Bee Gees - A Live By Request cd1

1980s and 1990s
Rough times: The Bee Gees in 1983 following the disco backlash.

Robin and Barry Gibb released various solo albums in the 1980s but only with sporadic and moderate chart success. However, the brothers had continuing success behind the scenes, writing and producing for several artists - in 1982, Dionne Warwick enjoyed a UK Top 5 with her comeback single, "Heartbreaker". A year later, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers recorded "Islands in the Stream", which proved to be a U.S. #1 hit. Diana Ross also hit #1 in the UK charts in 1984 with "Chain Reaction". In addition, Barbra Streisand recorded her entire 1980 album, Guilty with the assistance of Barry Gibb, and the single "Woman in Love" - penned by the three brothers - reached #1 both in the U.S. and the UK. They became Streisand's most succesful album and single.

In 1981, the Bee Gees released the album Living Eyes, but with the disco backlash still running strong, the album failed to make the US top 40. In 1983, the Bee Gees had greater success with the soundtrack to Staying Alive, the sequel to Saturday Night Fever. The soundtrack was certified platinum in the US, and included their Top 30 hit "Woman In You".

In 1983, the band was sued by Chicago songwriter Ronald Selle, who claimed that the Gibb brothers stole melodic material from one of his songs, "Let It End," and used it in "How Deep Is Your Love." At first, the Bee Gees lost the case; one juror said that a factor in the jury's decision was the Gibbs' failure to introduce expert testimony rebutting the plaintiff's expert testimony that it was "impossible" for the two songs to have been written independently. However, the verdict was overturned a few months later.