Barry Gibb Goes to 11

Barry Gibb ruled the musical roost in the late 1970s. Every song he wrote (some with and for his group the Bee Gees, some for other artists) seemed to scream up the charts, often all the way to number one.

Recently, while playing some of Barry’s disco-era hits from a guitar fake book, I noticed that one type of chord kept popping up: the 11 chord.

If major and minor chords are the salt and pepper of pop music recipes, the 11 chord is nutmeg. It’s not in every dish, and you may not notice it until someone mentions its presence–then you can taste it.

The 11 chord is an extended chord: it extends beyond the normal 1-3-5 notes of a major chord. To hear a C11 chord on the piano, play simultaneously, low to high: C-E-G-Bb-D-F. It’s a pleasant, mildly “spicy” chord used regularly in jazz and some pop–not so much in rock and country.

See if you can “taste the nutmeg” (hear the 11 chords) in a few of Barry’s well-known compositions from 1977-80. Lyrics in ALL RED CAPS indicate when an 11 chord is being played in the background (usually on guitar, keyboards or both). Note: the 11 chord is pretty subtle–don’t expect it to jump out at you!

An Everlasting Love (Andy Gibb, 1977): …in my lonely world, and HE WAS YOUR SUN AND YOUR rain…

If I Can’t Have You (Yvonne Elliman, 1977): …go crazy is what I will DO…

More Than a Woman (Bee Gees, 1977): …seen you growin’ every day, I NEVER REALLY LOOKED BEFORE…

How Deep Is Your Love (Bee Gees, 1977): …I feel you touch me in the pouring RAIN…

Emotion (Samantha Sang, also Destiny’s Child, 1977): …you’ve never seen me FALL APART…

Too Much Heaven (Bee Gees, 1978): …high as a mountain and HARDER TO CLIMB…

Guilty (Barbara Streisand & Barry Gibb, 1980): …our love will climb any mountain NEAR OR FAR…

Can you hear the mild but satisfying “spice” of those 11 chords? Furthermore, can we conclude that an 11 chord guarantees a hit? Ha! That’s jive talkin’.

Barry didn’t use the 11 chord in every song–but nutmeg is clearly in his spice rack. For aspiring chefs trying to create their own dishes, it never hurts to learn a tip from one of the all-time masters.