Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2022 17:40:13 -0400
From: Marty Hogan <martyhogan1956@gmail.com>
Subject: Love Is (Thicker Than Water) via Andy Gibb Biography
After reading the new “Andy Gibb Biography”, I looked back at the Billboard
charts for 1978. “Love is (Thicker Than Water)” climbed the charts, but
then oddly, stalled out for a while, still climbing very slowly before
reaching #1 for a week. It entered at #89. “I Just Want to Be Your
Everything” started to drop that week at #48.
“Love Is (Thicker Than Water)” stayed on the Billboard Top 40 for 11 weeks!
This means the single sold quickly, then not so much, before it suddenly
started to sell again enough to reach #1. What increased these sales??
(Thinking of that schemester Robert Stigwood).
It reminded me of the Bee Gees in Australia giving money to fans to buy up
a new single just to get airplay – meaning more sales. This is where the
mystery of “Love is (Thicker Than Water)” goes.
For other info that will forever hold its place in history.
Billboard #1’s:
“Stayin’ Alive” – 13 weeks in the Top 10.
“Love Is (Thicker Than Water)” – 11 weeks.
“Night Fever” – 13 weeks.
“If I Can’t Have you” – 10 weeks.
“Shadow Dancing” – 12 weeks (#1 for a month).
Then……
“Grease” – 2 months later it hit #1 and stayed on the charts for 8 weeks.
“How Deep Is Your Love?” – 3 weeks at #1. 17 weeks on the Billboard charts.
“Too Much Heaven” – 2 weeks at #1. 16 weeks on Billboard charts.
“Tragedy” – 2 weeks at #1. 16 weeks on Billboard charts.
“Love You Inside Out” – 1 week at #1. 6 weeks on Billboard charts.
Then there are all the others like, Teri DeSario and Samantha Sang (who one
DJ said, “it gave her the excuse to sing like Barry Gibb”). Love that song.
Back to topDate: Sun, 17 Jul 2022 18:42:53 -0400
From: grant.p.walters@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Love Is (Thicker Than Water) via Andy Gibb Biography
Andy promoted “(Love Is) Thicker Than Water” earlier on - I think his “Midnight Special” appearance performing it was in October 1977, so that helped its initial rise. My guess is RSO then dumped all its advertising/promotion capital into “Fever
As you allude to, however, Stigwood was well connected and his staff was pretty relentless. So, it’s likely that there was a least a little intra-industry “zhuszh”-ing when it came to chart positioning, airplay, etc. It happened across the business
A quick correction - “(Love Is) Thicker…” stayed on top of the Hot 100 for 2 weeks (3/4-3/18/78) before it was overtaken by =9CNight Fever”.
“Shadow Dancing” was actually number one for 7 weeks - and that was part of the supposed controversy that the chart was rigged to keep Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street” at number 2 after it was positioned to head to the top after “Shadow Dancing
G.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jul 17, 2022, at 5:41 PM, Marty Hogan wrote:
>
>
> After reading the new “Andy Gibb Biography”, I looked back at the Billboard charts for 1978. “Love is (Thicker Than Water)=80 climbed the charts, but then oddly, stalled out for a while, still climbing very slowly before reaching #1 for a week.
>
>
>
> “Love Is (Thicker Than Water)” stayed on the Billboard Top 40 for 11 weeks! This means the single sold quickly, then not so much, before it suddenly started to sell again enough to reach #1. What increased these sales?? (Thinking of that schemeste
>
>
>
> It reminded me of the Bee Gees in Australia giving money to fans to buy up a new single just to get airplay – meaning more sales. This is where the mystery of “Love is (Thicker Than Water)” goes.
>
> For other info that will forever hold its place in history.
>
> Billboard #1’s:
>
> “Stayin’ Alive” – 13 weeks in the Top 10.
>
> “Love Is (Thicker Than Water)” – 11 weeks.
>
> “Night Fever” – 13 weeks.
>
> “If I Can’t Have you” – 10 weeks.
>
> “Shadow Dancing” – 12 weeks (#1 for a month).
>
> Then……
>
> “Grease” – 2 months later it hit #1 and stayed on the charts for 8 weeks.
>
> “How Deep Is Your Love?” – 3 weeks at #1. 17 weeks on the Billboard charts.
>
> “Too Much Heaven” – 2 weeks at #1. 16 weeks on Billboard charts.
>
> “Tragedy” – 2 weeks at #1. 16 weeks on Billboard charts.
>
> “Love You Inside Out” – 1 week at #1. 6 weeks on Billboard charts.
>
>
>
> Then there are all the others like, Teri DeSario and Samantha Sang (who one DJ said, “it gave her the excuse to sing like Barry Gibb”). Love that song.
Back to topDate: Sun, 17 Jul 2022 19:02:20 -0400
From: Marty Hogan <martyhogan1956@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Love Is (Thicker Than Water) via Andy Gibb Biography
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jul 17, 2022, at 7:00 PM, grant.p.walters@gmail.com wrote:
>
> Andy promoted “(Love Is) Thicker Than Water” earlier on - I think his “Midnight Special” appearance performing it was in October 1977, so that helped its initial rise. My guess is RSO then dumped all its advertising/promotion capital into “
>
> As you allude to, however, Stigwood was well connected and his staff was pretty relentless. So, it’s likely that there was a least a little intra-industry “zhuszh”-ing when it came to chart positioning, airplay, etc. It happened across the busines
>
> A quick correction - “(Love Is) Thicker…” stayed on top of the Hot 100 for 2 weeks (3/4-3/18/78) before it was overtaken by =80Night Fever”.
>
> “Shadow Dancing” was actually number one for 7 weeks - and that was part of the supposed controversy that the chart was rigged to keep Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street” at number 2 after it was positioned to head to the top after “Shadow Danci
>
> G.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>>> On Jul 17, 2022, at 5:41 PM, Marty Hogan wrote:
>>>
>>
>> After reading the new “Andy Gibb Biography”, I looked back at the Billboard charts for 1978. “Love is (Thicker Than Water)=80 climbed the charts, but then oddly, stalled out for a while, still climbing very slowly before reaching #1 for a week
>>
>>
>>
>> “Love Is (Thicker Than Water)” stayed on the Billboard Top 40 for 11 weeks! This means the single sold quickly, then not so much, before it suddenly started to sell again enough to reach #1. What increased these sales?? (Thinking of that schemest
>>
>>
>>
>> It reminded me of the Bee Gees in Australia giving money to fans to buy up a new single just to get airplay – meaning more sales. This is where the mystery of “Love is (Thicker Than Water)” goes.
>>
>> For other info that will forever hold its place in history.
>>
>> Billboard #1’s:
>>
>> “Stayin’ Alive” – 13 weeks in the Top 10.
>>
>> “Love Is (Thicker Than Water)” – 11 weeks.
>>
>> “Night Fever” – 13 weeks.
>>
>> “If I Can’t Have you” – 10 weeks.
>>
>> “Shadow Dancing” – 12 weeks (#1 for a month).
>>
>> Then……
>>
>> “Grease” – 2 months later it hit #1 and stayed on the charts for 8 weeks.
>>
>> “How Deep Is Your Love?” – 3 weeks at #1. 17 weeks on the Billboard charts.
>>
>> “Too Much Heaven” – 2 weeks at #1. 16 weeks on Billboard charts.
>>
>> “Tragedy” – 2 weeks at #1. 16 weeks on Billboard charts.
>>
>> “Love You Inside Out” – 1 week at #1. 6 weeks on Billboard charts.
>>
>>
>>
>> Then there are all the others like, Teri DeSario and Samantha Sang (who one DJ said, “it gave her the excuse to sing like Barry Gibb”). Love that song.
>>
>
>
>
> "Words & Music", Fans Of The Brothers Gibb ( Bee Gees )
> http://www.brothersgibb.com
>
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End Words@brothersgibb.com message digest 07/17/2022 21:01 (#2022-1912)