In a tender homage to yesteryears, Barry Gibb has unfurled a gem from his trove of memories—a love ballad christened Butterfly. Penned in the halcyon days of youth alongside his brothers, Robin and Maurice Gibb, this melody was woven in the sun-dappled realms of Australia, long before fame’s spotlight found them.
Butterfly emerges as a luminous thread in the tapestry of Gibb’s forthcoming opus, Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers Songbook, Vol. 1, set to grace ears on January 8, 2021. This country-infused anthology rekindles the embers of the Bee Gees’ legacy, with Barry, the sole surviving brother, breathing new life into their timeless creations. The song, a delicate waltz of nostalgia, was reimagined in the company of American country luminaries Gillian Welch and David Rawlings—a duet that feels like a whispered secret shared beneath a starlit canopy.
Long before its current incarnation, Butterfly fluttered through the hands of others. Scottish troubadours Marmalade and Australian crooner Ronnie Burns once cradled its verses, each lending their voice to its enduring charm. Yet, in its nascent form, the song was a fledgling dream—a creation of three boys sketching their aspirations against the backdrop of a simpler world.
Greenfields is no mere collection; it is a constellation of 12 Bee Gees anthems, rekindled with a rustic glow. Tracks like Words, How Deep is Your Love, and Jive Talkin’ shimmer anew, each reshaped by Barry’s weathered yet resolute hands. The album brims with camaraderie, as a cavalcade of bluegrass and country virtuosos—Alison Krauss, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Jay Buchanan, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Sheryl Crow, Tommy Emmanuel, and cherished friends Olivia Newton-John and Dolly Parton—lend their voices to this soulful pilgrimage.
Reflecting on the journey, Barry’s words carry the weight of gratitude and longing: “From the moment we crossed the threshold of RCA Studios in Nashville—hallowed ground where Elvis, Willie, Waylon, Roy, and the Everly Brothers spun their enchantments—this album began to breathe on its own. I am humbled beyond measure to have woven this tapestry with Dave and the constellation of artists who graced us with their presence. Their generosity and artistry kindled a fire in me that words can scarcely capture.”
He pauses, his voice a soft echo of loss and love. “Deep in my bones, I feel Maurice and Robin would have cherished this work, each for their own reasons. I wish we could have stood together to craft it… but in some quiet way, I believe we did.”
Butterfly, in its original form, is a portal to the past—a raw, unpolished jewel born of three brothers’ boundless dreams. Listen to Barry, Robin, and Maurice’s first rendition below, and let its gentle wings carry you to a time when melodies were as free as the wind.
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