My Gen X Playlist: To Love Somebody – The Bee Gees

Daily writing prompt

When is the last time you took a risk? How did it work out?

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When I was younger, I was more open to risk and adventure. I jumped out of a plane, aimlessly backpacked through Europe, lived in a foreign country. Then life began to take hold and without notice, things changed. I jumped into a career, traded my backpack for a mortgage and crossed the border into a life full of responsibility. Taking risks seemed something of the past, more of a young person’s game. If I put both selves side by side, the old and the now, they look similar, but have become different people. One day I was surprised to wake up to discover a changed me.

I was thinking of music groups that changed over time. In the 70’s, The Bee Gees were the epitome of disco. Their high falsettos flooded the radio. A few years ago, I discovered an older song that didn’t have that disco flavor. The vocals are definitely recognizably the Gibbs, without the hint of Saturday Night Fever. To Love Somebody was released in 1967. Despite being released before I was born, it’s become one of my favorites from them. The Bee Gees rolled with the punches and embraced change.

So maybe I should take a page out of The Bee Gees’ playbook. They kept pushing out hits for decades, before, during and after disco. The answer hidden in plain sight is building an anthology including the different seasons of life. Sure the look, feel and sound will differ over time. And maybe without having to squint too hard, you’ll discover that’s the best part. Who knows. The hope is someday collecting enough tidbits to create my own greatest hits album. You never know. Coming to a record store near you…

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

There's a light
A certain kind of light
That never shone on me
I want my life to be lived with you
Lived with you
There's a way everybody say
To do each and every little thing
But what does it bring
If I ain't got you, ain't got? Hey babe

You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like
To love somebody
To love somebody
The way I love you

In my brain
I see your face again
I know my frame of mind
You ain't got to be so blind
And I'm blind, so so sorrily blind
I'm a man, can't you see
What I am
I live and I breathe for you
But what good does it do
If I ain't got you, ain't got? Hey babe

You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like
To love somebody
To love somebody
The way I love you

Ooh

You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like
To love somebody
To love somebody
The way I love you

No no no-no no no

You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like
To love somebody
To love somebody
The way I love you