Sensational '70's Tune for Thursday, March 26th, '09

Appearing in February 1979, "Tragedy" was the band's fifth top chart hit in a little over a year. It would subsequently breach the Top Five of the charts in nearly ten countries. The second U.S. single to spin off the band's Spirits Having Flown LP, which itself could not technically be considered a disco album, it nevertheless beat with a frenetic energy that set it apart from their earlier dance fests. Of course, it also gave the burgeoning anti- disco movement more fuel for their fire -- "you've heard one Bee Gees record, you've heard them all." All fire and explosion, Barry Gibb's falsetto may have been high but it was executed with superb control -- a feat which few vocalists can perform. "Tragedy" was also groundbreaking in its utilization of the new multi-tracking technology, and the song was stronger for it. Hopelessly retro but timeless as well, "Tragedy" would top the charts again in late 1998 when Brit-popsters Steps gave it an updated treatment.