He's a Liar
{{More citations needed|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox song
| name = He's a Liar
| cover = He's A Liar.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Bee Gees
| album = Living Eyes
| B-side = "He's a Liar" (Instrumental)
| released = 19 September 1981
| recorded = February{{snd}}June 1981
| studio =
| genre = Rock{{cite book|first=Bob |last=Stanley|title=Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop|chapter= Islands in the Stream: the Bee Gees|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9emZAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT7|date=13 September 2013|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0-571-28198-5|page=479}}
| length = 4:00
4:36 (extended intro)
| label = RSO
| writer = Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb
| producer =
- Bee Gees
- Albhy Galuten
- Karl Richardson
| prev_title = Spirits (Having Flown)
| prev_year = 1979
| next_title = Living Eyes
| next_year = 1981
}}
"He's a Liar" is a song by the Bee Gees, released on 19 September 1981 as the first single from their album Living Eyes.{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AiUEAAAAMBAJ&q=bee+gees+he%27s+a+liar&pg=PT103 |title=Billboard: Bee Gees - 'He's a Liar' |date=September 19, 1981 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=8 March 2015}} The song was written by brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb.
Background
Unlike the last three Bee Gees albums – which included primarily their established, longstanding studio and touring band – "He's a Liar" features an array of studio musicians: Don Felder of Eagles on lead guitars, Harold Cowart on bass, Steve Gadd on drums, and Richard Tee on piano. A version with a slightly longer intro was released as a 12-inch single in Germany and later on the Japan-only compilation Rare Collection. It was recorded between the months of February and June 1981.{{cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/beegees/81.html |title=Gibb Songs: 1981 |last=Brennan |first=Joseph |access-date=8 March 2015}} This song is rumoured to have been inspired by the feud the Bee Gees were having with their manager (and owner of their record label), Robert Stigwood, at the time. The brothers would later reconcile with Stigwood and remain good friends.
Release and aftermath
Even though this song sounded nothing like the Bee Gees' disco-era singles, the backlash had pigeonholed the Bee Gees as a disco act and radio stations were reluctant to play any new Bee Gees music. After six consecutive number-one singles in the US, "He's a Liar" peaked at number 30, which was far from the heights of their success in the late '70s. The song did better in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In Italy, the single sold 60,000 copies in two weeks.{{cite web|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,23/articleid,1055_01_1981_0252_0025_18753882/|title=I Bee Gees irrompono domani sul mercato poi toccherà a Police, Zero e Frank Sinatra|work=La Stampa|access-date=7 December 2021|date=25 October 1981|language=it|first=Francesco|last=Fornari)}} The song's only appearance on a compilation was 1990's Tales from the Brothers Gibb.
Record World said that it has "a loping rhythm, recurring synthesizer bass figure" and "the Bee Gees' trademark harmonies."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=September 19, 1981|page=1|accessdate=2023-03-01|title=Hits of the Week|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/80s/81/RW-1981-09-19.pdf}}
Music video
A video was made for the song which featured the three Gibb brothers and Sixteen Candles actress Haviland Morris. Robin portrays a man who is a lover of a woman, played by Haviland. However, Maurice spots the pair kissing, and he shoots them. After fleeing from the house, Maurice evades the police on foot, nearly getting caught. Eventually, he is cornered and thrown into a police car but manages to escape. In the last shot, a car drives down a darkened street and Maurice follows on foot, still being pursued by police. An ambulance with Robin and Haviland inside follows as the video and song fades out. The brothers also mime to the song in several shots.
Chart performance
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+Chart performance for "He's a Liar" !scope="col"|Chart (1981) !scope="col"|Peak |
| scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite Kent}}
|align="center"|38 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Flanders|15|artist=Bee Gees|song=He's a Liar|rowheader=true|access-date=25 March 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|33|chartid=0427|rowheader=true|access-date=25 March 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Germany|68|songid=12284|artist=Bee Gees|song=He's a Liar|rowheader=true|access-date=25 March 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|12|year=1981|week=42|rowheader=true|access-date=25 March 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|17|artist=Bee Gees|song=He's a Liar|rowheader=true|access-date=25 March 2024}} |
| scope="row"|UK Singles (Official Charts Company)
|align="center"|82 |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|30|artist=Bee Gees|rowheader=true|access-date=25 March 2024}} |
| scope="row"|US Cash Box
|align="center"|40 |
| scope="row"|US Record World
|align="center"|43 |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Bee Gees}}
{{Bee Gees singles}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Barry Gibb
Category:Songs written by Maurice Gibb
Category:Songs written by Robin Gibb
Category:Song recordings produced by Barry Gibb