Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself

"Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" is a ballad written and sung by Barry Gibb, and released on the Bee Gees' album Trafalgar in 1971, and the second single release taken from the album.

"Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself"
Single by Bee Gees
from the album Trafalgar
B-side"Walking Back to Waterloo"
ReleasedOctober 1971
Recorded7 April 1971
IBC Studios, London
GenrePop[1]
Length5:24
LabelPolydor (United Kingdom)
Atco (United States)
Songwriter(s)Barry Gibb
Producer(s)Robert Stigwood, Bee Gees
Bee Gees singles chronology
"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"
(1971)		 "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself"
(1971)		 "My World"
(1972)
Audio sample
"Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself"
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Recording and release

This slow dramatic piano ballad was described by Robin Gibb in the liner notes of Tales from the Brothers Gibb box set as "...the dawning, or the closing, of the 'gotta find out who I really am' era." This track was the last song recorded for the album. "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" was recorded on April 7, the same day when they finished the tracks "Israel", "It's Just the Way" and "Engines, Aeroplanes".[2]

The single was released in October 1971, two months after the number 1 hit "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart". Considering that "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" was a number 1, it was surprising that this did not even make the top fifty. Cash Box said of it that it was "another classic outing from the Brothers Gibb certain to trigger off a mighty sales explosion" and repeat the chart success of "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.[3] With the success of "...Broken Heart", Atco Records was choosing ballads exclusively for Bee Gees singles during this time. This song along with "Walking Back to Waterloo" was released as a double A-side in Spain, Canada, Japan and the US. The album version of the song was faded at 5:24.

A promotional single issued by Atco in the US, featured the song in its mono and stereo versions on its respective sides.[4]

Personnel

Chart positions
Chart (1971) Peak
position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[5] 29
US Billboard Hot 100[6] 53
US Cash Box[7] 39
US Record World[5] 30

References
  1. Dimery, Robert; Lydon, Michael (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (Revised and Updated ed.). Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
  2. Joseph Brennan. "Gibb Songs: 1971".
  3. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 16, 1971. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  4. Discogs.com (1971). "Bee Gees - Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself (US promo single)". Discogs.
  5. "Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts - Part 2" (PDF). brothersgibb.org. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  6. "Bee Gees Charted Songs". musicvf.com. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  7. "Cashbox Top 100". Cashbox Magazine. November 20, 1971. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
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