The Bee Gees Message Board

It occurred to me years ago that the song "When The Change is Made" could very well be about a sex-change operation. Would the teenage BG's approach the subject? Lines like " But what's good's a good man after the change is made?" and:
"And I'm not forgetting all the love, all the love I been getting. But I got to go on living after the change is made."???

I also found their insight into growing old in "Close Another Door," particularly the end sequence, to be really insightful for songwriters in their teens. I've seen the things Robin sings about at the end of the song in many friends' lives who have passed on.

"I may be old, but I've been told 'at least I'm still around.'" And at 54, I can also say that doors have been closing, and I have been working so very hard at being young, but now I'm tired.

The philosophical side of the Bee Gees.... Their critics should be educated.

Hi kpcarroll,

I kinda wondered that myself about "The Change Is Made". I don't know if that is what they intended. It could mean after he breaks up his current relationship, what would happen then.

As far as "Close Another Door", Can you decipher some of the lyrics at the end? I hear "Let Me Go, send me flowers and put me on a plane, I may be poor (I think he says poor)..." He sings so high after that, I'm not sure what he is saying. He did something similar on "2 Years On". The final song "I'm Weeping".

Nick - Ittook me 30 years to figure those lyrics out. Here's a good approximation:

Let me go
Send me flowers and put me on the plane
I may be old But I've been told
At least I'm still around
Find me a life to live through it and send me off
And I've been working so, so very hard
At being young but now I'm tired

The rest of the fade? You're guess is as good as mine. Like I said - impressive insight for 17-year-olds.

Kevin C.

Hi Kevin,

Thank you for the info. I think that covers most of what he says. In an interview on one of the biography shows, Robin said that they did a lot of sad songs in the early days, and explains tongue-in cheek that "Maybe we were just sad individuals". It took me a long time to find out what the opening lyrics were to "Lamplight" being it's all in French. He is singing the final verse in French. The opening is "Encore, viene encore cherie, ja'tnait apre anne, sous la lampe notre viene avenue". Most websites list that he says "Then, I May end.."
It's actually "ten, 5 am which is saying 10:05 am, she had things to buy..."