Stayin’ Alive


During my grade school years, classmates frequently picked on me. Eighth grade was by far my worst year in school. The increased name-calling and bullying I experienced had me seriously contemplating suicide. Fortunately, I didn’t follow through with that.

One thing that helped sustain me during that difficult year was the music of the Bee Gees. By 1978 I had become a faithful listener of Casey Kasem’s radio show “American Top 40.” The Bee Gees had become my favorite group the year before. So it was exciting for me to see the Brothers Gibb dominate the record charts due to the titanic success of their music from the movie “Saturday Night Fever.”

The following year, I got to see the Bee Gees live in St. Paul, Minnesota. That concert inspired me to write my own songs and briefly learn how to play the guitar. The Bee Gees had a God-given talent that influenced multitudes of people. However, the reality is that all musicians are mortal and will someday meet the Lord to give an account of their lives.  

This past week, Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees spent several days in a coma after contracting pneumonia and was near death but appears to be recovering. Nine years ago, Robin’s twin brother Maurice died from complications due to a twisted intestine. Their younger brother Andy, who had a successful solo career (and someone else I got to see perform live), died in 1988 of heart failure at only 30 years of age.

Despite having an “open relationship” with a wife who practices Druidism, Robin Gibb released a solo album in 2006 called “My Favourite Carols”, which contained mostly Christ-centered Christmas songs. I'm praying Robin comes to know the Lord (if he hasn’t already) so that whenever his life ends, he will be singing for eternity in heaven.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” - 2 Peter 3:9

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