The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs

Only five new songs were recorded for the album: "I Was a Lover, a Leader of Men", "And the Children Laughing", "I Don't Think It's Funny", "How Love Was True" and "To Be or Not to Be". Barry had more than enough unrecorded songs for an all-new-LP, but the rest of the album was instead made up of nine lesser-known singles. Bill Shepherd set the order of the songs.

Barry plays rhythm guitar, and Maurice probably plays the other guitars, like the leads in "I Was a Lover, a Leader of Men" and "How Love Was True", whether Maurice managed to play the acoustic lead guitar in "I Don't Think It's Funny" or the fast piano in "To Be or Not to Be" is less certain, the organ on "I Was a Lover, a Leader of Men" and "And the Children Laughing" is either Robin or Maurice. Though uncredited on the back of this album, it is confirmed that the Gibbs' friend Trevor Gordon played lead guitar on "Peace of Mind", "Wine and Women" and "Follow the Wind". Gordon later released several recordings under the name Trevor Gordon and the Bee Gees. Gordon went on to find success with Graham Bonnet in the UK-based duo the Marbles, who had a hit with "Only One Woman" written by the Bee Gees and produced by Barry and Maurice with Robert Stigwood.

The original issue of the LP on Leedon is extremely rare. Even the reissue in 1967 on the Calendar label is rarely seen in Australia. This album package was not issued elsewhere and was not issued on CD until it was released as part of a 2013 box set called Festival Album Collection: 1965-1967.[2]

Curiously, the "Bee Gees" are spelled with an apostrophe on the front cover, but not on the rear sleeve or labels – and unlike on any of their single releases.

Earlier tracks, like "Peace of Mind", "Claustrophobia" and "Could It Be", are in the Merseybeat vein that was popular throughout 1964, while later singles like "Follow the Wind" and "And the Children Laughing" reflect the more folky sounds of 1965. Of the new tracks that were recorded specifically for the album, "To Be or Not to Be" was probably the biggest departure, being a blues-based hard rocker. In the compilation Brilliant from Birth, "You Wouldn't Know" is faded early to 2:03, losing the shouting and laughing in the longer and original fade.

All tracks are written by Barry Gibb.

Partial credits sourced from Joseph Brennan.[3][1][4]

Bee Gees

• Barry Gibb – lead, harmony and backing vocals; rhythm guitar
• Robin Gibb – lead, harmony and backing vocals; Hammond organ on “I Was a Lover, a Leader of Men” (uncertain), “And the Children Laughing” (uncertain), “Follow the Wind” (uncertain), and “Wine and Women” (uncertain); melodica on "Claustrophobia" and "Could It Be"
• Maurice Gibb – harmony and backing vocals; lead guitar on “Wine and Women”, “Follow the Wind”, “I Was a Lover, a Leader Of Men”, “You Wouldn’t Know”, and “How Love Was True”; rhythm guitar on “Claustrophobia” and “Could It Be”; Hammond organ on “I Was a Lover, a Leader of Men” (uncertain), “And the Children Laughing” (uncertain), and “You Wouldn’t Know”

Additional musicians and production

• Bruce Davis – lead guitar on "Claustrophobia" and "Could It Be"
• Leith Ryan – lead guitar on "Claustrophobia" and "Could It Be"
• Bill Swindells – bass guitar on "Claustrophobia" and "Could It Be"
• Laurie Wardman – drums on "Claustrophobia" and "Could It Be"
• Trevor Gordon – lead guitar on "Follow The Wind," "Wine & Women" and "Peace of Mind"
• Uncredited musicians – bass guitar (except “Claustrophobia”, “Could It Be”, “Timber!”, and “Take Hold of That Star”); drums (except “Claustrophobia” and “Could It Be”); lead guitar and piano on “Peace of Mind” and “Don’t Say Goodbye”; double bass, violin, and piano on "Timber!" and "Take Hold of That Star"