The Knightly News

By: Camila Angola

It’s a common stereotype that disco is awful.  I’ll admit, I used to say the same thing, but I never really understood why people said that disco was so annoying.  What was it about and positive and fun music that that filled us with disgust?  Then, one summer night, something beautiful happened—a show that I was watching performed The Bee Gees’ “ More Than A Woman.”  From the tune, lyrics, and the dancing, this one song changed my perspective of disco completely.

The Bee Gees were an iconic group of the disco era.  Formed by brothers Maurice Gibb, Barry Gibb, and Robin Gibb in 1958, the Bee Gees, originally named the BG’s, were the group of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Known for their popular songs  “Stayin’ Alive” and “You Should Be Dancing,” The Bee Gee’s unique vocals along with lively rhythms took them to the top.  As the disco genre became obsolete, The Bee Gees were also forgotten despite all of their incredible music.

After listening to every possible song of theirs, I concluded that people don’t understand disco.  Yes, there was the whole dancing and bright aspect of disco, but it also had a secret soft side—the side that sang about true love, and growing together—the side that makes you feel like maybe I shouldn’t have judged disco so harshly in the first place.

The Bee Gees changed my summer completely, and the same old songs that were playing on the radio were no longer a part of my day.  Instead, catchy upbeat disco songs, as well as gentle tunes, now occupied my mind.  I danced everywhere, and sang at the top of my lungs.

I can’t understand how songs like “ How Deep is Your Love” and “Love So Right” were forgotten.  Such sweet and kind lyrics are needed today, when harshness and cruelty is around every corner we turn.  Natural disasters and political differences plague every person’s mind.  Hence, music is needed now more than ever, as an expressive outlet.  These two songs promoted the type of love that everyone longs for—one that is honest, mature, and doesn’t leave you heartbroken.

The Bee Gees were fairly famous before the movie Saturday Night Fever, starring a young John Travolta, hit the theaters in 1977.  The soundtrack, consisting mainly of songs by The Bee Gees, was the best-selling soundtrack of all time.  The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack was later surpassed by Whitney Houston’s soundtrack to The Bodyguard, but that didn’t occur until 1992.  The soundtrack went on to win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1979.  In 2013,  the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack was added to the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress.

With so many achievements under their belt, The Bee Gees and all of their songs should still be around.  Why have songs with minimal meaning like Bodak Yellow, Bad and Boujee, and Location become so popular?  When did we become so mindless, that we stopped caring about something as important as the quality of the music we listen to?

People who say that disco awful and annoying simply don’t understand it.  Disco is about being positive and uplifting, but also about slowing down and valuing what you have in front of you.  The Bee Gees are everything good from the disco era.  Their songs encourage love and tenderness, but also evoke excitement.

The next time you hear someone saying that disco is awful, play a Bee Gees song, hand them a pair of headphones, then give yourself a pat in the back.  You may have just changed a person’s life with a simple weapon—disco.