Introduction
Love So Right: A Look Back at a Bee Gees Ballad
“Love So Right” by the Bee Gees isn’t your typical disco anthem. Released in 1976, it sits between two eras for the brothers Gibb – the tail end of their successful pop-ballad period and the dawn of their disco dominance.
Composed by Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb in early 1976, the song reflects the group’s exploration of new sounds. Barry Gibb himself cites the soulful stylings of The Delfonics as a key influence. This is evident in the song’s smooth rhythm and Barry’s signature falsetto vocals, which take center stage for the second consecutive Bee Gees single, following the disco-infused “You Should Be Dancing.”
“Love So Right” tells a bittersweet story. The lyrics paint a picture of a passionate love affair that quickly fades. The opening lines, “She came on like the night and she held on tight/ And the world was right when she made love to me/ We were free,” establish a sense of euphoria, quickly shattered by the following verse: “She moved in like a friend, started loving me/ And I thought I’d found my heaven in her arms/ But the morning when I woke-up I was here and she was gone/ Now I’m hanging on.” The song explores the confusion and heartbreak that follows a love lost, questioning, “Maybe you can tell me/ How a love so right can turn out to be so wrong, oh my darling?”
Despite its melancholic theme, “Love So Right” became a hit, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US. It showcased the Bee Gees’ versatility and their ability to deliver soulful ballads alongside the dancefloor anthems they were soon to become famous for.