Spirits Having Flown

Spirits Having Flown (1979) was the album that closed out the 70s for the Bee Gees, a decade during which they dominated the airwaves and the charts. The first three tracks—”Tragedy,” “Too Much Heaven ” (of which the 3 brothers donated their copyright to Unicef) and “Love You Inside Out”—all shot to no. 1 in the U.S., giving them a string of six no. 1 hits in a row. Spirits Having Flown was not only a success in the U.S., but also reached no. 1 in the U.K.

Bruce Eder of All Music wrote that Spirits Having Flown was the record that “showcased the usual superb singing, and featured the most delicate and ambitious production and arrangements in their history.” The album was recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami, where Chicago was simultaneously recording their album, Hot Streets. The two groups ended up collaborating: the Bee Gees appear on Chicago’s “Little Miss Loving,” while Chicago’s horn players guested on select Bee Gees tracks. While infectious tracks like “Tragedy,””Search, Find,” and “Living Together” compel listeners to the dance floor, you’d be remiss to skip over the gorgeous ballads “Reaching Out” and “Stop (Think Again),” or the layered title track, “Spirits (Having Flown),” which swells with flute and percussion.