I've Gotta Get A Message To You

by

Bee Gees

Album: Best of Bee Gees

Released: 1968

Charted:

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Robin Gibb told The Mail On Sunday November 1, 2009 about this slice of pop melodrama sung from the perspective of a condemned prisoner: "This is about a prisoner on Death Row who only has a few hours to live. He wants the prison chaplain to pass on a final message to his wife. There's a certain urgency about it."

In the same interview, Gibb talked about writing this and other songs with his brother Barry: "Myself and Barry wrote it. It's a bit like writing a script. Sometimes you can sit there for three hours with your guitar and nothing will happen. Then in the last ten minutes something will spark."

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Comments (10):

I love the way the brothers share the vocals on this song. When I saw them perform it in concert somewhere in the 60's or so, I was wondering how Barry would play his guitar chords with only one finger straight across the fretboard. It almost looked like he was only faking it! I later found out that he always uses an open D tuning. God bless him.

- Tom, Freiburg, Germany

This song is about a love triangle that went bad. A jealous man who couldn't win the love of his girl friend and killed the man that his girl friend really loves. In the line "Well I did it to him now it's my turn to die." Also, in the line, "If I broke her heart, then won't you tell her I'm sorry." It is her love, that's why I 'm wearing this dirt. Before I thought it was shirt, but it is dirt. Dirt in this sense simply means a negative past with one's action. Again, here, he is saying because I can not win your love then I don't want anyone to win over you. In the final moment before he is about to be executed, he wanted to sent a message to his GF, how remorse he was.

- john, chicago, IL

Nope. Cancel my last comment; the last word is "dirt." There is a video of the Bee Gees performing this song on You Tube. He clearly sings the word "dirt." Must mean the singer is not responsible for the actions he has been condemned for. My bad...LOL!

- Michael, Kissimmee, FL

As far as the last line goes I believe the correct word is "shirt;" as in "it's only her love that keeps me wearing this shirt." The condemned man has chosen to stay and take his punishment because to escape his fate would hurt her more than what is about to happen. At least that's my idea.

- Michael, Kissimmee, FL

One of the preferred songs by the Gibb brothers to start their concerts.

- Jorge, Mexico, Mexico

Does anybody have any idea what the published lyrics are for the final verse of this song? I have seen many different lyrics and none of them make sense. The majority of the lyrics sites have as "Well, I laughed but that didn't hurt.
And it's only her love that keeps me wearing this dirt" Huh?

- chris, Los ANgeles, CA

"I told him I'm in no hurry" is one of the best lines ever,pure deadpan irony.

- don, kinnelon, NJ

I remember this Bee Gees hit from the late 60s and to me it's one of the most depressing songs of that era. Granted, a song about someone on the verge of death sounds depressing. For years, I always though that the line "I told him I'm in no hurry" was "I told my mama 'no hurry'".

- Howard, St. Louis Park, MN

I suspect the urgency has a lot to do w/ the repentant renegade's name plastered/not plastered in abhorrence. No telling what a wife can do w/ the reputation of her husband! LOL. It only makes sense that he'd want to be remembered for his change of heart, not his infamous past.

- Drew, B\'ham, AL

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