On December 28th, 1967, the “Bee Gees” topped the German singles chart with their song “Massachusetts.” The track had previously reached number 1 in the UK in October and marked the first of the group’s five UK number 1 hits. Notably, “Massachusetts” also served as the first single on which Robin Gibb sang the lead vocals.
In this poignant song, the singer expresses a longing to return to Massachusetts, a state located in the northeastern United States. Interestingly, the Bee Gees had never actually been to Massachusetts when they recorded the song; they were simply captivated by the sound of its name. Unfortunately, the memories associated with this time became bittersweet for Robin Gibb. On November 5th, while “Massachusetts” still held the number 1 spot, he was involved in a train crash that claimed the lives of 49 people, marking one of Britain’s most devastating rail disasters.
“Massachusetts” also reached the number 1 spot in numerous other countries. Notably, the Bee Gees became the first non-Japanese act to top the Japanese singles chart when “Massachusetts” spent a week at number one in April 1968.