Mirage Records, a tiny little label with major distribution, was on fire in 1984. The label scored a few high-profile dance chart hits, but ended up getting their most notable hit of the year from an unlikely source…a solo Bee Gee.

And not even the hot one.

Robin Gibb had a previous solo album in the early ‘80s that didn’t cause much of a stir, and since the Bee Gees were laying pretty low in those post-disco days, he and Maurice had time to conjure up another, more successful album in 1984 called “Secret Agent”. Meanwhile, hot Bee Barry was off doing his solo thing and even scored a hit with “Shine, Shine”. Robin, however, wanted to go new wave.



Check out that cover. Those clothes. Those shades. It’s like watching your dad try to be hip after his divorce. But hey, the music wasn’t as embarrassing.

Okay, maybe a little. But I LOVED this song when it was out. I just loved it in private, lest anyone think I was a raging homo (that would come true a few years later). Radio didn’t play this much, but MTV rolled a cutesy little video that played along with the whole “Secret Agent” aspect. I thought I was alone in loving this tune, until one afternoon I was hanging out at my buddy Chris’ house – now Chris was the total high school jock, blond, blue, track team, homecoming king, you name it. We were good friends and lo and behold, I saw this 45 peeking out from under a Saga single or something.

BUSTED.

He also had Culture Club’s “Mistake #3”, which we’ll get to someday. I wonder if Chris ever came out?

Oh yeah, the song. Cute, fun, hooky, harmless and a big gay club hit, according to my friend Joe who remembers dancing to it at Traxx. It also scraped the bottom of the Top 40, which wasn’t too shabby for a Bee Gee in 1984. The little robotic backing vox near the end remind me of “Video Killed the Radio Star,” which “Boys” actually charted higher than (people seem to forget “Video” peaked at a paltry #40 when it was out).



Enjoy “Boys Do Fall In Love”, straight (ha) from my old little 45. I believe there’s a Dutch pressing of the “Secret Agent” CD that exists, but sells for ridiculous amounts when it surfaces.


”Do you have anything to add, Robin?”
“…no.”
Pic shamelessly stolen from the great snl.jt.org

”Boys Do Fall In Love” peaked at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Secret Agent” failed to chart.

Labels: robin gibb