Emotion

Album: Emotion (1978)
Charted: 11 3
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was the only hit for Australian vocalist Samantha Sang. This song was written by Barry and Robin Gibb for the film Saturday Night Fever, but was not used in the movie. It does appear in the 1978 Joan Collins film The Stud.
  • This disco-era ballad explores the devastating feelings that come with the end of a relationship when you are heartbroken, and wonder what your lover is doing now.
  • The three Gibb brothers provide backup vocals on this song. The Bee Gees released their own version of the song on their 1991 retrospective-plus The Record.
  • In 1978 Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams' recorded this song as the B-side for their American chart-topping single "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late."
  • In 2001 Destiny's Child released a cover version of "Emotion" on their album Survivor, which was mostly comprised of bumping dance numbers about female empowerment. "Emotion" showcased a different side of the group, and the sensitive ballad was released as a single in October 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks in America. This version reached #10 US and #3 UK.

Comments: 7

  • Bill from UsAlso brought back to us in a great scene in the skate and "70's movie" Roll Bounce.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 21st 1978, Samantha Sang performed "Emotion" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    Two months earlier on November 13th, 1977 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; and on March 12th it peaked at #3 (for 2 weeks) and spent over a half-year on the Top 100 (27 weeks)...
    As stated above the Bee Gees composed the song and also sang back-up on the record; and the two weeks it was at #2 the songs in the #1 and #2 positions were also written by the Bee Gees ("Night Fever" and "Stayin' Alive")...
    Ms. Sang, born Cheryl Lau Sang, will celebrate her 63rd birthday this coming August 5th (2014).
  • Matt from Dalton, PaThe Bee Gees' work on this song, plus them singing back up is what made this a hit!
  • Annabelle from Eugene, OrI thought perhaps that it was Andy Gibb singing lead on this tune. However, when I found out it was Samantha Sang, I thought "Boy was I wrong on that one." It would've sounded really cool if the Bee Gees could do this tune with their baby brother Andy when they wrote it. After all, Andy was like the baby Bee Gee!
  • Jennifer Harris from Grand Blanc, MiI like this song.I thought it was the Bee Gees at first.
  • Kevin from Reading , PaThe Bee Gees own version from '91 is superior to this version, with Robin singing the Samantha Song part. They were so hot at the time they could afford to give away a song like this to Samantha Sang, whoever she was. The brothers actually sing most of the song for her anyway . . . was she someone's girlfriend at the time? Must have been.
  • Dave from Oak Park, MiI Love the version of this song Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams did--a First-Rate Classic All The Way! It should'a been a hit!

    The Ray Conniff Singers did "Emotion" as a medley with The Bee Gee's "How Deep Is Your Love".

    And Destiny's Child really Sucked the Life out of it! A good song ruined by synthetic voices and machinery.

see more comments

Editor's Picks

Daniel Lanois

Daniel LanoisSongwriter Interviews

Daniel Lanois on his album Heavy Sun, and the inside stories of songs he produced for U2, Peter Gabriel, and Bob Dylan.

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull

Ian Anderson of Jethro TullSongwriter Interviews

The flautist frontman talks about touring with Led Zeppelin, his contribution to "Hotel California", and how he may have done the first MTV Unplugged.

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New York

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New YorkSong Writing

Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the Song

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the SongSong Writing

How a goofy detective movie, a disenchanted director and an unlikely songwriter led to one of the biggest hits in pop history.

Taylor Dayne

Taylor DayneSongwriter Interviews

Taylor talks about "The Machine" - the hits, the videos and Clive Davis.