Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)

"Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)"
Single by Bee Gees
from the album Main Course
B-side	"Country Lanes"
Released	January 1976[1][2]
Recorded	30 January, 17, 19 February 1975
Studio	Criteria (Miami)
Genre	R&B[3] soul soft rock
Length	4:02 (album version) 3:26 (single version)
Label	RSO
Songwriter(s)	Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb
Producer(s)	Arif Mardin
Bee Gees singles chronology
"Nights on Broadway" (1975) "Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)" (1976) "You Should Be Dancing" (1976)

"Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)" is a song written and performed by the Bee Gees for their Main Course album in 1975.^[4] It was the third single release from the album, peaking at number 12 on the United States Billboard Hot 100^[5] and number two in Canada. According to Maurice Gibb, producer Quincy Jones called "Fanny" one of his favorite R&B songs of all time.^[6]

Inspiration and recording

It was written by Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, and Maurice Gibb. In a 2001 Billboard magazine interview with the Bee Gees, Barry claimed that

We had a housecleaner named Fanny when we stayed at 461 Ocean Blvd. [in North Miami Beach] during the making of Main Course. We were sitting in the lounge at Criteria [Studios] writing the song with the lyric idea, 'Be tender with my love'. Maurice turned round and saw Fanny and said, 'Wouldn't it be a better song if it was a woman's name in there, and you're asking her to be tender?^[6]

Recording for "Fanny" took place on 30 January, the same day as "Jive Talkin'", "Songbird", and "All This Making Love". Additional recording took place in February when Barry Gibb began to use his falsetto as a lead vocal in addition to Robin using his falsetto as well sharing the lead on "Fanny" and on backing vocals. The result of this song repeats on the idea of contrasting slower section of "Nights on Broadway".^[7] The complexity of falsetto and natural harmonies would become a Bee Gees trademark culminating with 1979's Spirits Having Flown. The key of this song in the end, was from keyboardist Blue Weaver. Weaver was influenced by Hall & Oates' 1973 LP Abandoned Luncheonette as he later admits, "The key change in 'Fanny (Be Tender)' was a complete rip-off from Abandoned Luncheonette from 'She's Gone' [also produced by Mardin], I only had it on tape, and I didn't know that Arif produced it".^[8]

Critical reception

Cash Box called it a "soulful composition" that "appears to be the third monster single in a row for these pop masters" off the Main Course album.^[9] Record World said that "the Brothers Gibb return to their old heavenly harmony sound."^[10]

The group did not perform "Fanny" live because of the layers of harmonies used to create the studio recording. A promotional film was made for distribution, the place was in the same as "Jive Talkin'".

In an interview for Billboard magazine on 14 November 2001, Maurice Gibb claims: "We all love that one, but it's just a bitch to sing".^[11] Bruce Eder of Allmusic describes "Fanny" along with "Baby As You Turn Away" had the same exquisitely sung sense of romantic drama as "Lonely Days" and "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart".^[12]

Chart performance

Weekly charts Charts (1976) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] 61 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 29 Canada Top Singles (RPM) 2 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[15] 1 Germany (Media Control Charts)[16] 42 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 7 US Billboard Hot 100[18] 12 US Billboard Adult Contemporary[19] 9 US Cash Box [20] 9 US Radio & Records[21] 8 US Record World [21] 10

Year-end charts Chart (1976) Rank Canada [22] 36 New Zealand [17] 37 US Billboard Hot 100[23] 79 US Cash Box [24] 68

References

1. David N. Meyer (2013-07-09). The Bee Gees: The Biography. ISBN 9780306821578. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
2. Brennan, Joseph. "Gibb Songs: 1976". Retrieved 6 February 2015.
3. Molanphy, Chris (September 28, 2018). "The Nights on Broadway Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
4. Bruce Eder. "Main Course - Bee Gees | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-07.
5. Bruce Eder (2003-01-21). "Bee Gees | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-07.
6. "Billboard: The Bee Gees 35 Years of Music". Billboard. March 24, 2001. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
7. Brennan, Joseph. "Gibb Songs: 1975". Retrieved 6 February 2015.
8. Brennan, Joseph (2009). The Bee Gees - Tales of the Brothers Gibb. ISBN 9780857120045. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
9. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. December 13, 1975. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
10. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. December 13, 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
11. "Billboard: Artists & Music". Billboard. November 14, 2001. p. 14. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
12. Eder, Bruce. "Main Course - Bee Gees". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
13. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (doc). Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
14. "Bee Gees - Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)". ultratop.be. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
15. https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.4092&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=1m15rp5i6cihkh5s9eg6mv0dp5 ^{[dead link‍]}
16. "Bee Gees - Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)". officialcharts.de. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
17. "Bee Gees - Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)". charts.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
18. R. Serge Denisoff, William D. Romanowski (2011-12-31). Risky Business: Rock in Film. ISBN 9781412833370. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
19. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 26.
20. "Cashbox Top 100". Cashbox Archives. March 6, 1976. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
21. "Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts - Part 2" (PDF). brothersgibb.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 December 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
22. "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on March 19, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
23. "Billboard Hot 100 Charts". Billboard. December 25, 1976. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
24. "Cashbox Top 100". Cashbox Archives. April 17, 1976. Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2015.

External links

• Lyrics of this song
• Bee Gees - Fanny (Be Tender with My Love) on YouTube