I Started a Joke

Bee Gees

About I Started a Joke

"I Started a Joke" is a song by the Bee Gees from their 1968 album Idea, which was released as a single in December of that year. It was not released as a single in the United Kingdom, where buyers who could not afford the album had to content themselves with a Polydor version by Heath Hampstead. This is the last Bee Gees single to feature Vince Melouney's guitar work, as he left the band in early December after this song was released as a single. The song's B-side was "Kilburn Towers", except in France, where "Swan Song" was used. "I Started a Joke" was written by Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, and produced by the Bee Gees with Robert Stigwood. 


Year:
1969
3:09
590 
#1

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I started a joke which started the whole world crying
But I didn't see that the joke was on me oh no
I started to cry which started the whole world laughing
Oh If I'd only seen that the joke was on me

I looked at the skies running my hands over my eyes
And I fell out of bed hurting my head from things that I said
'Till I finally died which started the whole world living
Oh if I'd only seen that the joke was on me

I looked at the skies running my hands over my eyes
And I fell out of bed hurting my head from things that I said
'Till I finally died which started the whole world living
Oh if I'd only seen that the joke was on me
Oh no that the joke was on me

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Bee Gees

The Bee Gees were a musical group founded in 1958. The group's line-up consisted of brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were successful for most of their decades of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s/early 1970s, and as prominent performers of the disco music era in the late 1970s. The group sang three-part tight harmonies that were instantly recognisable; Robin's clear vibrato lead was a hallmark of their earlier hits, while Barry's R&B falsetto became their signature sound during the late 1970s and 1980s. The brothers wrote all of their own hits, as well as writing and producing several major hits for other artists. more »

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Written by: Barry Gibb, Maurice Ernest Gibb, Robin Hugh Gibb

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Background Information
"I Started a Joke" is a song by the Bee Gees from their 1968 album "Idea," which was released as a single in December of that same year.
Performers
The song was performed by the three Gibb brothers - Barry, Robin, and Maurice - who were collectively known as the Bee Gees.
Lead Vocals
Robin Gibb, the middle of the three Bee Gees brothers, sang the lead vocals on "I Started a Joke." This was somewhat unusual, as his brother Barry often took the lead.
Chart Success
"I Started a Joke" was a big hit worldwide, reaching the top ten in several charts. In particular, it topped the charts in Canada and peaked at number six in the United Kingdom.
Symbolic Meaning
The song lyrics – which tell the story of a man who has done something terrible and is now suffering the consequences – have been interpreted as a symbol of the brothers' own struggles with fame and success.
Personal Connection
In later interviews, Robin Gibb revealed a deep personal connection to the song, admitting that it made him emotional because he felt the lyrics also told his own life story.
Power of the Song
Robin Gibb once collapsed while performing "I Started a Joke" during a concert. He was subsequently diagnosed with inflammation of the heart, which led to many specualtions about the song being "cursed."
Revival in Popular Culture
The song "I Started a Joke" gained renewed popularity in 2016 when it was used in the trailer for the motion picture "Suicide Squad."
Tribute
After Robin Gibb's death in 2012, his son Robin-John performed "I Started a Joke" at a special tribute concert in his honor, bringing many audience members to tears.
Rich Legacy
"I Started a Joke" continues to be remembered as one of the Bee Gees' most iconic songs and is often covered by other artists, ensuring that its legacy lives on.

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    I Started a Joke

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1969

    Billboard #6


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