About the Song
Some songs don’t just live on the radio — they live in memory, in heartbreak, in the quiet corners of our lives. “I Started a Joke”, first released by the Bee Gees in 1968, is one of those rare songs. And while the entire band contributed to its brilliance, it was Robin Gibb’s fragile, quivering vocal that etched it into the collective heart of music history.
Written during a time of artistic transformation for the Bee Gees, “I Started a Joke” was featured on their album Idea, and quickly became a global favorite, especially in countries like Canada and Australia, where it topped the charts. But its legacy extends far beyond commercial success. The song’s beauty lies in its ambiguity — part spiritual lament, part existential confession — and in Robin Gibb’s unmistakable delivery, which sounds as though it’s coming from a place of deep, personal sorrow.
Robin sings as if he’s standing completely alone, whispering into a void. His voice is clear, trembling, almost ghostlike — perfectly matching lyrics that speak of misunderstanding, isolation, and the painful irony of unintended consequences. Lines like “I started a joke, which started the whole world crying” feel almost prophetic, especially in hindsight, as fans reflect on Robin’s own life of fame, fragility, and personal loss.
Though many artists have covered the song, no version captures the ache quite like the original. Robin didn’t need to shout to be heard. His quiet sadness did the work. Over time, “I Started a Joke” has become a song of mourning, of misunderstood intentions, of the lonely price of being different. And when Robin passed in 2012, the song took on new meaning — no longer just a ballad, but a eulogy.
Today, listening to Robin Gibb’s “I Started a Joke” feels like stepping into a moment of stillness. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful truths are sung not in strength, but in vulnerability — and that a single voice, even when it trembles, can move the world.