif Mardin
Charted No.1 in US; No.1 in Canada; No.5 in UK; No.5 in Ireland; No.23 in West Germany.

Jive Talkin’ reached No.1 on Billboard HOT 100 the week of August 9, 1975.

The song was originally called “Drive Talking” in its early stage. The song’s rhythm was modelled after the sound their car made crossing the Julia Tuttle Causeway each day from Biscayne Bay to Criteria Studios in Miami.

Upon its release to radio stations, the single was delivered in a plain white cover, with no immediate indication of what the song’s name was or who sang it. The DJs would only find out what the song was and who played it when it was placed on the turntable; RSO did provide the song with a label on the record itself. It was the second time in the band’s career that this strategy had been employed to get airplay for their music, after a similar tactic had popularised their debut US single “New York Mining Disaster 1941” in 1967.

Note the keyboard solo near the end of the song. That’s the work of Blue Weaver, who joined the group for the Main Course album and was with them until 1979. Weaver, whom they poached away from Mott The Hoople, helped bring the group into the disco era with his keyboard and synthesizer skills.