Introduction
“Odessa” is a song by the English rock band the Bee Gees, written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb in 1968 and released in early 1969. The song opened the album of the same name. The song was recorded twice. The first version of the song (without the orchestra) was later to appear on Sketches for Odessa and has a duration to 6:40. The song was about the survivor of a shipwreck, and was originally intended to form the basis of the whole album. Musically it was dominated by strings and acoustic guitar. It was originally proposed to be the first single of the album. “Odessa (City on the Black Sea)”
The lyrics tell the story of the survivor of a fictitious British ship called Veronica, floating on an iceberg in the Baltic Sea. The instrumental track is led by an acoustic guitar played by Maurice and cello by Paul Buckmaster. The song was called “Odessa (on the White Sea)” in this early version, and Barry identifies the ship in a spoken intro as a Dutch ship called Anne Strauss and the date as 14 February 1866. The first version is heard on Sketches with Maurice or Robin on mellotron and an orchestral section that is less full than the finished take.
“Odessa,” released in March 1969, was the Bee Gees’ first double album, recorded in both New York and London. It was their most ambitious project of the 1960s, intended as a concept album on the loss of a fictional ship in 1899. The album was initially released in an opulent red flocked cover with gold lettering. The gatefold has a large dotted image of people leaving a ship in a lifeboat. There are no photographs of the group and they are not named, only the label symbol stamped in gold on the front and nothing but the flocking on the back. The design was discontinued due to allergic reactions among workers during assembly.
The title track, “Odessa,” is a baroque epic about a ship that sinks on Valentine’s Day in the late 19th century, coming in at over seven minutes. It showcases the band’s distinctive harmonies and songwriting, with a focus on orchestral arrangements and a melancholic atmosphere. The song’s lyrics evoke a sense of loss and longing, reflecting the themes of the album.
Despite reaching the UK Top Ten and the US Top 20, the album was not particularly well-received. It was the final album to feature the band’s original guitarist, Vince Melouney, who left the group amicably after recording eight songs for the album to pursue a more bluesy direction. A dispute over which song to release as a single led Robin Gibb to temporarily leave the group.
“Odessa” remains a significant and influential work in the Bee Gees’ discography, showcasing their ambition and artistic vision. The song’s epic scope and emotional depth have earned it a lasting place in the history of progressive rock. It is a testament to the band’s ability to push creative boundaries and experiment with different musical styles.