1967 The Bee Gees: Massachusetts

'Always different, always the same', so commented John Peel on The Fall, but in essence it could be applied equally to The Bee Gees too; over the decades the brothers have dabbled in a cross section of genres, yet as soon as the harmonies kick in then there's no doubt who's behind it. And so it is here; 'Massachusetts' is lush, orchestrated pop that walks a similar line to 'Green Green Grass Of Home', a regret tinged longing for a place the narrator may or may not see again. Unlike the morbid specifics of Tom's song though, 'Massachusetts' comes shrouded in vague mystery that stretches all the way to its title - the Gibbs chose it simply because of the way it sounded in the context of their song; few would be able to point to it on map and when the Gibbs sing "Feel I'm going back to Massachusetts" then they may as well be heading back to a suburb of Mars.

But then why are they heading back? To "do the things I wanna do" and see a girl "I left her standing on her own". Jilted at the altar perhaps? We're never told, and that's the beauty of the song I think; without being pinned down to a strong narrative we're able to replace 'Massachusetts' with our own totemistic time and place 'rosebud' we'd like to revisit or reprise - who isn't egotistical enough to believe that soaring "the lights all went out" when our own mistake was made and will stay out until the wrong is put right? 'Massachusetts' shamefully plays to the human condition of conscience, memory and the search for lost time but offers no respite to it - the repeat to fade at close of "I will remember Massachusetts" suggests that despite best intentions he never will get back there, giving credence to the notion 'you can't go home again'.