New York Mining Disaster 1941 - wikipedia New York Mining Disaster 1941 Jump to : navigation , search `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' Single by Bee Gees from the album Bee Gees ' 1st B - side `` I Ca n't See Nobody '' Released 14 April 1967 Format 7 '' Recorded 13 -- 16 March 1967 Genre Folk rock Length 2 : 09 Label Polydor ( United Kingdom , Canada ) Atco ( United States , Mexico ) Spin ( Australia , New Zealand ) Songwriter ( s ) Barry Gibb , Robin Gibb Producer ( s ) Robert Stigwood , Ossie Byrne Bee Gees singles chronology `` Born a Man '' ( 1967 ) `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) `` Born a Man '' ( 1967 ) `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) Audio sample file help `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' is the debut American single by the British pop group the Bee Gees , released on 14 April 1967 . It was written by Barry and Robin Gibb . Barring a moderately successful reissue of their Australian single `` Spicks and Specks , '' it was the first single release of the group 's international career and their first song to hit the charts in both the UK and the US . It was produced by Ossie Byrne with their manager Robert Stigwood as executive producer . The song was the first track of side two on the group 's international debut album , Bee Gees ' 1st . This was the first single with Australian drummer Colin Petersen as an official member of the band . Contents ( hide ) 1 Background and writing 2 Recording and composition 3 Release and reception 4 Music video and live performances 5 Personnel 6 Charts 6.1 Weekly charts 6.2 Year - end charts 7 Legacy 8 Cover versions 9 References 10 External links Background and writing ( edit ) On 3 January 1967 , the Gibb brothers , with their parents and Byrne , set sail from Australia to England on the ship Fairsky , reaching Southampton on 6 February . The brothers performed on board in exchange for passage . Later , the Gibb brothers auditioned for Stigwood ; they passed , and they signed to Robert Stigwood Organisation on 24 February . `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' was their first song that was written in 1967 . The first recording session of the Bee Gees after returning to England was a second version of `` Town of Tuxley Toymaker , Part 1 , '' a song recorded by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas , but was first recorded by Jon Blanchfield in Australia . Kramer 's version was recorded on 4 March 1967 in IBC Studios , London , with the Gibb brothers on background vocals . Barry and Robin Gibb wrote the song while sitting on a darkened staircase at Polydor Records following a power cut . The echo of the passing lift inspired them to imagine that they were trapped in a mine . The song recounts the story of a miner trapped in a cave - in . He is sharing a photo of his wife with a colleague ( `` Mr. Jones '' ) while they hopelessly wait to be rescued . According to the liner notes for their box - set Tales from the Brothers Gibb ( 1990 ) , this song was inspired by the 1966 Aberfan mining disaster in Wales . According to Robin , there actually had also been a mining disaster in New York in 1939 , but not in 1941 . In the second and third verses , the lyrical lines get slower and slower , as if to indicate that life is about to end for the miners . On the second chorus , the drums get louder . On the second verse , when Robin sings the line `` I keep straining my ears to hear a sound , '' a violin was featured in response on Robin 's line . Recording and composition ( edit ) 1967 sheet music cover , Abigail Music , Ltd. , London . `` Recorded by the Bee Gees on Polydor '' . On 7 March , the Bee Gees recorded `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' in six takes , along with three other songs : `` I Ca n't See Nobody , '' `` Red Chair , Fade Away , '' and `` Turn of the Century . '' The orchestra and some other parts were added on 13 March . `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' was done first , and it may have already been nominated as the first single on the strength of the Polydor demo . The song begins in the chord of A minor ; as Maurice explained : `` There 's a lot of weird sounds on this song like the Jew 's harp , the string quartet , and of course the special way that Barry plays that guitar chord . Because of his tuning when he plays the minor at the beginning of the song which is different from a conventional A minor , it 's a nice mixture when I play my conventional tuning together with Barry 's tuning because his open D and mine are different . '' Barry said , `` It 's Hawaiian tuning , there they play the same way I do . I got a guitar for my ninth birthday and the guy who lived across the road from us just came back from Hawaii and he was the one who taught me that tuning , that 's how it started and I never changed . '' Robin Gibb took both leading and backing vocals , singing the high harmony while Barry sang the low harmony on the first and second verse : In the event of something happening to me There is something I would like you all to see It 's just a photograph of someone that I knew I keep straining my ears to hear a sound Maybe someone is digging underground Or have they given up and all gone home to bed , Thinking those who once existed must be dead ? Maurice Gibb recalled in a June 2001 interview with Mojo magazine : `` The opening chord does n't sound like a conventional A minor . Barry was using the open D tuning he 'd been taught when he was nine , and I was playing it in conventional tuning . It gives an unusual blend . People went crazy trying to figure out why they could n't copy it . '' Robin Gibb recalled to The Mail on Sunday on November 1 , 2009 : `` We recorded this at London 's IBC studio because it was dark and emulated a mining shaft . The result was a very lonely sound . '' Release and reception ( edit ) At the time , rumours circulated that the Bee Gees were The Beatles recording under a pseudonym ( the Bee Gees ' name was alleged to be code for `` Beatles Group '' ) , in part because the record referenced NEMS Enterprises ( Brian Epstein 's management agency , which had just been joined by Bee Gees ' manager Robert Stigwood ) . The song is unusual in that the lyrics do not contain the song 's title , though the originally planned title , `` Have You Seen My Wife , Mr. Jones , '' does appear in the chorus . Atco distributed promos with a blank label and the suggestion that it was an English group whose name started with B. Many DJs thought it was a new Beatles song and played the song heavily . Atco also retitled the song `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 ( Have You Seen My Wife , Mr. Jones ? ) '' to make sure people could find it in the shops . Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison met Maurice Gibb at a party several years later , and told him that he had bought a copy of `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' because he thought it sounded so much like The Beatles . Maurice 's response to Harrison was that the resemblance `` was unintentional '' and Harrison said , `` I knew that , I admire your work . '' Barry Gibb explained about this song : `` If you sounded like the Beatles and also could write a hit single , then the hype of the machine would go into action , and your company would make sure people thought you sounded like the Beatles or thought you were the Beatles . And that sold you , attracted attention to you . It was good for us because everyone thought it was the Beatles under a different name . '' Robin Gibb explained about this track : `` ... all the DJs on radio stations in the US picked it up immediately thinking it was the Beatles , and it was a hit on that basis . It established us in those early years . It helped our following record which was nothing like the Beatles . '' The success of this song owes a lot more to the perseverance of Robert Stigwood than he has previously been given credit for . `` We had quite a hard time at getting the Bee Gees played . We were n't all totally convinced that Stigwood was picking the right song to plug , but at the end of the day , he was a forceful character . All of these guys were ... Chas Chandler ( manager of Jimi Hendrix ) was the same , Kit Lambert ( manager of The Who ) was the same . They all argued their case with passion , you know , they lived it , they were like that , '' conceded Polydor 's Alan Bates . When the Disc & Music Echo reported `` widespread rumours '' that this song had been written by Lennon and McCartney , Robin countered with , `` Rubbish ! We 've always written our own songs . I 've been writing since I was ten , before Lennon and McCartney were even on stage . People can say what they like . If they do n't believe us , they can ask The Beatles . '' Bassist Maurice Gibb , though , had previously said that `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' was in fact influenced by the Beatles : `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' was a total rip - off of The Beatles , we were so influenced by them . In fact it started a mystery ( in the USA ) about us , because they started playing ( it ) and saying , ' They 're this new group from England that begins with a B and finished with an s ' so they all said , ' Ah , it 's The Beatles , not naming it , they 're doing that trick again . ' The disc jockey would play it and play it and play it and , ' Guess who it is ? ' and people would guess , and they would n't get the answer . I heard ( the idea ) came actually from Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler . To us it was an honour , to actually think we were as good as The Beatles . '' Music video and live performances ( edit ) On the video , the band only features four members ( but Vince Melouney later joined the band ) , Barry playing his guitar , Maurice playing his Rickenbacker 4001 , Robin Gibb on vocals and drummer Colin Petersen wears a hat . The group found time to record their first BBC session at Playhouse Theatre , Northumberland Avenue , London , with producer Bill Bebb , on which they performed this song , with the songs `` In My Own Time , '' `` One Minute Woman , '' and `` Cucumber Castle . '' When the BBC Light Programme 's Saturday Club presented by Brian Matthew was broadcast on April 22 , it was noted that there were `` rave reviews from the audition panel . '' On the song 's promotional clip , the band only feature four members ( the three Gibb brothers and drummer Colin Petersen ) The group ( Barry , Robin , Maurice , Colin and Vince ) made their first British TV appearance on Top of the Pops performing this song on May 11 and were rather awe - struck at the company they were keeping . On 20 May 1967 , the group performed this song on Beat - Club , a German TV program . The Bee Gees performed this song on 21 July 1967 at the Stockholm Palladium , Stockholm , Sweden. , 12 August 1967 at The Civic Hall , Wolverhampton , England and Christ the King College at Newport , England on 27 September 1967 . Since 1967 , the song has been part of every Bee Gees concert , eventually becoming part of their acoustic medley performed during the middle of the concert . It was also performed on the show Beat - Club in Germany , on that performance Robin wears a hat and plays violin . It was performed by the group in 1973 on The Midnight Special with Barry and Maurice on rhythm guitar . Personnel ( edit ) Robin Gibb -- lead vocals Barry Gibb -- harmony and backing vocals , rhythm guitar Maurice Gibb -- bass guitar , rhythm guitar , backing vocals Colin Petersen -- drums Phil Dennys -- orchestral arrangement The session was engineered by Carlos Olms and produced by Robert Stigwood . Charts ( edit ) Weekly charts ( edit ) Chart ( 1967 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 11 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 34 France ( SNEP ) 36 Germany ( Media Control Charts ) 10 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 12 US Billboard Hot 100 14 US Cash Box 17 US Record World 14 Year - end charts ( edit ) Chart ( 1967 ) Position Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 17 Legacy ( edit ) The 1969 David Bowie song `` Space Oddity '' owes a debt to the style , arrangement and lyrics of `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 . '' Like `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 , '' `` Space Oddity '' is about a trapped man who is doomed to die , and the song is similarly structured as a series of statements addressed to another person . `` ' Space Oddity ' was a Bee Gees type song , '' Bowie 's colleague John `` Hutch '' Hutchinson has said . `` David knew it , and he said so at the time , the way he sang it , it 's a Bee Gees thing . '' As Marc Bolan explained : `` I remember David playing me ' Space Oddity ' in his room and I loved it and he said he needed a sound like the Bee Gees , who were very big then . '' Paul McCartney said : `` It was the ' Mining Disaster ' song that ( Robert Stigwood ) played me . I said ' sign them , they 're great ! ' And they went on to be even greater . '' The Japanese Novelist Haruki Murakami made `` New York Mining Disaster '' the title of one of his short stories . The piece was included in his collection `` Blind Willow , Sleeping Woman '' . Cover versions ( edit ) In early 1969 , The Sorrows recorded this song as part of a demo album that was prepared before the release of their second album Old Songs New Songs ; however , the song remained unreleased until it was included in a two - CD reissue of that album by Wooden Hill in 2009 . In 1969 , Ashton , Gardner and Dyke recorded a version of this song for their self - titled debut album . In 1974 , Barclay James Harvest `` deconstructed '' the song with a reworked version referencing leading figures in the 1974 UK mining strike . The song was retitled `` The Great 1974 Mining Disaster . '' In 1993 , David Essex recorded a version of this song for his covers album Cover Shot . In 1997 , the Levellers covered the song as a B - side to their single Bozos . In 1998 , folksinger Martin Carthy sang an acoustic guitar version of this as the lead - off track on his album Signs of Life . In 2000 , British anarchist band Chumbawamba recorded a `` minimalist '' version for their album WYSIWYG . In 2006 , Mark Newman recorded a version of `` New York Mining Disaster , 1941 '' on his CD Must Be A Pony , which he released on Danal Music . In 2008 , singer - songwriter Trevor Tanner released a version titled Mr. Jones on his album Eaten By The Sea . In 2011 , Australian bush punk act Handsome Young Strangers covered the song as a B - side to their single Sweet As A Nut and then included it on their album Here 's The Thunder Lads ! In 2011 British Folk artist Jon Boden ( of folk big Band Bellowhead ) released an unaccompanied version as part of his `` A Folk Song a Day '' Project . In 2012 , the Catalina Scramblers , a three - piece rock band from Santa Cruz , CA , recorded a version of the song in which they adhere to the original version 's style for the verses , but perform the choruses in up - tempo , hard rock fashion . It was released as the final track on their eponymous debut album . References ( edit ) ^ Jump up to : `` Bee Gees - New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' . Discogs . Retrieved 13 March 2013 . Jump up ^ Nicholas Pegg ( 2 December 2011 ) . The Complete David Bowie . Titan . p. 730 . ISBN 978 - 0 - 85768 - 719 - 7 . Retrieved 25 November 2015 . ^ Jump up to : Brennan , Joseph . `` Gibb Songs : 1967 '' . Retrieved 13 March 2013 . ^ Jump up to : `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 ( Songfacts ) '' . Songfacts . Retrieved 13 March 2013 . Jump up ^ Elias , Jason . `` Bee Gees - New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' . Allmusic . Rovi Corporation . Retrieved 13 March 2013 . ^ Jump up to : Adriaensen , Marion . `` History Part 4 - The story about the Bee Gees '' . Retrieved 13 March 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Show 49 - The British are Coming ! The British are Coming ! : With an emphasis on Donovan , the Bee Gees and the Who . ( Part 6 ) '' . Unt Digital Library . Retrieved 14 March 2013 . Jump up ^ `` The Bee Gees on British Invasion Bands '' . British Invasion . Archived from the original on 22 October 2014 . Retrieved 14 March 2013 . ^ Jump up to : Hughes , Andrew . The Bee Gees - Tales Of The Brothers Gibb . Retrieved 21 December 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Bee Gees - New York Mining Disaster 1941 ( 1967 ) '' . You Tube . Retrieved 14 July 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Bee Gees - New York Mining Disaster 1941 Live in Beat Club '' . You Tube . Retrieved 14 July 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Bee Gees - New York Mining Disaster - live , 1973 '' . You Tube . Retrieved 14 July 2013 . ^ Jump up to : `` Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts '' ( PDF ) . brothersgibb.org . Retrieved 18 January 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Bee Gees - New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' . officialcharts.de . Retrieved 18 January 2015 . ^ Jump up to : `` Bee Gees - New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' . Dutch Charts . Retrieved 18 January 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Bee Gees - Chart History '' . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 18 January 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Bee Gees - Chart History '' . Billboard . Retrieved 18 January 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Cashbox Charts '' . Cashbox Magazine Archives . July 1 , 1967 . Archived from the original on 29 December 2013 . Retrieved 18 January 2015 . Jump up ^ `` David Bowie - Space Oddity '' . Retrieved 13 March 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Bee Gees '' . 14.brinkster.com . Archived from the original on 2013 - 12 - 30 . Retrieved 2014 - 04 - 07 . Jump up ^ Umrigar , Thrity ( 2006 - 10 - 01 ) . `` Murakami pulls mind - bending stories from the ruins of broken rules - The Boston Globe '' . Boston.com . Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 27 . Jump up ^ `` The Great 1974 Mining Disaster by Barclay James Harvest Songfacts '' . Songfacts.com . Retrieved 2014 - 04 - 07 . External links ( edit ) Official music video of the song on YouTube History of the song Rolling Stone Review AMG Review Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Bee Gees Barry Gibb Robin Gibb Maurice Gibb Colin Petersen Vince Melouney Alan Kendall Dennis Bryon Blue Weaver Studio albums The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs Spicks and Specks Bee Gees ' 1st Horizontal Idea Odessa Cucumber Castle 2 Years On Trafalgar To Whom It May Concern Life in a Tin Can Mr. Natural Main Course Children of the World Spirits Having Flown Living Eyes E.S.P. One High Civilization Size Is n't Everything Still Waters This Is Where I Came In Extended plays The Bee Gees New York Mining Disaster 1941 Soundtracks Melody Saturday Night Fever Live albums Here at Last ... Bee Gees ... Live One Night Only Compilation albums Turn Around , Look at Us Rare , Precious and Beautiful Rare , Precious and Beautiful , Volume 2 Best of Bee Gees Inception / Nostalgia Best of Bee Gees , Volume 2 Bee Gees Gold Bee Gees Greatest Tales from the Brothers Gibb The Very Best of the Bee Gees Their Greatest Hits : The Record Number Ones Love Songs The Ultimate Bee Gees Mythology Timeless : The All - Time Greatest Hits Videography Idea Cucumber Castle The Bee Gees Special One for All Tour One Night Only The Ultimate Bee Gees In Our Own Time Tours The Bee Gees ' concerts in 1967 and 1968 2 Years On Tour Trafalgar Tour Mr. Natural Tour Main Course Tour Children of the World Tour Spirits Having Flown Tour One for All World Tour High Civilization World Tour One Night Only World Tour Articles Discography List of songs recorded List of unreleased material A Kick in the Head Is Worth Eight in the Pants The Barry Gibb Talk Show IBC Studios Hither Green rail crash Bands The Rattlesnakes Humpy Bong The Fut The Bloomfields Tin Tin The Groove Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs Toe Fat Amen Corner One World Project People Hugh Gibb Andy Gibb Steve Gibb Spencer Gibb Robert Stigwood Arif Mardin Ossie Byrne Steve Kipner Albhy Galuten Book Bee Gees singles discography 1960s 1963 `` The Battle of the Blue and the Grey '' / `` The Three Kisses of Love '' `` Timber ! '' / `` Take Hold of That Star '' 1964 `` Peace of Mind '' / `` Do n't Say Goodbye '' `` Claustrophobia '' / `` Could It Be '' `` Turn Around , Look at Me '' / `` ( Theme From ) The Travels of Jamie McPheeters '' 1965 `` Every Day I Have to Cry '' / `` You Would n't Know '' `` Wine and Women '' / `` Follow the Wind '' `` I Was A Lover , A Leader of Men '' / `` And the Children Laughing '' 1966 `` I Want Home '' / `` Cherry Red '' `` Monday 's Rain '' / `` All of My Life '' `` Spicks and Specks '' / `` I Am the World '' 1967 `` Born a Man '' / `` Big Chance '' `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' / `` I Ca n't See Nobody '' `` To Love Somebody '' / `` Close Another Door '' `` Holiday '' / `` Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You '' `` Massachusetts '' / `` Barker of the UFO '' `` World '' / `` Sir Geoffrey Saved the World '' 1968 `` Words '' / `` Sinking Ships '' `` Jumbo '' / `` The Singer Sang His Song '' `` I 've Gotta Get a Message to You '' / `` Kitty Can '' `` I Started a Joke '' / `` Kilburn Towers '' 1969 `` First of May '' / `` Lamplight '' `` Tomorrow Tomorrow '' / `` Sun in My Morning '' `` Do n't Forget to Remember '' / `` The Lord '' 1970s 1970 `` If Only I Had My Mind on Something Else '' / `` Sweetheart '' ( US ) `` I.O.I.O. '' / `` Sweetheart '' `` Lonely Days '' / `` Man for All Seasons '' 1971 `` How Can You Mend a Broken Heart '' / `` Country Woman '' `` Do n't Wanna Live Inside Myself '' / `` Walking Back to Waterloo '' 1972 `` My World '' / `` On Time '' `` Run to Me '' / `` Road to Alaska '' `` Alive '' / Paper Mache , Cabbages and Kings '' 1973 `` Saw a New Morning '' / `` My Life Has Been a Song '' `` Would n't I Be Someone '' / `` Elisa '' `` Mr. Natural '' / `` It Does n't Matter Much to Me '' `` Throw a Penny '' / `` I Ca n't Let You Go '' `` Charade '' / `` Heavy Breathing '' `` Jive Talkin ' '' / `` Wind of Change '' `` Nights on Broadway '' / `` Edge of the Universe '' 1976 `` Fanny ( Be Tender with My Love ) '' / `` Country Lanes '' `` You Should Be Dancing '' / `` Subway '' `` Love So Right '' / `` You Stepped Into My Life '' 1977 `` Boogie Child '' / `` Lovers '' `` Edge of the Universe ( live ) '' / `` Words ( live ) '' `` How Deep Is Your Love '' / `` Ca n't Keep a Good Man Down '' ( live ) `` Stayin ' Alive '' / `` If I Ca n't Have You '' 1978 `` Night Fever '' / `` Down the Road ( live ) '' `` Too Much Heaven '' / `` Rest Your Love on Me '' 1979 `` Tragedy '' / `` Until '' `` Love You Inside Out '' / `` I 'm Satisfied '' 1980s 1981 `` He 's a Liar '' `` Living Eyes '' / `` I Still Love You '' `` The Woman in You '' / `` Stayin ' Alive '' `` Someone Belonging to Someone '' / `` I Love You Too Much '' ( instrumental ) `` You Win Again '' / `` Backtafunk '' `` E.S.P. '' / `` Overnight '' `` Ordinary Lives '' / `` Wing and a Prayer '' `` One '' / `` Flesh and Blood '' 1990s `` Bodyguard '' / `` Will You Ever Let Me '' 1991 `` Secret Love '' / `` Party with No Name '' `` When He 's Gone '' / `` True Confessions '' `` The Only Love '' / `` You Win Again '' ( live ) `` Happy Ever After '' / `` Evolution '' `` Paying the Price of Love '' / `` My Destiny '' `` For Whom the Bell Tolls '' / `` Decadance '' `` How to Fall in Love , Part 1 '' / `` Fallen Angel '' `` Kiss of Life '' / `` 855 - 7019 '' `` Alone '' / `` Rings Around the Moon '' `` I Could Not Love You More '' / `` Love Never Dies '' ( EUR ) `` Still Waters ( Run Deep ) '' / `` Love Never Dies '' 2000s `` This Is Where I Came In '' / `` Just in Case '' Other countries 1968 `` And the Sun Will Shine '' / `` Really and Sincerely '' ( France ) 1970 `` Let There Be Love '' / `` Really and Sincerely '' ( Netherlands ) 1971 `` When the Swallows Fly '' / `` Give Your Best '' ( Netherlands ) `` Morning of my Life '' / `` To Love Somebody '' 1972 `` Israel '' / `` Dearest '' ( Netherlands ) `` Sea of Smiling Faces '' / `` Please Do n't Turn Out the Lights '' 1977 `` Children of the World '' / `` Boogie Child '' ( Australia ) `` Crazy for Your Love '' / `` You Win Again ( Remix ) '' `` Angela '' / `` You Win Again ( Remix ) '' ( Germany , Netherlands ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_York_Mining_Disaster_1941&oldid=838345144 '' Categories : Bee Gees songs 1967 singles 1967 songs Songs about New York ( state ) Songs written by Barry Gibb Songs written by Robin Gibb Song recordings produced by Robert Stigwood Folk rock songs Polydor Records singles Atco Records singles Spin Records ( Australian label ) singles Songs based on actual events Works about mining Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from February 2018 Articles with permanently dead external links Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Brezhoneg Italiano Português Suomi Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 26 April 2018 , at 12 : 39 . Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply . By using this site , you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation , Inc. , a non-profit organization . About Wikipedia 
bee gee new york mining disaster 1941 lyrics
`` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' Single by Bee Gees from the album Bee Gees ' 1st B - side `` I Ca n't See Nobody '' Released 14 April 1967 Format 7 '' Recorded 13 -- 16 March 1967 Genre Folk rock Length 2 : 09 Label Polydor ( United Kingdom , Canada ) Atco ( United States , Mexico ) Spin ( Australia , New Zealand ) Songwriter ( s ) Barry Gibb , Robin Gibb Producer ( s ) Robert Stigwood , Ossie Byrne Bee Gees singles chronology `` Born a Man '' ( 1967 ) `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) `` Born a Man '' ( 1967 ) `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) Audio sample file help `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' Single by Bee Gees from the album Bee Gees ' 1st B - side `` I Ca n't See Nobody '' Released 14 April 1967 Format 7 '' Recorded 13 -- 16 March 1967 Genre Folk rock Length 2 : 09 Label Polydor ( United Kingdom , Canada ) Atco ( United States , Mexico ) Spin ( Australia , New Zealand ) Songwriter ( s ) Barry Gibb , Robin Gibb Producer ( s ) Robert Stigwood , Ossie Byrne Bee Gees singles chronology `` Born a Man '' ( 1967 ) `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) `` Born a Man '' ( 1967 ) `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) `` Born a Man '' ( 1967 ) `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) `` Born a Man '' ( 1967 ) `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) `` Born a Man '' ( 1967 ) `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) `` Born a Man '' ( 1967 ) `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) Audio sample file help file help `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' is the debut American single by the British pop group the Bee Gees , released on 14 April 1967 . It was written by Barry and Robin Gibb . Barring a moderately successful reissue of their Australian single `` Spicks and Specks , '' it was the first single release of the group 's international career and their first song to hit the charts in both the UK and the US . It was produced by Ossie Byrne with their manager Robert Stigwood as executive producer . The song was the first track of side two on the group 's international debut album , Bee Gees ' 1st . This was the first single with Australian drummer Colin Petersen as an official member of the band . On 3 January 1967 , the Gibb brothers , with their parents and Byrne , set sail from Australia to England on the ship Fairsky , reaching Southampton on 6 February . The brothers performed on board in exchange for passage . Later , the Gibb brothers auditioned for Stigwood ; they passed , and they signed to Robert Stigwood Organisation on 24 February . `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' was their first song that was written in 1967 . The first recording session of the Bee Gees after returning to England was a second version of `` Town of Tuxley Toymaker , Part 1 , '' a song recorded by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas , but was first recorded by Jon Blanchfield in Australia . Kramer 's version was recorded on 4 March 1967 in IBC Studios , London , with the Gibb brothers on background vocals . Barry and Robin Gibb wrote the song while sitting on a darkened staircase at Polydor Records following a power cut . The echo of the passing lift inspired them to imagine that they were trapped in a mine . The song recounts the story of a miner trapped in a cave - in . He is sharing a photo of his wife with a colleague ( `` Mr. Jones '' ) while they hopelessly wait to be rescued . According to the liner notes for their box - set Tales from the Brothers Gibb ( 1990 ) , this song was inspired by the 1966 Aberfan mining disaster in Wales . According to Robin , there actually had also been a mining disaster in New York in 1939 , but not in 1941 . In the second and third verses , the lyrical lines get slower and slower , as if to indicate that life is about to end for the miners . On the second chorus , the drums get louder . On the second verse , when Robin sings the line `` I keep straining my ears to hear a sound , '' a violin was featured in response on Robin 's line . On 7 March , the Bee Gees recorded `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' in six takes , along with three other songs : `` I Ca n't See Nobody , '' `` Red Chair , Fade Away , '' and `` Turn of the Century . '' The orchestra and some other parts were added on 13 March . `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' was done first , and it may have already been nominated as the first single on the strength of the Polydor demo . The song begins in the chord of A minor ; as Maurice explained : `` There 's a lot of weird sounds on this song like the Jew 's harp , the string quartet , and of course the special way that Barry plays that guitar chord . Because of his tuning when he plays the minor at the beginning of the song which is different from a conventional A minor , it 's a nice mixture when I play my conventional tuning together with Barry 's tuning because his open D and mine are different . '' Barry said , `` It 's Hawaiian tuning , there they play the same way I do . I got a guitar for my ninth birthday and the guy who lived across the road from us just came back from Hawaii and he was the one who taught me that tuning , that 's how it started and I never changed . '' Robin Gibb took both leading and backing vocals , singing the high harmony while Barry sang the low harmony on the first and second verse : In the event of something happening to me There is something I would like you all to see It 's just a photograph of someone that I knew I keep straining my ears to hear a sound Maybe someone is digging underground Or have they given up and all gone home to bed , Thinking those who once existed must be dead ? Maurice Gibb recalled in a June 2001 interview with Mojo magazine : `` The opening chord does n't sound like a conventional A minor . Barry was using the open D tuning he 'd been taught when he was nine , and I was playing it in conventional tuning . It gives an unusual blend . People went crazy trying to figure out why they could n't copy it . '' Robin Gibb recalled to The Mail on Sunday on November 1 , 2009 : `` We recorded this at London 's IBC studio because it was dark and emulated a mining shaft . The result was a very lonely sound . '' At the time , rumours circulated that the Bee Gees were The Beatles recording under a pseudonym ( the Bee Gees ' name was alleged to be code for `` Beatles Group '' ) , in part because the record referenced NEMS Enterprises ( Brian Epstein 's management agency , which had just been joined by Bee Gees ' manager Robert Stigwood ) . The song is unusual in that the lyrics do not contain the song 's title , though the originally planned title , `` Have You Seen My Wife , Mr. Jones , '' does appear in the chorus . Atco distributed promos with a blank label and the suggestion that it was an English group whose name started with B. Many DJs thought it was a new Beatles song and played the song heavily . Atco also retitled the song `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 ( Have You Seen My Wife , Mr. Jones ? ) '' to make sure people could find it in the shops . Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison met Maurice Gibb at a party several years later , and told him that he had bought a copy of `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' because he thought it sounded so much like The Beatles . Maurice 's response to Harrison was that the resemblance `` was unintentional '' and Harrison said , `` I knew that , I admire your work . '' Barry Gibb explained about this song : `` If you sounded like the Beatles and also could write a hit single , then the hype of the machine would go into action , and your company would make sure people thought you sounded like the Beatles or thought you were the Beatles . And that sold you , attracted attention to you . It was good for us because everyone thought it was the Beatles under a different name . '' Robin Gibb explained about this track : `` ... all the DJs on radio stations in the US picked it up immediately thinking it was the Beatles , and it was a hit on that basis . It established us in those early years . It helped our following record which was nothing like the Beatles . '' The success of this song owes a lot more to the perseverance of Robert Stigwood than he has previously been given credit for . `` We had quite a hard time at getting the Bee Gees played . We were n't all totally convinced that Stigwood was picking the right song to plug , but at the end of the day , he was a forceful character . All of these guys were ... Chas Chandler ( manager of Jimi Hendrix ) was the same , Kit Lambert ( manager of The Who ) was the same . They all argued their case with passion , you know , they lived it , they were like that , '' conceded Polydor 's Alan Bates . When the Disc & Music Echo reported `` widespread rumours '' that this song had been written by Lennon and McCartney , Robin countered with , `` Rubbish ! We 've always written our own songs . I 've been writing since I was ten , before Lennon and McCartney were even on stage . People can say what they like . If they do n't believe us , they can ask The Beatles . '' Bassist Maurice Gibb , though , had previously said that `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' was in fact influenced by the Beatles : `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' was a total rip - off of The Beatles , we were so influenced by them . In fact it started a mystery ( in the USA ) about us , because they started playing ( it ) and saying , ' They 're this new group from England that begins with a B and finished with an s ' so they all said , ' Ah , it 's The Beatles , not naming it , they 're doing that trick again . ' The disc jockey would play it and play it and play it and , ' Guess who it is ? ' and people would guess , and they would n't get the answer . I heard ( the idea ) came actually from Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler . To us it was an honour , to actually think we were as good as The Beatles . '' On the video , the band only features four members ( but Vince Melouney later joined the band ) , Barry playing his guitar , Maurice playing his Rickenbacker 4001 , Robin Gibb on vocals and drummer Colin Petersen wears a hat . The group found time to record their first BBC session at Playhouse Theatre , Northumberland Avenue , London , with producer Bill Bebb , on which they performed this song , with the songs `` In My Own Time , '' `` One Minute Woman , '' and `` Cucumber Castle . '' When the BBC Light Programme 's Saturday Club presented by Brian Matthew was broadcast on April 22 , it was noted that there were `` rave reviews from the audition panel . '' On the song 's promotional clip , the band only feature four members ( the three Gibb brothers and drummer Colin Petersen ) The group ( Barry , Robin , Maurice , Colin and Vince ) made their first British TV appearance on Top of the Pops performing this song on May 11 and were rather awe - struck at the company they were keeping . On 20 May 1967 , the group performed this song on Beat - Club , a German TV program . The Bee Gees performed this song on 21 July 1967 at the Stockholm Palladium , Stockholm , Sweden. , 12 August 1967 at The Civic Hall , Wolverhampton , England and Christ the King College at Newport , England on 27 September 1967 . Since 1967 , the song has been part of every Bee Gees concert , eventually becoming part of their acoustic medley performed during the middle of the concert . It was also performed on the show Beat - Club in Germany , on that performance Robin wears a hat and plays violin . It was performed by the group in 1973 on The Midnight Special with Barry and Maurice on rhythm guitar . Robin Gibb -- lead vocals Barry Gibb -- harmony and backing vocals , rhythm guitar Maurice Gibb -- bass guitar , rhythm guitar , backing vocals Colin Petersen -- drums Phil Dennys -- orchestral arrangement Robin Gibb -- lead vocals Barry Gibb -- harmony and backing vocals , rhythm guitar Maurice Gibb -- bass guitar , rhythm guitar , backing vocals Colin Petersen -- drums Phil Dennys -- orchestral arrangement The session was engineered by Carlos Olms and produced by Robert Stigwood . Weekly charts ( edit ) Chart ( 1967 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 11 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 34 France ( SNEP ) 36 Germany ( Media Control Charts ) 10 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 12 US Billboard Hot 100 14 US Cash Box 17 US Record World 14 Year - end charts ( edit ) Chart ( 1967 ) Position Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 17 Weekly charts ( edit ) Chart ( 1967 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 11 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 34 France ( SNEP ) 36 Germany ( Media Control Charts ) 10 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 12 US Billboard Hot 100 14 US Cash Box 17 US Record World 14 Year - end charts ( edit ) Chart ( 1967 ) Position Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 17 Chart ( 1967 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 11 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 34 France ( SNEP ) 36 Germany ( Media Control Charts ) 10 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 12 US Billboard Hot 100 14 US Cash Box 17 US Record World 14 Chart ( 1967 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 11 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 34 France ( SNEP ) 36 Germany ( Media Control Charts ) 10 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 12 US Billboard Hot 100 14 US Cash Box 17 US Record World 14 Chart ( 1967 ) Position Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 17 Chart ( 1967 ) Position Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 17 The 1969 David Bowie song `` Space Oddity '' owes a debt to the style , arrangement and lyrics of `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 . '' Like `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 , '' `` Space Oddity '' is about a trapped man who is doomed to die , and the song is similarly structured as a series of statements addressed to another person . `` ' Space Oddity ' was a Bee Gees type song , '' Bowie 's colleague John `` Hutch '' Hutchinson has said . `` David knew it , and he said so at the time , the way he sang it , it 's a Bee Gees thing . '' As Marc Bolan explained : `` I remember David playing me ' Space Oddity ' in his room and I loved it and he said he needed a sound like the Bee Gees , who were very big then . '' Paul McCartney said : `` It was the ' Mining Disaster ' song that ( Robert Stigwood ) played me . I said ' sign them , they 're great ! ' And they went on to be even greater . '' The Japanese Novelist Haruki Murakami made `` New York Mining Disaster '' the title of one of his short stories . The piece was included in his collection `` Blind Willow , Sleeping Woman '' . In early 1969 , The Sorrows recorded this song as part of a demo album that was prepared before the release of their second album Old Songs New Songs ; however , the song remained unreleased until it was included in a two - CD reissue of that album by Wooden Hill in 2009 . In 1969 , Ashton , Gardner and Dyke recorded a version of this song for their self - titled debut album . In 1974 , Barclay James Harvest `` deconstructed '' the song with a reworked version referencing leading figures in the 1974 UK mining strike . The song was retitled `` The Great 1974 Mining Disaster . '' In 1993 , David Essex recorded a version of this song for his covers album Cover Shot . In 1997 , the Levellers covered the song as a B - side to their single Bozos . In 1998 , folksinger Martin Carthy sang an acoustic guitar version of this as the lead - off track on his album Signs of Life . In 2000 , British anarchist band Chumbawamba recorded a `` minimalist '' version for their album WYSIWYG . In 2006 , Mark Newman recorded a version of `` New York Mining Disaster , 1941 '' on his CD Must Be A Pony , which he released on Danal Music . In 2008 , singer - songwriter Trevor Tanner released a version titled Mr. Jones on his album Eaten By The Sea . In 2011 , Australian bush punk act Handsome Young Strangers covered the song as a B - side to their single Sweet As A Nut and then included it on their album Here 's The Thunder Lads ! In 2011 British Folk artist Jon Boden ( of folk big Band Bellowhead ) released an unaccompanied version as part of his `` A Folk Song a Day '' Project . In 2012 , the Catalina Scramblers , a three - piece rock band from Santa Cruz , CA , recorded a version of the song in which they adhere to the original version 's style for the verses , but perform the choruses in up - tempo , hard rock fashion . It was released as the final track on their eponymous debut album . In early 1969 , The Sorrows recorded this song as part of a demo album that was prepared before the release of their second album Old Songs New Songs ; however , the song remained unreleased until it was included in a two - CD reissue of that album by Wooden Hill in 2009 . In 1969 , Ashton , Gardner and Dyke recorded a version of this song for their self - titled debut album . In 1974 , Barclay James Harvest `` deconstructed '' the song with a reworked version referencing leading figures in the 1974 UK mining strike . The song was retitled `` The Great 1974 Mining Disaster . '' In 1993 , David Essex recorded a version of this song for his covers album Cover Shot . In 1997 , the Levellers covered the song as a B - side to their single Bozos . In 1998 , folksinger Martin Carthy sang an acoustic guitar version of this as the lead - off track on his album Signs of Life . In 2000 , British anarchist band Chumbawamba recorded a `` minimalist '' version for their album WYSIWYG . In 2006 , Mark Newman recorded a version of `` New York Mining Disaster , 1941 '' on his CD Must Be A Pony , which he released on Danal Music . In 2008 , singer - songwriter Trevor Tanner released a version titled Mr. Jones on his album Eaten By The Sea . In 2011 , Australian bush punk act Handsome Young Strangers covered the song as a B - side to their single Sweet As A Nut and then included it on their album Here 's The Thunder Lads ! In 2011 British Folk artist Jon Boden ( of folk big Band Bellowhead ) released an unaccompanied version as part of his `` A Folk Song a Day '' Project . In 2012 , the Catalina Scramblers , a three - piece rock band from Santa Cruz , CA , recorded a version of the song in which they adhere to the original version 's style for the verses , but perform the choruses in up - tempo , hard rock fashion . It was released as the final track on their eponymous debut album .