To Love Somebody ( song ) - wikipedia To Love Somebody ( song ) `` To Love Somebody '' Single by Bee Gees from the album Bee Gees ' 1st B - side `` Close Another Door '' Released June 1967 Format 7 ``, 45rpm Recorded April 1967 Length 3 : 02 Label Polydor ( United Kingdom ) Atco ( United States ) Spin ( Australia ) Songwriter ( s ) Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb Producer ( s ) Robert Stigwood, Ossie Byrne Bee Gees UK singles chronology `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) `` Massachusetts '' ( 1967 ) `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) `` Massachusetts '' ( 1967 ) Bee Gees US singles chronology `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' ( 1967 ) New York Mining Disaster 1941 1967 `` To Love Somebody '' ( 1967 ) To Love Somebody1967 `` Holiday '' ( 1967 ) Holiday 1967 Alternative cover Japanese cover for `` To Love Somebody '' `` To Love Somebody '' is a song written by Barry and Robin Gibb. Produced by Robert Stigwood, it was the second single released by the Bee Gees from their international debut album, Bee Gees 1st, in 1967. The single reached No. 17 in the United States and No. 41 in the United Kingdom. The song 's B - side was `` Close Another Door ''. The single was reissued in 1980 on RSO Records with `` How Can You Mend a Broken Heart '' as its flipside. The song ranked at number 94 on NME magazine 's `` 100 Best Tracks of the Sixties ''. It was a minor hit in the UK and France. It reached the top 20 in the US. It reached the top 10 in Canada. In a 2017 interview with Piers Morgan 's Life Stories, Barry was asked `` of all the songs that you 've ever written, which song would you choose ? '' Barry said that `` To Love Somebody '' was the song that he 'd choose as it has `` a clear, emotional message ''. The song has been recorded by many other artists, including Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, Roberta Flack, Jimmy Somerville, Michael Bolton, Billy Corgan, Rod Stewart and Michael Bublé. Contents 1 Origins and lyrics 2 Personnel 3 Charts 3.1 Weekly charts 3.2 Year - end charts 4 Cover versions 4.1 Michael Bolton version 4.1. 1 Weekly charts 4.1. 2 Year - end charts 4.2 Michael Bublé version 5 Movie appearances 6 References 7 External links Origins and lyrics `` To Love Somebody '' `` To Love Somebody '' is a soul ballad recorded by the Bee Gees. Problems playing this file ? See media help. At the request of Robert Stigwood, the band 's manager, Barry and Robin Gibb wrote `` To Love Somebody '', a soulful ballad in the style of Sam & Dave or The Rascals, for Otis Redding. Redding came to see Barry at the Plaza in New York City one night. Robin claimed that `` ( Otis Redding ) said he loved our material and would Barry write him a song ''. The Bee Gees recorded `` To Love Somebody '' at IBC Studios, London in March 1967 and released it as a single in mid-July 1967 in the US. Redding died in an aeroplane crash later that year, before having a chance to record the song. The song was recorded around April 1967 with `` Gilbert Green '' and `` End of My Song '' at the IBC Studios in London, England. Robin said, `` Everyone told us what a great record they thought it was, Other groups all raved about it but for some reason people in Britain just did not seem to like it ''. Barry said `` I think the reason it did n't do well here was because it 's a soul number, Americans loved it, but it just was n't right for this country ''. Barry Gibb explained in a June 2001 interview with Mojo magazine : It was for Robert. I say that unabashedly. He asked me to write a song for him, personally. It was written in New York and played to Otis but, personally, it was for Robert. He meant a great deal to me. I do n't think it was a homosexual affection but a tremendous admiration for this man 's abilities and gifts. The simple title refrain of the chorus, `` You do n't know what it 's like, Baby, you do n't know what it 's like, To love somebody... the way I love you '' has the effect of being at once heartbreaking and triumphant, a self - pitying put - down to an unrequited love. `` There 's... a certain kind of light that never shone on me... You ai n't got to be so blind, I 'm a man, ca n't you see what I am ?, I live and breathe for you, But what good does that do, If I ai n't got you ? ''. Personnel Barry Gibb -- lead vocal, guitar Robin Gibb -- harmony vocal Maurice Gibb -- bass guitar Vince Melouney -- guitar Colin Petersen -- drums Bill Shepherd -- orchestral arrangement Charts Weekly charts Chart ( 1967 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 6 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 8 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 9 France ( SNEP ) 65 Germany ( Media Control Charts ) 19 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 9 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 41 US Billboard Hot 100 17 US Cash Box 24 US Record World 18 Year - end charts Chart ( 1967 ) Position Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 20 Cover versions One of the most famous Gibb compositions, `` To Love Somebody '' has been covered by many artists. Some of the most notable versions include : 1968 : Gary Puckett & The Union Gap included the song on their debut album Woman, Woman ( album ) 1968 : The Sweet Inspirations recorded the song, which reached # 30 on the R&B charts. 1968 : Eric Burdon and The Animals released a cover of this song on their album Love Is ( The Animals album ) 1969 : James Carr released this song as a single and reached # 44 on the R&B Charts. 1969 : Nina Simone covered `` To Love Somebody '' released on her album To Love Somebody ( album ), which reached # 5 in UK and became her second British hit single after `` Ai n't Got No - I Got Life ''. 1969 : Janis Joplin covered `` To Love Somebody '' released on her album titled I Got Dem Ol ' Kozmic Blues Again Mama ! She performed the song on the Dick Cavitt show and also at Woodstock. 1969 : Busty Brown : covered `` To Love Somebody '' produced by Lee Perry 1976 : Gram Parsons and The Flying Burrito Brothers covered `` To Love Somebody '' on the album Close Up the Honky Tonks. 1977 : Narvel Felts released the song, reaching # 22 on the Hot Country Singles chart. 1988 : Bonnie Tyler released her version on her album Hide Your Heart 1989 : Billy `` Crash '' Craddock from Back on Track ; peaked at number 91 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada 1990 : Jimmy Somerville released his UK top 5 version. 1992 : Michael Bolton released it as a single as well as including it on the album Timeless : The Classics and his version reached # 11 on the US Hot 100 Chart. 1996 : The English alternative rock band Gallon Drunk covered To Love Somebody on their album In the Long Still Night. 2001 : Blue Rodeo covered this song for their ninth studio album Greatest Hits. 2005 : Billy Corgan covered this song for his first solo studio album TheFutureEmbrace. 2013 : Michael Bublé covered this song for his eighth studio album To Be Loved, the album 's fifth single. 2013 : Natalia Przybysz covered the song on her album Kozmic Blues : Tribute to Janis Joplin. 2015 : Lindi Ortega covered the song on her album Faded Gloryville. 2016 : Dexys covered this song on their fifth album, Let The Record Show : Dexys Do Irish And Country Soul. Karl Blau released his version on his album Introducing Karl Blau 2017 : Performed by Keith Urban at the Bee Gees Grammy Salute. Michael Bolton version Weekly charts Chart ( 1993 ) Peak position US Billboard Hot 100 11 Year - end charts Chart ( 1993 ) Position Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 24 Michael Bublé version Chart ( 2013 -- 14 ) Peak position Poland ( Polish Airplay Top 100 ) 13 Movie appearances `` To Love Somebody '' has been used in several movies including I Love You Phillip Morris, Y Tu Mamá También, Melody, The Wrong Man, My Entire Life and 50 / 50. Also this song has been used in a trailer for Joy ( 2015 ). References Jump up ^ Show 49 - The British are Coming ! The British are Coming ! : With an emphasis on Donovan, the Bee Gees, and the Who. ( Part 6 ) : UNT Digital Library Jump up ^ Discogs.com. `` Bee Gees - To Love Somebody ( original issue ) ''. Jump up ^ `` 100 Best Songs of the 1960s ''. NME. Retrieved 20 February 2015. Jump up ^ Piers Morgan 's Life Stories : Barry Gibb YouTube - Interview Jump up ^ Melinda Bilyeu, Hector Cook, Andrew Môn Hughes ( 2004 ). The Bee Gees : Tales of the Brothers Gibb Omnibus Press, ISBN 978 - 1 - 84449 - 057 - 8, p. 134. Jump up ^ David N. Meyer. `` The Bee Gees : The Biography ''. Retrieved 5 December 2014. Jump up ^ Joseph Brennan. `` Gibb Songs : 1967 ''. Jump up ^ Hughes, Andrew. Bee Gees : Tales Of The Brothers Gibb. ISBN 9780857120045. Retrieved 21 December 2012. Jump up ^ Songfacts.com. `` To Love Somebody - Bee Gees ''. Jump up ^ Janovitz, Bill. `` Bee Gees - To Love Somebody ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 24 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts '' ( PDF ). brothersgibb.org. Retrieved 18 January 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts - part 1 '' ( PDF ). brothersgibb.org. Retrieved 18 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Bee Gees - To Love Somebody ''. officialcharts.de. Retrieved 18 January 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Bee Gees - To Love Somebody ''. Dutch Charts. Retrieved 18 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Bee Gees - Chart history ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Bee Gees - Chart History ''. Billboard. Retrieved 18 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` RPM Country Tracks ''. RPM. 3 March 1990. Retrieved 8 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` Billboard Top 100 - 1993 ''. Retrieved 27 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` Billboard Top 100 - 1993 ''. Retrieved 27 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1993 ''. RPM. Retrieved November 23, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia : : Związek Producentów Audio - Video ''. Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 3 February 2014. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` I Will Be Here for You '' by Michael W. Smith Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one single ( Michael Bolton version ) 14 -- 21 November 1992 Succeeded by `` I Will Always Love You '' by Whitney Houston Bee Gees Barry Gibb Robin Gibb Maurice Gibb Colin Petersen Vince Melouney Alan Kendall Dennis Bryon Blue Weaver Studio albums The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs Spicks and Specks Bee Gees ' 1st Horizontal Idea Odessa Cucumber Castle 2 Years On Trafalgar To Whom It May Concern Life in a Tin Can Mr. Natural Main Course Children of the World Spirits Having Flown Living Eyes E.S.P. One High Civilization Size Is n't Everything Still Waters This Is Where I Came In Extended plays The Bee Gees New York Mining Disaster 1941 Soundtracks Melody Saturday Night Fever Live albums Here at Last... Bee Gees... Live One Night Only Compilation albums Turn Around, Look at Us Rare, Precious and Beautiful Rare, Precious and Beautiful, Volume 2 Best of Bee Gees Inception / Nostalgia Best of Bee Gees, Volume 2 Bee Gees Gold Bee Gees Greatest Tales from the Brothers Gibb The Very Best of the Bee Gees Their Greatest Hits : The Record Number Ones Love Songs The Ultimate Bee Gees Mythology Timeless : The All - Time Greatest Hits Videography Idea Cucumber Castle The Bee Gees Special One for All Tour One Night Only The Ultimate Bee Gees In Our Own Time Tours The Bee Gees ' concerts in 1967 and 1968 Spirits Having Flown Tour Articles Discography List of songs recorded List of unreleased material A Kick in the Head Is Worth Eight in the Pants The Barry Gibb Talk Show IBC Studios Hither Green rail crash Bands The Rattlesnakes Humpy Bong The Fut The Bloomfields Tin Tin The Groove Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs Toe Fat Amen Corner One World Project People Hugh Gibb Andy Gibb Steve Gibb Spencer Gibb Robert Stigwood Arif Mardin Ossie Byrne Steve Kipner Albhy Galuten Book Category Bee Gees singles discography 1960s 1963 `` The Battle of the Blue and the Grey '' / `` The Three Kisses of Love '' `` Timber ! '' / `` Take Hold of That Star '' 1964 `` Peace of Mind '' / `` Do n't Say Goodbye '' `` Claustrophobia '' / `` Could It Be '' `` Turn Around, Look at Me '' / `` ( Theme From ) The Travels of Jamie McPheeters '' 1965 `` Every Day I Have to Cry '' / `` You Would n't Know '' `` Wine and Women '' / `` Follow the Wind '' `` I Was A Lover, A Leader of Men '' / `` And the Children Laughing '' 1966 `` I Want Home '' / `` Cherry Red '' `` Monday 's Rain '' / `` All of My Life '' `` Spicks and Specks '' / `` I Am the World '' 1967 `` Born a Man '' / `` Big Chance '' `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' / `` I Ca n't See Nobody '' `` To Love Somebody '' / `` Close Another Door '' `` Holiday '' / `` Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You '' `` Massachusetts '' / `` Barker of the UFO '' `` World '' / `` Sir Geoffrey Saved the World '' 1968 `` Words '' / `` Sinking Ships '' `` Jumbo '' / `` The Singer Sang His Song '' `` I 've Gotta Get a Message to You '' / `` Kitty Can '' `` I Started a Joke '' / `` Kilburn Towers '' 1969 `` First of May '' / `` Lamplight '' `` Tomorrow Tomorrow '' / `` Sun in My Morning '' `` Do n't Forget to Remember '' / `` The Lord '' 1970s 1970 `` If Only I Had My Mind on Something Else '' / `` Sweetheart '' ( US ) `` I.O.I.O. '' / `` Sweetheart '' `` Lonely Days '' / `` Man for All Seasons '' 1971 `` How Can You Mend a Broken Heart '' / `` Country Woman '' `` Do n't Wanna Live Inside Myself '' / `` Walking Back to Waterloo '' 1972 `` My World '' / `` On Time '' `` Run to Me '' / `` Road to Alaska '' `` Alive '' / Paper Mache, Cabbages and Kings '' 1973 `` Saw a New Morning '' / `` My Life Has Been a Song '' `` Would n't I Be Someone '' / `` Elisa '' `` Mr. Natural '' / `` It Does n't Matter Much to Me '' `` Throw a Penny '' / `` I Ca n't Let You Go '' `` Charade '' / `` Heavy Breathing '' `` Jive Talkin ' '' / `` Wind of Change '' `` Nights on Broadway '' / `` Edge of the Universe '' 1976 `` Fanny ( Be Tender with My Love ) '' / `` Country Lanes '' `` You Should Be Dancing '' / `` Subway '' `` Love So Right '' / `` You Stepped Into My Life '' 1977 `` Boogie Child '' / `` Lovers '' `` Edge of the Universe ( live ) '' / `` Words ( live ) '' `` How Deep Is Your Love '' / `` Ca n't Keep a Good Man Down '' ( live ) `` Stayin ' Alive '' / `` If I Ca n't Have You '' 1978 `` Night Fever '' / `` Down the Road ( live ) '' `` Too Much Heaven '' / `` Rest Your Love on Me '' 1979 `` Tragedy '' / `` Until '' `` Love You Inside Out '' / `` I 'm Satisfied '' 1980s 1981 `` He 's a Liar '' `` Living Eyes '' / `` I Still Love You '' `` The Woman in You '' / `` Stayin ' Alive '' `` Someone Belonging to Someone '' / `` I Love You Too Much '' ( instrumental ) `` You Win Again '' / `` Backtafunk '' `` E.S.P. '' / `` Overnight '' `` Ordinary Lives '' / `` Wing and a Prayer '' `` One '' / `` Flesh and Blood '' 1990s `` Bodyguard '' / `` Will You Ever Let Me '' 1991 `` Secret Love '' / `` Party with No Name '' `` When He 's Gone '' / `` True Confessions '' `` The Only Love '' / `` You Win Again '' ( live ) `` Happy Ever After '' / `` Evolution '' `` Paying the Price of Love '' / `` My Destiny '' `` For Whom the Bell Tolls '' / `` Decadance '' `` How to Fall in Love, Part 1 '' / `` Fallen Angel '' `` Kiss of Life '' / `` 855 - 7019 '' `` Alone '' / `` Rings Around the Moon '' `` I Could Not Love You More '' / `` Love Never Dies '' ( EUR ) `` Still Waters ( Run Deep ) '' / `` Love Never Dies '' 2000s `` This Is Where I Came In '' / `` Just in Case '' Other countries 1968 `` And the Sun Will Shine '' / `` Really and Sincerely '' ( France ) 1970 `` Let There Be Love '' / `` Really and Sincerely '' ( Netherlands ) 1971 `` When the Swallows Fly '' / `` Give Your Best '' ( Netherlands ) `` Morning of my Life '' / `` To Love Somebody '' 1972 `` Israel '' / `` Dearest '' ( Netherlands ) `` Sea of Smiling Faces '' / `` Please Do n't Turn Out the Lights '' 1977 `` Children of the World '' / `` Boogie Child '' ( Australia ) `` Crazy for Your Love '' / `` You Win Again ( Remix ) '' `` Angela '' / `` You Win Again ( Remix ) '' ( Germany, Netherlands ) Jimmy Somerville Discography Studio albums Read My Lips Home Again Compilations The Very Best of Jimmy Somerville, Bronski Beat and The Communards For a Friend : The Best of Bronski Beat, The Communards & Jimmy Somerville Singles `` Suspicious Minds '' `` Comment te dire adieu '' `` You Make Me Feel ( Mighty Real ) '' `` Read My Lips ( Enough Is Enough ) '' `` To Love Somebody '' `` Smalltown Boy ( ' 91 Remix ) '' `` Gimme Shelter '' `` Heartbeat '' `` Hurt So Good '' `` By Your Side '' `` The Number One Song in Heaven '' `` Why ? ( Almighty Mix ) '' `` Ca n't Take My Eyes Off You '' `` Ai n't No Mountain High Enough '' Other songs `` Love to Love You Baby '' `` Johnny Remember Me '' `` Lover Man '' `` Do They Know It 's Christmas ? '' `` From This Moment On '' `` Someday We 'll Be Together '' `` But Not Tonight '' `` I Was Born This Way '' `` Tell Me Why '' Related articles Bronski Beat The Communards Category Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=To_Love_Somebody_(song)&oldid=815260482 '' Categories : 1967 songs 1967 singles 1992 singles Songs written by Barry Gibb Songs written by Robin Gibb Bee Gees songs Michael Bolton songs Billy `` Crash '' Craddock songs Nina Simone songs Michael Bublé songs Song recordings produced by Robert Stigwood Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles Polydor Records singles Atco Records singles Spin Records ( Australian label ) singles Hidden categories : Use British English from February 2014 Use dmy dates from February 2014 Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles which use infobox templates with no data rows Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Poland Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español Italiano Magyar 日本 語 Português Русский Svenska Tiếng Việt Edit links This page was last edited on 13 December 2017, at 19 : 42. 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Question: who wrote you don't know what it's like to love somebody
Answer: Barry Gibb