About The Song
Ah, the Bee Gees. Those three brothers from Down Under whose soaring harmonies and catchy melodies dominated the airwaves in the 60s and 70s. Today, we turn back the clock to 1967 and revisit a lesser-known gem from their early catalog, a song that captured a simpler time and a yearning for connection – “(The Lights Went Out In) Massachusetts”.
Now, for those of you who haven’t heard this song in a while, or perhaps never encountered it at all, “(The Lights Went Out In) Massachusetts” isn’t your typical Bee Gees disco anthem. This is a folk-pop ballad, driven by gentle acoustic guitars and Robin Gibb’s signature falsetto vocals. It paints a picture of a young man, far from home, reminiscing about a lost love under the flickering streetlights of a small Massachusetts town.
The song’s charm lies in its relatable narrative. We’ve all felt that pang of homesickness, that longing for a familiar place and a time gone by. The lyrics evoke a sense of innocence and youthful romance. We imagine the narrator, miles away, perhaps stationed overseas or attending college, picturing his hometown – the streetlamps casting a warm glow, the houses nestled together, a specific girl, perhaps with her hair in a ponytail, walking down a familiar street.
There’s a melancholic beauty in the song’s title itself. “Massachusetts” – a word with a pleasing cadence, full of “s” sounds that linger on the tongue. Interestingly, the Bee Gees brothers had never actually been to Massachusetts when they wrote the song. They simply liked the sound of the name, finding it evocative and evocative of a faraway place.
But “(The Lights Went Out In) Massachusetts” is more than just a love letter to a place. It’s a reminder of the fleeting nature of time and the power of memory. The narrator sings about a power outage, a seemingly mundane event that throws his world into a temporary darkness. This darkness becomes a metaphor for the distance separating him from his love and the uncertainty of their future together.
Despite the melancholic undertone, there’s a flicker of hope in the song. The narrator holds onto the memory of his love, a beacon that guides him through the darkness. He believes that someday, the lights will come back on, both literally and metaphorically, and they’ll be reunited.
So, put on your favorite records, fire up the turntable, and let the Bee Gees transport you back to a simpler time. Let “(The Lights Went Out In) Massachusetts” wash over you, a gentle reminder of young love, the comfort of home, and the enduring power of memory.