- Mr. Natural (Bee Gees album)
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Mr. Natural 
Studio album by the Bee Gees Released June 1974 Recorded 14 November 1973 - 28 January 1974 at IBC Studios and Command Studios, London; Atlantic Recording Studios, New York Genre Rock, pop, R&B, ballad, soul, hard rock, Length 45:26 Label RSO Producer Arif Mardin the Bee Gees chronology Life in a Tin Can
(1973)Mr. Natural
(1974)Main Course
(1975)Mr. Natural is the Bee Gees' twelfth album, released in July 1974. It was the first Bee Gees release produced by Arif Mardin, who was partially responsible for the group's later mega success beginning with Main Course.
The decision to work with Mardin came after the RSO label rejected the brothers' post-Life in a Tin Can album, which had been provisionally entitled A Kick in the Head is Worth Eight in the Pants. Mardin brought the band's attention to the dance scene unfolding at the time, and the brothers Gibb in turn adapted their songwriting and arrangements to a more upbeat style.
Mr. Natural generated no hits, but represented an important step in The Bee Gees' evolution into something more than simple pop balladeers. The album shows a strong Philadelphia soul influence in tracks like "Throw a Penny". Other highlights include "Mr. Natural", the infectious hard rock tunes "Down The Road" and "Heavy Breathing", and the power ballad "Charade".
Despite the fact that the Bee Gees and Mardin point to the background vocal session for "Nights on Broadway" as the genesis of the trademark Bee Gee falsetto, those with keen ears can hear a distinctive (albeit subtle in comparison to later recordings) Barry Gibb falsetto in the backing vocals of "Dogs".
The gospel-tinged song "Give A Hand, Take A Hand" was written in 1969 (hence Robin's lack of writing credit, he wasn't working with his brothers at the time) and originally appeared on a P.P. Arnold single in September 1969 which was produced by Barry Gibb.[1] The song was also covered by The Staple Singers in 1971.
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic 
linkRolling Stone (not rated) link Track listing
All tracks composed by Barry and Robin Gibb except where indicated.
- "Charade" – 4:13
- "Throw a Penny" – 4:49
- "Down the Road" – 3:25
- "Voices" – 4:52 (B. Gibb, R. Gibb, Maurice Gibb)
- "Give a Hand, Take a Hand" – 4:48 (B. Gibb, M. Gibb)
- "Dogs" – 3:45
- "Mr. Natural" – 3:49
- "Lost in Your Love" – 4:38 (B. Gibb)
- "I Can't Let You Go" – 3:47 (B. Gibb, R. Gibb, M. Gibb)
- "Heavy Breathing" – 3:27
- "Had a Lot of Love Last Night" – 4:07 (B. Gibb, R. Gibb, M. Gibb)
Personnel
- Robin Gibb - vocals
- Maurice Gibb - vocals, bass guitar, organ, mellotron
- Barry Gibb - vocals, guitar
- Alan Kendall - guitar
- Geoff Westley - keyboard, piano
- Dennis Bryon - drums, percussion
- Producer and audio engineer - Arif Mardin
- Arrangement - Alan Lucas, Andy Knight, Damion Lyon-Shaw, Gene Paul, Lew Hahn
References
The Bee Gees Barry Gibb · Robin Gibb
Maurice Gibb • Colin Petersen · Vince Melouney · Alan Kendall · Blue WeaverStudio albums The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs (1965) · Spicks and Specks (1966) · Bee Gees' 1st (1967) · Horizontal (1968) · Idea (1968) · Odessa (1969) · Cucumber Castle (1970) · 2 Years On (1970) · Trafalgar (1971) · To Whom It May Concern (1972) · Life in a Tin Can (1973) · Mr. Natural (1974) · Main Course (1975) · Children of the World (1976) · Spirits Having Flown (1979) · Living Eyes (1981) · E.S.P. (1987) · One (1989) · High Civilization (1991) · Size Isn't Everything (1993) · Still Waters (1997) · This Is Where I Came In (2001)Singles 1960s"Spicks and Specks" (1966) · "New York Mining Disaster 1941" (1967) · "To Love Somebody" (1967) · "Holiday" (1967) · "Massachusetts" (1967) · "World" (1967) · "Words" (1968) · "Jumbo" (1968) · "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" (1968) · "I Started a Joke" (1968) · "First of May" (1969) · "Tomorrow, Tomorrow" (1969) · "Don't Forget to Remember" (1969)1970s"If I Only Had My Mind on Something Else" (1970) · "I.O.I.O." (1970) · "Lonely Days" (1970) · "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?" (1971) · "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" (1971) · "My World" (1972) · "Run to Me" (1972) · "Alive" (1972) · "Saw a New Morning" (1973) · "Wouldn't I Be Someone" (1973) · "Mr. Natural" (1974) · "Throw a Penny" (1974) · "Charade" (1974) · "Jive Talkin'" (1975) · "Nights on Broadway" (1975) · "Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)" (1976) · "You Should Be Dancing" (1976) · "Love So Right" (1976) · "Boogie Child" (1977) · "Edge of the Universe" (1977) · "How Deep Is Your Love" (1977) · "Stayin' Alive" (1977) · "Night Fever" (1978) · "Too Much Heaven" (1978) · "Tragedy" (1979) · "Love You Inside Out" (1979) · "Spirits (Having Flown)" (1979)1980s"He's a Liar" (1981) · "Living Eyes" (1981) · "The Woman in You" (1983) · "Someone Belonging to Someone" (1983) · "You Win Again" (1987) · "E.S.P." (1987) · "Crazy for Your Love" (1988) · "Ordinary Lives" (1989) · "One" (1989)1990s"Bodyguard" (1990) · "Secret Love" (1991) · "When He's Gone" (1991) · "Paying the Price of Love" (1993) · "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (1993) · "How to Fall in Love, Part 1" (1994) · "Alone" (1997) · "I Could Not Love You More" (1997) · "Still Waters (Run Deep)" (1997) · "Immortality" (1998)2000s"This Is Where I Came In" (2001)Soundtracks Live albums Compilation albums Best of Bee Gees (1969) · Best of Bee Gees, Volume 2 (1973) · Bee Gees Gold (1976) · Bee Gees Greatest (1979) · Tales from the Brothers Gibb (1990) · The Very Best of the Bee Gees (1990) · Their Greatest Hits: The Record (2001) · Number Ones (2004) · Love Songs (2005) · The Ultimate Bee Gees (2009) · Mythology (2010)Gibb Productions Andy Gibb's "Flowing Rivers" (1977), "Shadow Dancing" (1978) & "After Dark" (1980) · Jimmy Ruffin's "Sunrise" (1980) · Barbra Streisand's "Guilty" (1980) · Dionne Warwick's "Heartbreaker" (1982) · Kenny Rogers' "Eyes That See in the Dark" (1983) · Diana Ross' "Eaten Alive" (1985) · Carola's "Runaway" (1986) · Barbra Streisand's "Guilty Pleasures" (2005)Videography Cucumber Castle (1969) · Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) · The Bee Gees Special (1979) · One For All Tour (1990) · Keppel Road (1997) · One Night Only (1998) · This Is Where I Came In (2001) · Live By Request (2002) · In Our Own Time (2010)Related articles 
Book:Bee GeesCategories:- Bee Gees albums
- 1974 albums
- Albums produced by Arif Mardin
- RSO Records albums
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