How Deep Is Your Love?
I’m trying to write my thoughts for the day, but I can’t stop singing as I type these words. In a high pitch falsetto voice, I’m singing, “How Deep Is Your Love” by the Bee Gees. It’s one of my favorite love songs. As a way to procrastinate on tasks I’m supposed to be working on, I decided to watch the Bee Gees HBO documentary today, for the second time.
Last spring, I watched the documentary for the first time and was absolutely fascinated with the story and music of the Bee Gees. At the time, I only knew of their classic, “Stayin’ Alive,” which I loved. What kept me glued to the screen was learning about their era defining disco hits that I previously thought were sung by Black artists. Throughout the documentary they mentioned and acknowledged how much their sound was influenced by R&B and soul, which is absolutely evident in their sound during the 70s and 80s.
At the time I watched their documentary, I was living in Miami which played an integral part to their story of success as a musical group. The city lent itself as the backdrop as they recorded some of their most iconic songs. I remember listening to their hits as I’d walked around the city, trying to imagine how the weather, sun, and palm trees cultivated these incredible songs. It’s safe to say I became obsessed.
According to my Spotify wrapped, the Bee Gees were my top artist where I clocked in 1,296 minutes for 2021. I can’t really explain it, when something resonates with me, I get hooked.
Watching the documentary for the second time, I’m once again inspired by their beautiful yet tragic story. They were a group of brothers who were brilliant songwriters. From the 60s to the 80s, they managed to be one of the most famous bands in the world, turned into one of the most hated, then moved behind the scenes to be songwriters for some of the most iconic artists of our time. And sadly, out of the four talented brothers, only one remains, living in Miami not very far from where I lived.
The lesson I took from their story is one of passion, family, love, and resilience. Their kinship as brothers was the magic that created their music. They managed to keep their spark lit and share it with the world. And their music continues to spark something magical within me.
