Tragedy (Bee Gees song)
"Tragedy" is a song released by the Bee Gees, written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb, included on their 1979 album Spirits Having Flown. The single reached number one in the UK in February 1979 and repeated the feat the following month on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 1998, it was successfully covered by British pop group Steps, whose version also reached number one in the UK. Origin Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb wrote this song and "Too Much Heaven" in an afternoon off from making the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band movie, in which they were starring. In the same evening, they wrote "Shadow Dancing", which was performed by Andy Gibb (and reached number one in the US). Though not originally in Saturday Night Fever, it has subsequently been added to the musical score of the West End version of the movie-musical. The song knocked "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor off the top spot in the US for two weeks before that song again returned to number one for an additional week. "Tragedy" was the second single out of the three released from the album to interrupt a song's stay at #1. In the US, it would become the fifth of six consecutive number-ones, tying the record with Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles for most consecutive number-ones in the US--a record later broken by Whitney Houston, who had seven. Reception American magazine Billboard felt that the song had similar intensity to "Stayin' Alive" and that it had multiple vocal and instrumental hooks and "graceful" harmonies. Cash Box said it has "vibrant arrangement of synthesizer, guitars, horns, solid beat and dramatic vocals." Record World called it "sizzling" and "up-tempo" and "with some classic progressions, high harmonies and an undercurrent of synthesizers." Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts Sales and certifications Steps version "Tragedy" was covered by British pop group Steps. Issued as a double A-side with "Heartbeat", it was released on 9 November 1998. The song was recorded for the Bee Gees Tribute Album: Gotta Get a Message to You and was later included on the group's second album, Steptacular (1999). "Heartbeat" / "Tragedy" reached number one in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. In the former country, it spent 30 weeks on the UK Singles Chart and sold more copies than all three previous Steps singles combined, with 1.21 million copies sold in the UK. The video for "Tragedy" contained the dance step of putting both hands parallel to the sides of the head in time with the word "tragedy", which became a trademark of the group. Critical reception Scottish newspaper Aberdeen Evening Express stated that Steps "did such a sparkling remake" of the song, noting that it "gets [Steptacular] off to a discotastic start". AllMusic editor Jon O'Brien described it as a "triumphant cover". Lucas Villa from AXS wrote that Claire, Faye and Lisa's "powerful performances (coupled with that iconic hands dance step) made "Tragedy" an undeniable dance floor anthem." A reviewer from Daily